Why'd You Have To Go?
by laurzz
Summary: DannyLindsay. Sometimes, it's just about the fluff. An Epic Oneshot.
1. “You had better come in”

**A/N..** **Thinking of doing this as a two-parter.. **

**Bit angsty, but all's going to be good in the end.**

**Disclaimer: Trust me, anything you recognise is not mine. I aint that lucky! **

**Anyways.. on with the show :)**

_**Enjoy :)** _

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_If I could hold you close,_

_Like you were never gone,_

_If I could hear your voice,_

_You'd tell me to be strong._

She could feel the tears rolling down her face. She couldn't comprehend the fact that he was gone. He wouldn't leave her. He couldn't leave her. She knew that the strong woman that he fell in love with was somewhere down inside her. Where that strong person was, she didn't know…

_But sometimes I just can't,_

_I just don't understand,_

_Why you had to go,_

_I guess I'll never know_.

Why he had to go… She'd never understand. Not now, not ever, especially now that he was gone.

_Aint it funny how you think you're gonna be okay,_

_Till you remember that things aint never gonna be the same again,_

_And aint it crazy how you think you've got your whole planned_

_Just to find it was never ever in your hands._

She had her life planned with him.

Every breath that she took reminded her of what she had lost; a constant reminder. She was there, living, without him.

_If I could get to you, I'd be there in a minute,_

_My world don't make no sense, not without you in it,_

_And sometimes, I just cry,_

_I just don't understand,_

_Why you had to go, and leave me here alone._

The world that used to make sense to her no longer did. Her world, His world, Their world no longer existed. He'd left her and he wasn't coming back.

_Aint it funny how you think you're gonna be okay,_

_Till you remember that things aint never gonna be the same again,_

_And aint it crazy how you think you've got your whole planned_

_Just to find it was never ever in your hands._

Nothing was going to be the same. Instead of coming home to his mess it'd be her lonely, quiet, tidy apartment – what had been their apartment, since he had moved in, and now, moved out.

She'd never hear him cooking his mom's recipes in the kitchen for them to try – then laugh when dinner had turned cold, because they'd gotten distracted with something else.

She wouldn't come home to a quiet apartment wondering why he was so quiet, what he'd done and what the hell he'd planned.

She wouldn't come home to the sounds of the game, and him screaming at the Giants to 'buck their ideas up' or for the Yankees to 'knock it out of the park'

She wouldn't come home to him in the shower after a long day.

She wouldn't come home to his laughter.

She wouldn't come home to him.

_You don't see it coming,_

_When the future comes knocking,_

_It can make you or break you in two,_

_You just have to make it through._

She hadn't thought about it. There had been no other options. No other paths. She had one. With him, now she had to make it through, without him.

_Aint it funny how you think you're gonna be okay,_

_Till you remember that things aint never gonna be the same again,_

_And aint it crazy how you think you've got your whole planned_

_Just to find it was never ever in your hands._

She slumped down on her couch, and turned the radio down whilst looking at the reminders. The photos, the memories, everything reminded her of him. The lack of him in her life.

She promised herself that it wasn't going to affect her work. She'd promised Mac when they first started dating. But after the 3rd day of calling in sick, she figured that she was kinda past that. She was well aware that it was plainly obvious why she hadn't gone into work, but tear stained cheeks, red eyes, and messy hair wasn't in the approved attire for work, and she'd probably get sent home anyway if she was to go in...

Plus, she didn't want to see him…

He wouldn't care… He hadn't cared that night. The night he broke her in two…

_"I'm sorry Lindsay, it's not working. We're not working, I can't do this anymore."_

A knocking woke her from her daze, she hadn't even realised that she'd been so deep in thought.

She wiped her cheeks, getting rid of the excess tears… Stella was already used to seeing her teary eyed, but not in a state... She opened the door without even looking through the peephole, and stopped.

"Lindsay, I"

She slammed the door shut, just like he had on her. Yeah, it was childish. But who cared? Nothing he had to say interested her. Well it did, she longed to talk to him. She knew he didn't deserve her tears, her pain. But no matter how much she told herself that, she knew that he did, because he was probably hurting as much as she was.

"Lindsay, Montana, open the door, I wanna talk."

She turned the radio up louder, to muffle the desperation in his voice. She was trying to be angry with him, not feel sorry for him. He was the one that had done all this.

"I'm not leaving"

He was leaving. He was leaving _now_. She stormed over to the door, ripped it open. Put the letter in his hands, slammed the door shut, then re-opened it, threw the flowers he'd gotten her at him, and then slammed it shut again.

Then she collapsed against the door and slid down it, sobbing.

On the other side Danny was sat with his back against the door, flowers by the side of him, he slowly began to open the letter.

He stared at it, took a deep breath, and then began to read.

_Danny,_

_Stop calling me._

_Stop texting me._

_Stop sending me flowers._

_Stop sending Flack._

_Just leave it now._

_I don't know what you want from me. You want me… You wait for me… you get me, and then change your mind and you don't want me?_

_What the hell?_

_You knew how I felt, and you freaked out. It's simple. Typical Danny Messer…_

_Yeah, I haven't been to work, and if you cared, and you used an ounce of intelligence you would know why. Stop calling and leaving me voicemails, asking why I wasn't there. I thought it would be obvious to a detective like yourself, but apparently not._

_You ended it. Not me. Call Rikki, I'm sure she'll help, hey, whilst you're at it, how about you call Cindy. She was fun that time we saw her in the bar..._

_I love you Danny, but hell you're an arsehole._

_ Lindsay._

He wiped the tears that were running down his face. He deserved her anger. He knew full well why she hadn't been to work. It'd probably be the same reason why he hadn't been. He pulled his pen out and turned her letter over.

She couldn't hear him anymore. He'd probably gone. Thank god! She got up and went into the kitchen, as she did, she saw something fly under her door.

She slowly crouched down and picked up the folded piece of paper. He'd sent her note back through?

She noticed writing on the back, and slowly turned it over and began to read.

_Lindsay._

_I won't stop calling you._

_I won't stop texting you._

_I won't stop sending you flowers._

_And I won't stop sending Flack._

_And I defiantly won't leave it now._

_I didn't know what I wanted from you. I know I waited for you, I got you, and then I hurt you. I screwed up Linds. You don't need to tell me. The empty, aching feeling I got going on in my chest reminds me every minute of every day._

_I know I freaked out, you didn't deserve that, you deserve more than that. More than me. More than this._

_The only reason I know you've not been going into work is because Mac, Flack, Stella, Hawkes, Adam and Sid have come to my place asking me what the hell I've done. Until then I had no idea you hadn't been going in, not because I haven't noticed, but because I haven't been either._

_I know I ended it, Not you... And Lindsay, it's my biggest regret. You have no idea how much I miss you. How much I need you. I keep closing my eyes on the off chance I might see your face. I close my mouth because I might hear your voice in this screwed up head of mine. _

_And yeah, okay I deserve the comments about Rikki and Cindy. But Lindsay, compared to you. They're nothing. Believe me._

_I'd really like for you to open the door… Please?_

_We need to talk._

_Danny. x_

She knew she shouldn't. She'd regret it. She'd kick herself later. Stella would kill her with her own gun. Flack would kick her ass and Sid would do her autopsy. But it was sure worth it.

He leaned against the door with his forehead. Hoping, Praying, that she'd open the door.

It clicked.

He stumbled.

"You have 1 minute. Go."

"Aww, shit Linds, I don't do pressure and time limits well…"

"50 seconds"

"Okay, okay. Lindsay. Lindsay. I. I. I love you. "

She looked up from the floor.

"What did you say?"

"I love you Lindsay Monroe"

She couldn't stop the smile that was creeping across her face.

"You had better come in"

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**A/N...**You like?

Comments are loved.. :)

Btw, Song used, is **Change** by **Sugababes..**

Happy new year people!


	2. Can I stay here wit' you?

**Disclaimer: Last time I checked I didn't see my name go across the screen during the credits…**

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"You'd better come in"

"I can?"

"Damn, I'm speaking French again aren't I?! Do you want me to change my mind Messer?"

He quickly walked through the front door, taking his shoes off, and placing them on the shoe caddy.

"Want a drink?"

"No." _Drink.I wouldnt be able to hold the damn thing._

"Okay. You'd better sit down."

He walked over to the couch, terrified that she was going to tell him to pick his sorry ass up and get out of her life. Realising he still had his back to her; he turned to a teary eyed girlfriend. Well _ex-girlfriend_. God that killed him.

"Lindsay, I."

"No. You listen to me Messer."

He shut up and sat down. Danny Messer was well trained. When women in his life were pissed off with him, he was well aware, and did exactly what he was told. He made a mental note to thank his mother for letting Lindsay know that. Why was it he introduced them again?

"I don't know what the hell your problem is. Do you like wasting your time? 4 years Dan, 4. Does that not mean anything? You spent 1 and a half pawning after me. We flirt. We have fun. We eat bugs together. You support me, even though I shut you out. You spend God only knows how much on a last minute plane ticket to Montana. You spent a weekend with my parents before we were even dating. You were a hostage because you took my shift, after our first night together. You run down the subway tracks to stop a train that's gonna kill me if it crashes. The kid that you love as much if he was your own dies and the only person in the world you want is me... to comfort you. You take me to your childhood house. I meet your parents. You move in. You finally tell me you love me. Then one day "it's not working for you". Then, to top that off, you slam the door shut in my face. And the next day you come to get your things when I'm at work…?"

_Shit. She'd stopped_. He knew that She wanted an explanation and he didn't have one. Not a good one. A decent, worthy explanation of why he'd royally screwed up – again.

"I don't know Linds"

"But Danny, you said you loved me, and then the next thing you're saying is 'it's not working'?"

"Lindsay, falling in love with someone isn't always going to be easy... The Anger... The tears... The laughter... It's when you want to be together despite it all. That's when you truly love another. And that's now. I know that now."

"Wow, Danny that's deep… How the hell did you think of something like that? How are you so sure anyway?"

"Mom told me so."

"Danny-."

She knew there had been something behind it. There was no way that he'd think of something as poetic as that. And she was damn sure they were the words of Isabella Messer anyway.

He grinned. She laughed.

She loved his grin. He loved her laugh.

"But seriously, if you're willing to, well, 'ya know, take me back… Then I know my mom would really appreciate it."

"Danny."

"Linds, I don't love you because I need you, I need you because I love you. I can't deal without you in my life. _Please_."

A tear came to her eye. She could tell by the look on his face and the pain in his eyes that he was sorry, that he wasn't messing around.

"Danny. I need to know. What do you want from me?"

_It didn't hurt to ask._

"All I know is that it's you I want to see walking down the aisle towards the altar where I'm standing, waiting for you. It's you I want hold to hands with in the delivery room, whilst you're screaming at me saying you hate me for doing this to you, and I'm there telling you that if I could I'd be taking the pain away right there and then... And it's you I want to spend the rest of my life with. Nobody else, just you."

She knew that the last intake of breath had been loud and sharp, and she'd stopped breathing ever since.

"Linds?"

"I know, I know. Give me a minute here Dan"

She felt she needed to compose herself. Well, start breathing first would be a good starting point she figured. Realisation hit her.

Danny Messer had just talked about marriage and children. She knew she had to say something, anything really, just something. . And something quick

"Look Lindsay, am I wasting my time here. Do you even feel the same?"

"What? The fact that I can never get you out of my head, or the way I get weak in the knees when I get lost in your eyes. Or maybe the way I can't breathe properly when you're around. And the way I think that our hands match perfectly, and the fact that I've actually taken the time to think that our hands match perfectly. Or the way my heart skips a beat when I see you, when I think about you. Like the way you catch all of my attention by not even saying a word. And the way we act like three-year-olds. And like the way I fall in love over and over again. How about the way you hug and kiss me. The way you made me fall in love... No Danny. No, I don't feel the same."

"I'm confused." _She doesn't feel the same, but she loves me?_

"Heard of a thing called sarcasm?"

He rolled his eyes.

"You gotta stop doing that"

"I will when you do"

"Montana, Honey, I'm sorry. I love you. Take me back?"

"Of course"

He grinned. His stomach flipped. The butterflies inside attacked him. His heart started beating again. The ache inside his heart was gone.

"Hold that thought"

With that, he got up, ran to the door, and shut it again. Forgetting he didn't have his keys, he had to put what he was carrying down, and knock for her to let him in.

She looked at him puzzled.

_Why did he have 4 suitcases, 9 boxes, and his teddy under his arm and a snooker cue in his hand?_

"Danny?"

"Okay, I kinda forgot that we decided we didn't need my apartment anymore. Can I stay here wit you?"

She laughed. Shrek? Seriously? After all the poetic crap he was not quoting Eddie Murphy from Shrek?

"Donkey" She said with her best Scottish accent.

"Can I stay here wit' you please?"

"Sure. But I aint helping you with them boxes cowboy"

"Fine, they can stay in the hallway forever and a day then."

"Yeah, like they did last time, until I called your mom, and she unpacked for you"

"Exactly like the last time then."

"Not exactly like last time"

"How you mean"

"You won't be moving out this time, unless it's with me."

"Deal"

"Good to hear"

She turned and went towards the bathroom.

"Oh and Messer" she turned.

"Pull a stunt like this again, and I will call your mother."

He nodded solemnly, and she walked into the bathroom

He looked around the room –

"Yikes – maybe I should start putting things away…"

With her ear pressed against the bathroom door she chuckled.

"You do that Messer"

_Now, she just had to find something to do whilst he put his stuff away_…

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**Okay. So I said it was just a two parter, but I might carry it on for a while… Milk the muse while it lasts! See where it takes me :)**

**Suggestions?**

**Reviews?**

**Anything? **

**It's much appreciated**

**Thanks for reading**


	3. How they should be… Together

**Disclaimer: If I owned them, you wouldnt be on here, reading it. You'd be watching my Daily D/L hour. obvvs! ;)**

She'd woken up before him that morning and just stared at him. She knew they had to deal with the aftermath of the both of them not going into work for the past 3 days. She knew they'd both let Mac down. They'd let the team down. Hawkes had pulled a double to cover her shift, and Adam had been out in the field, only to have to stay in the lab doing his own trace, because they had been so low on numbers.

She slid out of Danny's grasp and padded into the kitchen to turn the coffee machine on – she had a distinct feeling her and Danny were about to pull a double at work…

Danny grinned as he heard the door shut, behind her. He had fully mastered being awake with his eyes closed. It had been easy with his ex girlfriends, because it gave him an easy way out, didn't have to make small talk, and he didn't have to cuddle. Easy, Simple, _Boom_... But with Lindsay, it was different. He could tell that she was staring at him, and he loved it. He loved feeling her breath on his face, because she was so close to him. He loved wrapping her up in his arms whilst they were sleeping, even if it meant that the circulation in his arm had been cut off. He loved her warmth. He just loved her. He couldn't understand how he had been so stupid the past few days.

_"I nearly lost her"_

She laughed whilst closing the door.._. Bless, he thinks he's mastered_ _pretending to be asleep… _She knew from the grin on his face he was awake, normally, when he was sleeping, his mouth would be open, and he'd be letting out the slight snore that he did – she would know, she'd hit him with her pillow enough times to stop him from snoring... She noticed that when he was pretended, it appears he forgot to, well, breathe. And she totally knew he was fully aware she was taking in the view, but even so, Danny Messer was, Danny Messer, who wouldn't stare at the view, when they had that waking up next to them?.

She would be quite happy just looking, sitting, touching and talking to him for the rest of her life, nobody else, just him. She knew every curve and crease in his face, his smile lines, and the colour of his cheeks. She loved the blue in his eyes, the looks on his face, his smile, his laugh, him. Then it hit her.

_"I nearly lost him"_

She whipped round to see him in the doorway of the bedroom in his sweatpants and his wife-beater.

"Where'd you go?" he asked rubbing his eyes…

And even though she knew he had probably been awake longer than what she had, her heart skipped a beat just looking at him, the tired, cuddly mess that was _her_ Danny Messer...

"Well, I took a trip to Rome, hopped on a bus to Venice, and then I'm pretty sure we stopped briefly in Paris."

"Yeah, yeah, alright, very funny, why'd did ya get up?"

"Coffee isn't gonna make itself Messer"

"Don't I know it?"

She looked at him, knowing what he was thinking. He didn't want to go into work today. He loved his work, he loved the lab, he loved the excitement and the exhilarating feeling he got when he put a perp behind bars, god he even loved Adam and his geeky-ness, and hell she'd even push it as far as him almost possibly loving Sid, but what he didn't love was the look on Mac's face he got all too often. The face he got when Danny had let him down.

"I'm gonna be there too you know. The principal can shout at us together."

He grinned.

"Mac is kinda like the principal isn't he."

"Yeah."

He smiled.

"Thank you"

She looked at him. _Thank you?_

"Excuse me?"

"Thank you, Linds, for _everything_."

Noticing the sentiment in his voice, she realised he'd had too much time to think over the past few days. Closing the space between them, she pulled him into a hug.

"Anytime,"

They stood for minutes supporting each other, realising that time was against them, she pulled away.

"Wanna save water?"

"As much as the next guy,"

"Make tracks cowboy" she said, hitting his rear end, overtaking him.

They could face Mac, How they should be… Together.

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**Next up –**

**What will Mac say? & how do they deal with the rumours around the lab?**

**A/N**

**_I just wanted to say an extra thankyou to the readers + reviewers.. _**

_**And also you people who've got me on story + author alert.. It hasn't gone unoticed.. So thankyou all! But make yourself known:) **_

_**My muse loves you all!**_


	4. “Young Love”

**Disclaimer: Be right back, Danny's at the door, waiting to take me out on that date...no.. wait.. no.. i'm dreaming again!**

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She shut the door behind her. As much as she respected Mac, what the hell was his problem? She hadn't turned up for work just like him, and all she got was "make sure it doesn't happen again"

But Danny had to stay?

So much for being _together _on this one…

She placed herself in trace, so she could monitor what was going on. Sure, she was a busybody. But so was everybody else in this damn lab.

They'd walked off the elevator together, hand in hand. They never had been secretive about their relationship, so they didn't feel the need to start now. Although, now would be a good time to start wishing they had been secretive. The rumours, the parties, the lies.

She'd heard that she was pregnant, she was going back to Montana, and she'd cheated on him with Flack, amongst other things, and that had only been on the way from the elevator, to Mac's office.

And of course, the lab techs that were well... women, single or not, had held a get together, in honour of Danny's new bachelor status. Well that was what she heard anyway...

She looked at the results GCMS had spit out. _Unknown substance_, it was going to be a long day…

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He looked up as she closed the door. He had to do this one on his own.

"Look Mac, I'm really sorry – I "

"Danny."

"No, Mac please,"

"Danny"

"I promise I won't do it again."

"DANNY"

He looked up. Mac was smiling. Okay, he'd been a jackass sometimes throughout the time working at the lab, but did Mac really need to smile when he fired him? And when was it that Danny had become a stuttering Mess. He was spending too much time with Adam. He made a mental note to get Flack to dump his Kevin girl_. Or was it Devon? Hell, he needed to start listening and stop thinking about Lindsay.. Concentrate Danny, you're getting fired here._

"Look, Mac, please, I really love my job"

"I know."

"Maybe, if I was on a trial for a few months, let me prove to you, I won't blow my responsibilities off again."

"There's no need"

His heart dropped. There was no talking Mac round.

"If you would let me finish Danny, you'd realise that I'm not firing you."

His heart regained the beat. All this heart activity was going to give Danny some serious problems later in life.

"All I wanted to say was that it happened to you."

He grinned.

"It did didn't it Mac – Love. It happened to me"

"Yeah, now for more serious stuff, you thought I was firing you?"

"Well, Mac, I mean there's only so many chances you can give me, if you give me enough rope, I'm sure I'll end up hanging myself with it."

"Danny, you're one of the team, you should have known, after the first time I bailed you out that you were for keeps."

"But Mac, you fired Aiden"

"Danny, you didn't consider planting evidence to convict a rapist, her heart was there bless... But even so, she knew the deal. She was a smart girl, her heart was there, just her brain had been temporarily misplaced. Danny all you did was not show up for work, hardly a sackable offence really."

He smiled at his boss, realising how stupid he'd been.

"I'm sorry Mac; it's been a tough few days"

"I know."

"You do?"

"Yeah, I can tell from Lindsay's face, she's been staring at us since she sat down in trace"

Danny turned, and smiled. She returned a weak smile, her eyes begging for him to come and tell her that it was fine.

"Go."

"Thank you Mac"

"It's okay. And Danny."

Danny turned.

"Hurt her again, and I'm going Marine on your ass"

"Noted,"

Mac sat back in his chair, sighing _"Young Love"_

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"So that's all he said"

They had managed to slip away for 5 minutes whilst they waited for AFIS to come back with prints, and considering the broom closet was the place to be, they decided there was no time like the present.

"Yeah, I felt like such a moron. He's probably still laughing"

She pulled him into a hug nestling her head in his chest.

"How we gonna deal with the nosy lab techs Dan?"

"Ignore them Linds, since when have you cared what people think"

"Since people have been asking me when I'm due and whether you were over the split and can they have your number"

"What, they think you're pregnant?"

"Well, that's one of the stories"

"Don't worry, I'll deal with it."

"I knew you would Danny"

**A/N** **- we're in for a ride people.. fasten your seatbelts :):):) **

**p.s.! Big thankyou and shoutout to all the people following the story, and commenting!.. love you all:)**


	5. What was that boy planning?

**A/N... I'm running out of witty disclaimer ideas now.. but either way.. still aren't mine..**

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"_I knew you would Danny." _

He loved how she trusted in him. But hell, how the hell was he going to deal with this one…

Before, he'd just usually rough the guys up in the locker room, if they'd pissed him off, and the girls, well, if he didn't smile at them, they knew.

But that was then.

Everything changed when she came, When Lindsay entered his life.

He sat in the break room pinching the bridge of his nose. He wanted to stay in Mac's good books, he really did. But he wasn't going to have mindless lab rats, spread rumours about Lindsay. His Lindsay. They could spread them about him, no problem, he didn't care. But Lindsay did, if Lindsay cared, then so did he.

Suddenly it came to him, even though; really it'd been there the whole time throughout the past 4 days. He threw his chair back, and rushed out of the break room, much to Stella and Sheldon's amusement, who had been watching him from the AV lab. They had been lucky that the psychotic murderers of New York were on a temporary break, allowing them to take things at a slower pace than usual...And if that meant staring at Danny in the break room. Then so be it!

Their eyes followed him from the break room to Mac's office, and then turned back to their surveillance video.

"Look Mac, I was wondering..."

The two lab techs looked at each other in disgust… The damn door shut, now they wouldn't be able to find out what was the deal with Messer was.

Danny left Mac's office some 5 minutes later, and headed straight for the break room, he needed to inform Lindsay of his plans, well half of his plans, he couldn't let the cat out of the bag fully now could he?

"Ahh, just the girl I was looking for, Linds, meet me here in three quarters of an hour… I've gotta run something down to Flack at the precinct."

"Sure, Danny but –"

"Bye honey!"

She watched him through the glass whilst finishing her sentence

"Sure Danny, but Flack's sat right here"

_Jesus - What was that boy planning?_

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**_A/N Wow guys, seriously. you're reviews are so kind.. :) _**

**_My little writer heart skipped a beat when i saw it had been reviewed 19 times:) _**

**_and on the birthday aswell:) _**

**_Good birthday present i'd say :) _**

**_So.. Thankyou..:)_**


	6. “Let’s do this”

**A/N.. This is just a short one.. so i figured i'd post it up anyway.. was going to wait till tomorrow. but what the heck!?!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, i'm just fiddling around with them. **

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He looked back as he walked out of the lab, onto the busy streets of New York. He knew that she wouldn't follow him, but he didn't want to take any chances.

His mom would nearly be at the little Italian café…

"_Let's do this"_ he thought.

He took off down the street, hands in his pockets, head in the clouds. He was about to make a life changing move…

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"Mac, can I have a word?"

"Of course Lindsay, what can I help you with?"

"Where's Danny gone? He said something about taking something to Flack, down at the precinct, but Flack was sat next to me when he said it, and I can't help thinking, you know something."

"You're right. I do know, but I'm afraid I can't divulge that information to you Lindsay"

She looked at him in disbelief.

"Sorry, what?"

"Danny distinctly told me not to breathe a word to you."

"And since when was Danny the boss of the NYPD crime lab"

"Don't you have work to do" Mac said with a smile

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"I know, I know Mom, I know she'll love it."

Isabelle Messer looked at her son through tear filled eyes. Her boys hadn't been the most conventional kids, she hadn't had the most conventional family but deep down, she always knew Danny would make a life for himself. And if she had done it herself, she wouldn't have found a better person for him than Lindsay.

"Well, I shant keep you any longer. Tiffany's is calling anyway, and –"

"I know, you love the little blue boxes" Danny chuckled…

She stood up and kissed him on his forehead.

"Do Dad proud son"

"I will Ma."

"And Danny, ensure that Lindsay calls me later, I want ALL the details."

"I will Ma"

Soon after his mother left, Danny put the tip on the table, and finished up his coffee, making his way back to the crime lab. _Hopefully Mac had called that staff meeting._


	7. The plan in action?

"Lindsay, if you can come in here a minute please."

_For the love of god, all I want to do is work. _

"Yeah, I'll be right there Stell"

She stood up and stretched, she desperately wanted to finish off her case files before she was called out into the field. But apparently her team members got a kick out of annoying her, and making her workload larger and longer.

"What can I-"

She walked into the meeting room; apparently she was late for the staff meeting_. Did_ _it not occur to people that she might have missed that memo while she had been off…? And how come Mac hadn't said anything?_ Quietly, she pulled a seat up by the door, trying to go unnoticed. She wasn't exactly a fan of the lab techs right now.

"So as I was saying, we'd appreciate if the rumours were to stop. I'm sure you can all talk about American Idol or whatever people watch these days instead of gossiping about mine and Lindsay's relationship"

_What the hell? Where was that boy, why couldn't she see him, she could hear him, but couldn't see him. And where was that hole that could eat her up from embarrassment?_

"And now, I decided not to do this publicly, so I'm sure we'll hear the rumours or the stories that you all decide to circulate. So, on that note, Montana … Come on, let's go."

She turned round to see Danny stood behind her, hand out. Taking it, she turned and smiled at Mac, Stella, Hawkes, Flack and Adam, who evidentially knew something she didn't. Going with the flow, she followed Danny, baffled by his strange behaviour.

"Danny, where are we going?"

"You'll see"

**A/N.. I know this is a really short chapter.. but its kinda a filler one.. i'll post the next one up asap:)**

**Thankyou to all the constant reviewers.. you guys make my day!**

**xx**


	8. “I’m sorry Danny, Lindsay’s gone”

**Disclaimer: Nope, still have no witty comment, claiming my lack of ownage on the characters/show etc...!**

**A/N: Okay, get your tissues people...**

------------------------

"_Danny, where are we going?" _

"_You'll see"_

"No Danny, No I won't see, considering you have me blindfolded, why are we going into the elevator."

He chuckled. He should have known that he wouldn't be able to fool her. His thoughts were interrupted by the shrill ringing of Lindsay's phone.

"Come on Dan, seriously, that's my phone, I need to answer –"

"Lindsay Monroe's phone."

No he did not. He did not just answer her phone.

Taking off her blindfold, he handed her the phone.

"It's for you..."

"No shit Sherlock…"She mouthed at him

"_Monroe, _

_Now, well I'm kind of in the middle of something, is there-?_

_Are there-?_

_Well can you-?_

_Okay, Okay, Give me 10 minutes." _

He grimaced; it looked like his plans were being put on hold.

"Who was that?"

"D.A. wants me to testify in some case I analysed blood splatter in last week. Apparently, my extremely extensive field and case reports aren't good enough anymore"

He just looked at her defeated, it had taken him enough courage to get to this point, now he had to wait god knows how long before he could ask her.

"Alright, but hurry back"

"Of course" she said smiling, whilst stepping into the elevator.

"I love you Danny"

"I love you Lindsay."

As the doors closed he stifled a yawn, finally the lack of sleep had caught up with him over the past 3 days. He walked towards their shared office and decided that he'd rest his eyes for 10 minutes. If there was a scene he needed to go to, his phone would wake him up.

After what seemed like 10 minutes, he woke to the sounds of someone hysterically crying, that someone, Danny recognised to be Stella.

He rubbed his eyes and put his glasses back on and exited his and Lindsay's cosy office.

Walking into the break room, he was looking down at the floor, not seeing their expressions.

"Jeez Stell, who died?"

This set Stella off crying again, much to Mac's dismay.

Finally he looked up to see the hurt in his colleague's eyes, and instantly felt there was something wrong.

"Danny, I think you'd better sit down."

Danny knew that look, it was the same look he got when Mac told him Aiden had been murdered by Pratt and it was the look he got when Mac told him Louie had been beaten by the Tanglewood boys.

"Where is she Mac? What happened to her?"

"Danny, she got called out to testify on that case she cracked by analysing the blood spatter, and as she walked into the courtroom, the suspects mom, pulled out a gun and – and" Mac couldn't bring himself to finish

"Where is she Mac?" Tears in Danny's eyes were threatening to fall. No, she couldn't be. She wasn't gone. Not now.

"They tried to stabilise her Danny, they did everything they could"

"No. Mac. No."

"I'm sorry Danny, Lindsay's gone"

------------------------------

**Seen as i've left it as such a cliffhanger, i promise i'll update tomorrow :)**


	9. Jeez Linds, why'd you have to go?

**A/N: I've changed the rating. No reason in-particular – yet. Just in case really. So yeah… it's now rated M, just so everything's covered :**

**And I know most of you wanted to kill me after the last update… Sorry :)**

"_I'm sorry Danny, Lindsay's gone"_

Tears were now falling freely.

His Montana; His Lindsay; His girlfriend; his best friend; his everything, Gone, just like that.

"Danny, maybe you should go home…"

"Yeah, okay Mac, Where all of her stuff is, where she should be with me. Yeah, I don't think so. Where is she?"

"Sid's preparing to do her –"

"Don't Mac, please."

He walked out, he couldn't handle it anymore. He heard Stella sobbing, and when he glanced over at Flack and saw him shed a tear he lost it.

He had the song that Lindsay was listening to yesterday, while he was outside their apartment, going round in his head. It was killing him, he had only just got the news and it'd hit him like a tonne of bricks…

"_If I could hold you close,_

_Like you were never gone, _

_If I could hear your voice, _

_You'd tell me to be strong._

_But sometimes I can't,_

_I just don't understand,_

_Why you had to go,_

_And leave me here alone." _

The song words kept going round in his head, over and over. He couldn't understand why she'd been taken away from him, just when he realised how much she truly meant to him, she was gone. Taken, just like that.

How would he cope without her? He knew that she'd be able to be strong, but he wouldn't. He relied on her. The only reason he'd got through Aiden's death and Louie's beating was because of her strength. Not his, but hers.

He hadn't realised he was walking, he wasn't aiming for anywhere in-particular, just somewhere, away from the sad empathy looks he was getting. She wouldn't want that. He hated himself for referring to her in the past tense already, but she was gone.

He punched open the door to the locker room and slid down the frame_. "Jesus Linds, why'd you have to go?"_

_-------------------_-------------------

"Danny, Danny…_cowboy_- Wake your sorry ass up, your slobbering all over my field report. I need my purse, you're sat on it. Get up!"

He woke with a start and fell off his swivel chair, still sat on the floor, he rubbed his eyes. He was hallucinating, the trauma of it all. It must have been. She was gone.

He put him glasses on.

_She hadn't gone._

"Danny, what's your problem, it looks like you've just seen a ghost."

He took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes one more time. No. Not dreaming.

He pulled her into a fierce hug, kissing every inch of her face and hair.

"Lindsay. How are you, are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be okay? Danny what's the matter with you?"

"Nothing, I'm, I'm fine, you just erm, startled me, that's all..."

He was lying through his teeth, but he felt stupid. But most of all, he didn't want to tempt fate.

"Okay, well as long as your okay, I just came back to get my purse and you were slobbering all over my freshly done field reports, and sat on my purse, I didn't want to wake you, but you were kinda restless. I need to go, I'm already 5 minutes late, got all the way to the car and - "

"Lindsay, don't go."

"Danny, I have to, they're relying on me for a conviction"

"Look, call it a premonition or whatever, please, if you ever listen to me, listen to me this once, don't go. Go with my instincts"

"But Danny I-"

They were interrupted by the sounds of shots on the police radio

"_Shot fired at the Jeffries trial, Officer down, Suspect in custody. EMS needed, put a rush on it." _

"Danny, that's were I'm supposed to be."

"_Never mind on that bus, you'd better dispatch the M.E." _

"That could have been me. It could have been me Danny."

**A/N**

**Gosh, people. Did you actually think I would kill Lindsay? Well actually, saying that, most of you all saw through it anyway:( ****My little fluffy shipper heart would die a painful death. **

**And… I'm sorry I did the 'it was all a dream' cliché… ****But I'm not sorry about my cliff hanger last chapter:P **

**You can send hate-mail to my PO Box :P ****Make it nice hate mail though… ;) **

**I won't leave you hanging on Danny's plans much longer. Promise. I feel I might get torched otherwise! Ha-ha**


	10. Now and forever

**Disclaimer: Yep. I own them. And if you believe that, well, PM me and I'll give you the name to my therapist. Ha-ha :P… Just to clarify, they're not mine lol!**

**A/N Big thanks to ****CaRiNeSs for the idea in this chapter! If anyone else has any ideas, I'd really appreciate them… I'm at a loss for what to do now…**

**P.S. This chapter contains what could be seen as spoilers for Child's Play. You have been warned :)**

Mac had let them go home after the shots had been fired at the trial where Lindsay had supposed to have been testifying at.

The lab was dead and they had both had a rough couple of days, self inflicted albeit, but nevertheless Mac now understood what it felt like to be at a loss without a loved one, first Claire, and now Peyton, and they had all been close in losing Lindsay, the last thing that he wanted, or needed was Danny and his determination to get the shooter behind bars. As much as Mac loved his dedication, he was too connected and would most probably end up getting the conviction quashed for misconduct, or some crazy rash decision to beat the crap out of the perp…

Danny was thrashing around in the locker room. He desperately wanted justice, justice for the family, justice against the shooter. Justice, for what could have been Lindsay; he could have been the grieving boyfriend identifying her in the morgue…

He sat down with his head in his hands, thinking about the conversation, the argument, that nearly broke him and Lindsay up for good, pondering over his stupidity, trying to understand it, to make sense of it. It appeared that every rational bone in his body had been on vacation that day…

He could understand his bad mood. It had been 4 months to the day since Ruben had been murdered and, that day, what was the case he had to be the lead on? The one with the 10 year old that had been shot in the side. Normally to be lead on a case meant that Danny was getting close to where he'd been 4 years ago, before he messed everything up, and was taken off the promotion grid. Normally it gave him a sense of hope, the exhilarating feeling of being good at something he loved to do. But, not with this case, who could love a job where they had to find out why an innocent 10 year old little girl had been murdered. No reason, no reason in the world. It had ended up that the neighbour had been blowing off shots in his back yard, one had gone stray, went straight through the fence, killing the little girl next door that was playing with none other than her new bike. The case basically slapped him in the face. It had wrapped up relatively quickly though, meaning Danny could let go of it. Leave it at work. Until he saw her.

He'd been okay, until then. Staying at Lindsay's, they had basically moved in together, him just coming back to his apartment, to check the mail, check the voicemails, he had given his notice into the landlord and had been due to move out in 3 days. Lindsay had been pestering him to sort his stuff out, but he had all the time in the world, during the three days at least. He couldn't see the rush... He had also been working weird shifts, so that meant that even when he did come round to his place; it prevented him from seeing her since the day at the church. After hesitating to touch her on her shoulder, he decided to suck it up and he placed a delicate hand on her shoulder, letting her know that he was there. That's when she pushed his hand off, looked at him and walked away. It wasn't the look that hurt him, it wasn't even the fact that she'd brushed his hand off, it was the fact that she walked away. A real blow, although he didn't love Ruben as much as what she did, being his mother, he came in at a damn close second. He thought she knew that.

Soon after, he left the church, vowing that religion was obviously not for him. That day, he lost all faith. When Louie had been beaten up by Tanglewood, Danny could comprehend why, eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth and all that… Louie had done his fair share of beatings; it was only fair he got some back. He didn't necessarily believe it, but it brought him a sense of understanding. However, what he could not understand was the fact that an innocent 10 year old boy was murdered and he died on his own, scared. If there was a God, he sure as hell needed firing.

But, slowly, with Lindsay's help, he'd been okay. He talked it through with her, let out the tears, the sorrow, the regret, the hatred he felt against the Lucy woman that shot him. He knew that with time, it would be easier, Lindsay witnessed her friends being killed and she had got through the other end. If Lindsay could do it, so could he.

Until that day, he hated to admit it, but he hadn't even thought about how Rikki must have been feeling. He was okay. He had Lindsay, his job, his life. Rikki lost her son, her livelihood, her whole world, everything.

She'd been out in the hall when he was walking down towards his apartment.

He'd smiled and said "hey" but she had none of it, screaming profanities at him… crying, blaming him for Ruben's death. He was irresponsible, useless and a pathetic excuse for a cop. He took it, nodded, and walked on.

10 minutes later, after he had finished punching the hell out of his punch bag he had finished crying and he heard knocking at the door. Obviously it had been Lindsay; she was the only person that knew the combination to get into his building. He knew it was bad timing. He knew deep down it wasn't her fault. But he couldn't deal with it anymore. He wanted everything to just go away, for everyone and everything to leave him alone.

He opened the door to her wide smile, beautiful brown eyes, and he simply broke her in two. He didn't know what he was saying until he heard it himself. No consideration for her feelings whatsoever. He didn't know what he was angrier with, the fact that he allowed himself to slam the door in her face, without even an explanation, or the fact that he shut her out, when he needed her most. Either way, it was, to date, the worst day in his life.

For the first day, he drank himself into oblivion. Not wanting to feel anything anymore, he went to her apartment, their apartment, packed up his stuff and left his key on her dinner table... The Second day, he cried, half because of the bass band playing in his screwed up head, and half because he had technically lost the most important thing in his life. His whole world. The third day, he woke up, exhausted from crying, with the realisation that he had been the most stupid person, in the whole world. He'd seen people from the lab, but their words seemed to go over his head. The only thing he absorbed was the fact Lindsay hadn't gone to work. He had hurt her. And he needed to fix it, one away or another. He didn't even realise he was going to her apartment until he was outside, knocking on her door.

He looked up from his train of thought to see her stood in the doorway, beautiful, as ever, just looking, wonder clear in her eyes as to what he could be thinking about.

"Come 'ere" he said straightening up from being sat on the floor, putting his hand in his pocket...

"Danny, girls aren't allowed in the boy's locker room"

"Jesus, you never broke that rule at school?"

"Not once"

"Well, seen as the principal's in his office now, how's about we break some rules?"

She chuckled…

"Danny, there's only so many times you can refer to Mac as the principal, as much as I think it's cute, I'm not sure Flack would find it as funny."

After the past few days, he wanted her forever, but he knew she deserved better than the work's locker room. He wanted the whole 9 yards for her; roses, and horse drawn carriage, it hidden in the chocolate cake or the champagne. But then it came to him. He took his hand out of his pocket. He knew exactly what to do. Finding the right time was the hard part.

All he knew was that this was it. Now and forever.

**A/N: Okay, I'll keep you hanging on for one more chapter – Ha: **

**And…Well just big thanks to everyone that keeps reviewing and reading:)**


	11. “How ‘bout it?”

**A.N: I couldnt possibly leave this any longer if I tried. I feel I would get pitch forked :P **

**It may however make more sense, next chapter. **

**Let's see if anyone can guess where the idea's from?... **

It'd been a nice evening. They hadn't been called back into work, and Danny had suggested going for something to eat. A 'celebratory dinner to express their love'. Where did they end up? Danny's favourite pizza joint, Rays, but he didn't care. As long as they were together, it didn't matter where they went, where they ate, anything.

_And tonight was the night._

He had it all planned. He'd done his research...And she was going to love it.

It was defiantly coming together now…

"Danny, are you listening to me?"

"What, sorry Hun, I guess I was out of it for a minute or two there."

"Well, as I was saying – I think we should head home, it's getting dark, and Ray looks to be getting pissed off seen as we haven't actually had anything to eat or drink in the last two hours, and I'm really tired"

"Sounds good to me, I just wanna go for a walk first. It won't take long. I promise"

They walked through the streets of New York hand-in-hand, while Danny led them to his plan. Everything, was working out perfectly.

They had been walking for a while, when Danny had suggested that they take a walk on the Brooklyn Bridge, which Lindsay thought was crazy, but she didn't care, so long as she was with him, it didn't matter…

He however was surprised that she hadn't caught onto his crazy antics. Walking? Surely she knew he hated walking. And his hands were surely a give-away. Shaking, from excitement, from fear, and any other emotion that he could possibly think of...

He looked at his watched. 8.30pm. Mac should have had everything in order by now.

He stopped and turned Lindsay against the barriers on the bridge, facing her away from where the crime lab was… Hands shaking, voice quivering he took a deep breath.

"Lindsay, I wanna talk to you about somethin' "

"Hmm, Okay, go ahead"

"But I don't want you to interrupt me okay"

"Okay"

Part of him wanted to laugh, and yet part of him wanted to take his last few words back. He could tell by the look on her face that she thought he was breaking up with her. Little did she know…

"I know that I've been a jackass these past few days, and I hope you can forgive me."

Knowing he had said not to interrupt him, she nodded in response.

"Lindsay, I want you to know how much you mean to me. You're my best friend, my strength, my life, you're my everything Linds. I love you so much, and these past few days, it's made me realise how much you do truly mean to me. I can't believe I nearly lost you... I love you so much. Hey, turn round a second, there's something I wanna ask you, well more show you."

"Turn around?"

"Yeah, look towards the crime lab"

She gazed across the New York City skyline, looking for the crime lab in the darkness. Her eyes found it, and she was astounded by the light pattern sending her a message, reading it out loud she whispered.

_"Marry me"_

It took her a few seconds to gather her thoughts, when she did; she spun round to Danny, desperately wanting to know what was going on, only to find him lent on one knee, holding a small box with a ring inside.

"How 'bout it?"

**A/N: I just wanted to thank everyone for their constant reviews. It seriously makes my day...So thanksyouu!.. alot:)**


	12. “Since when did you turn so sappy”

**Disclaimer: If they were mine, we'd see this being played out. Therefore, evidentially, I don't own them, in the slightest. Depressing... I know!**

"_How 'bout it?"_

Her mind was racing. She first thought of the Sam McFarland case; he had proposed to the girl he'd gotten pregnant, arranging for the lights to be turned on in his office building so they spelt out _marry me_. She remembered thinking that if she was to be proposed to; she'd want it to be something half as romantic as that. Not the circumstances as much, but something like that would be nice.

She remembered a conversation she and Danny had once had, whilst messing around whilst cleaning the dishes after dinner together because the dishwasher was on the blink. He asked her if she had planned her wedding when she was little, and in response she'd told him that she hadn't really planned it per-se, but she had some idea of how she wanted to be proposed to. And she'd explained the case, telling him how the Vic had spelled 'Marry me', and he just nodded, then changing the subject back to their previous conversation about the Giants.

She then realised that she'd been stood there for about 2 minutes, not speaking, not giving him an answer. Still lent on one knee, they had gained a few spectators; she pulled him up by the hand, pulling him in towards her, and kissing him before saying

"A Benjamin says I do"

The crowd surrounding them erupted in cheers and applause. After placing his grandmother's ring on Lindsay's finger, he kissed her again, then, pulling her chin up, wiping the tears away that were rolling down her face, she looked up to see the whole team stood there, cameras in hand.

"Do you guys have nothing better to do with your time?"

Flack started laughing. "Well, I mean on my way here I did see a guy with an axe-pick, going at it with someone's head, blood everywhere. Thought nothing of it though"

This earned him a concerned look from Adam,

"Kidding,"

Lindsay turned her attention back to Danny.

"Danny"

"Yeah –"

"Take me home"

"Why?"

"Well, because I don't fancy standing out on the Brooklyn Bridge in the middle of November freezing my ass off" pulling him close, she finished her sentence "And I want to show you exactly how much you mean to me right now"

Understanding Lindsay's hint completely, they accepted their congratulations and said their goodbyes to the rest of the team, and Danny and Lindsay made a beeline for their apartment.

-------------------------------

They were now walking hand in hand, back to their apartment. He could tell there was something playing on her mind, but he couldn't put his finger on it. From the corner of his eye, he could see her open her mouth, wanting to say something, and then close it again. And as much as he liked making her squirm, he could tell she was really thinking about it…

"Come on, what is it Linds?"

"What's what?"

"You're wanting to say somethin', but you're holding back, I aint stupid ya' know!"

"No, I know Danny, It's just something silly."

"So, I'm all for being silly. Come on."

"What made you propose?"

"The way I feel about you. I want us to be together forever."

"No, but Dan, I meant why tonight?"

"Well, I decided that I wanted to get a head start on forever."

"You're talking in riddles Danny, what do you mean?"

"I mean that I want to be with you forever Linds, I didn't see the point in waiting around. If I know now that I want you forever, then there's no time like the present. And after the week we've had, I didn't want to lose you again, and I wanted to show you how much you really mean to me."

"Jesus. Since when did you turn so sappy?"

He laughed.

"I've always been sappy. Just had no-one worthy enough to hear any of my sappiness"

"And I'm worthy enough?"

"Oh yeah, you're worthy enough. Make tracks Country girl, you're supposed to be showing me how much I mean to you"

"Well I can't go breaking promises now can I?"

Making a mental note to set the timer on the coffee for 7.30 tomorrow morning, Danny had a feeling he'd need it to keep him up through his shift tomorrow, seen as he defiantly wasn't getting any sleep tonight.

**A/N: Gosh, I had so many different versions of this in my head, but none seemed to go right. So I added the two main ones I had together, and this is what I ended up with… I'm still not really happy with it… But it's the best I could get. My muse apparently wants a pay rise or something. God only knows! **

**And… I've decided to set it in November, so all the Christmas & New Year's ideas I had floating in my head fit into the time frame… So… Its Christmas and new years fluff a bit late this year **

**You people are crazy... how could I make Lindsay say no? **


	13. Montana anyone up for a road trip?

**Disclaimer: If only…**

They sat cuddled on the couch together.

It had been their first day off together since Danny had proposed a week ago, and they were glad of the rest. Lindsay had pulled two doubles in that week, and Danny hadn't left the lab for 21 hours straight. It two people needed a break it had been them too.

Lindsay snuggled up closer to Danny, trying to steal the blanket that was covering them both. Glancing up at him, she let out a sigh, which caught his attention…

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing"

"But you sighed, normally that means I've either annoyed you; you can't figure something out on a case; spell checker isn't working for your field reports and it's not recognising something like fungal spores; or Adam won't do your trace, so you have to do it yourself. So because I can't see Adam, and we don't have any cases, I'm presuming you're annoyed with me."

"It was a happy sigh Dan"

"Ahh, the happy sigh, I get ya'!"

"You do?"

"Yeah"

Before she knew it, he was onto of her, pinning her down, tickling her…

"Danny, no… don't, stop it!"

"Tell me you love me, and then I might stop"

"I love you"

He grinned;

"Well, you know Lindsay, Love is a wildly misunderstood although highly desirable malfunction of the heart which weakens the brain, causes eyes to sparkle, cheeks to glow, blood pressure to rise and the lips to pucker"

She giggled and puckered her lips up;

"Like this?"

He leaned into her lips and replied

"Yeah, somethin' like that."

Closing the distance between them, he lightly kissed her on her lips, quickly she pulled away…

"So, you watched my show I recorded yesterday then?"

"Huh, what you mean?"

"I recorded it yesterday, and I presume you watched it, seen as I heard her say that whilst I was cooking you your pancakes, this morning. So, how long have you wanted to say it?"

"Say what?"

_He knew that he was busted… She knew him all too well._

"The 'love is widely misunderstood' spiel you just gave me…"

"What you talking about, I thought of that all by myself"

"Yeah, sure you did"

"What? I did."

"The look on your face says it all. You're a crap poker player Messer"

"Okay. Well, maybe I did watch it"

'Knew it, so go on, how long have you wanted to say it?"

'Bout 45 minutes, give or take"

"Danny, we only woke up 30 minutes ago"

He got up and headed towards the bathroom mumbling _"That's what you think"_

What she didn't know was that he had been up for around 3 hours before her; he had the idea last night when Lindsay had fallen asleep on his chest and a commercial for a new movie came on, the first line being, "I'm from Montana"

_Montana _- Danny knew how much Lindsay missed her family, and the _wheatfields._ And now, they had a perfect excuse to go and visit them. He closed the bathroom door and started to rummage through the bathroom cabinets. Why he had decided to hide them there he didn't know. Either way, he figured it was a good place, and a good time to give them to her.

He was astounded when he had been in Macy's earlier, browsing, looking for potential gift ideas for his fiancé, as they were fast approaching Christmas.

Fiancé, his Lindsay – Lindsay Messer. It had a good ring to it. He then came across them. The gift certificate wallets, he picked them up and turned them over, just curious to see where the picture was taken – _the wheatfields of Montana. _He stood in the store chuckling to himself; _Get out_ – He tried the tickets for size. Yeah. They defiantly fit. The saleswoman thought he was crazy when he asked how much they were, just for the wallets...

He unlocked the bathroom door and headed back towards the living room.

"I thought you'd fallen in"

"Ha-ha very funny. Here, look I got you something."

"Should I be worried it came from the bathroom"

"Just open it smart-ass"

She turned the white envelope over and opened it to reveal the picture on the front.

"A picture of wheatfields – erm, you shouldn't have?"

"No, it's what's inside it."

She opened the wallet and tears came to her eyes.

"Danny, are these?"

"Yeah, tickets for tomorrow. Our plane leaves at 9.30. Your parents are picking us up around 2."

"But Danny, how did you"

"I Okayed it with Mac this morning, and the travel agent was extremely helpful. Thought I was crazy. She remembered me from last time. Asked me if I had a thing for going to Montana last minute"

Lindsay, who was still speechless, let out a small laugh through her tears.

"What did I do to deserve someone as perfect as you?"

'You know what Montana, it's funny, and I ask myself the same thing everyday."

"Come on Cowboy, before you get sentimental on my ass we better start packing."

"Sentimental? Me, you're the one that's crying, baby"

'Yeah, but I'm your baby"

"See, my point exactly, you're being sentimental"

"Come on cowboy, we'd better start packing…"

**A/N: At first I had a load of trouble with this chapter… Picking momentum up again now… I think :S **

**So…Montana? Anyone up for a road trip? **


	14. “We’ll see about that Messer”

**Disclaimer: If I owned them, I'd have better things to do than to write my little stories, unless it was for an episode of my D/L hour which clearly isn't ever going to happen… **

He sat rocking back and forth in his seat.

_This is why he hated flying. _

Turbulence... Apparently it was there to terrify him to death. And he loved the fact that Lindsay took the liberty of laughing at his terror.

In all fairness, he had been laughing at her earlier…

"_Danny. For the love of God, wake up. I knew we should have gone to bed earlier"_

_Danny laughed. He'd been awake for around 30 minutes, but he loved making her squirm. He had heard her talking to Stella about him 'not fooling her with the 'I'm pretending to be asleep' master-plan he had going on'. Listening to what he had to do to convince her he was asleep; he concentrated on snoring, and breathing in a slow constant motion. _

_And he hated the fact that she always had to be at the airport 4 hours before the plane that they would be flying on had even landed, this way they'd be what, 3 hours and 50 minutes there beforehand?_

_Eventually she realised he wasn't really asleep, so instead of playing into his hands, she went into the kitchen, got a bottle of water from the fridge and walked towards the bedroom… _

"You know Montana, if I didn't love you so much, I could really hate you right now"

"I don't know what you mean Dan"

_She did know. She knew full well. _

"My shirt, it's _still _wet. And I'm cold. I can't believe you poured that bottle of water on me."

"Well Danny, in all fairness, how was I to know that you were already dressed underneath the duvet"

"Yeah, well, even so, we're going to Montana for two weeks Lindsay. Two weeks, not two years. There's no need in packing every t-shirt I own."

And there was the turbulence again.

He remembered freaking out on the way to Montana the first time he'd gone; Lindsay needed him, so he sucked it up. Now what was his excuse? Crazy romantic gesture? Nope wasn't cutting it. He was still terrified. And he hadn't even thought about Lindsay's brother Chris. They hadn't exactly hit it off last time.

As much as he didn't want to blame Lindsay, it was totally her fault anyway.

_Didn't think to tell the brother that she did the rejecting that time, now, did she? _So of course when Danny had turned up with Lindsay after the court case all Chris knew that this was THE Danny Messer. NYC's playboy, the one Lindsay had been moping over. So Chris went big brother on Danny, leaving Danny with saddle-rash from a 4 hour horse ride. _Try explaining that to Flack the day after a night off, without it turning into something of a sexual nature… _

"Linds, Am I actually going to see some wheatfields this time? Because last time, Chris promised, but it –"

"It's at the top of my-to-do list cowboy, promise."

"What so, even before unpacking"

"Look Danny, I know what you're doing. Deep in thought, making silly conversation, I know you're terrified that the planes gonna blow into two pieces and we'll end up like Sawyer and Kate from lost but-"

"No, actually, that cage scene in that prison thing-that was pretty hot. If that was on the tables, I could deal with that"

"Well, if you're a good boy these 2 weeks, we'll see if we can get you a cage then"

"Not. Even. Funny."

---------------------------

The rest of the flight had been pleasant, Lindsay had decided to stop teasing Danny saying that they were going to crash, and taking advantage of his irrational fear of flying, and they instead talked about their wedding, where they wanted it; who they wanted there; what colours… etc…

Before they knew it, Lindsay was putting her notepad away and her tray table up for the descent down in to Montana.

-------------------------------

She heard her family before she had actually seen them…

"Lindsay? Lindsay. What on god's earth have you done to your hair? Where has it all gone? Your curls, the beautiful curls."

Lindsay smiled briefly at her grandmother and swiftly pulled her own mother to one side…

"For the love of god Mom, you never said that you had invited the _whole_ Monroe family tree, Danny's still terrified of Chris, especially after the last time, and I didn't want him to face the wrath of Grandmamma until at least the wedding reception"

"Well, we've missed you Linds, and when you said you were coming, we were all so excited, and, well Grandmamma, she really wanted to meet Danny, me, Chris and your dad was the only ones that did last time. They all wanted a face to put to all the wonderful stories you've told us about him... "

"I've missed you Mom"

"Me too sweetie, me too"

"Oh, Lindsay, by the way… Nana has some questions for Danny."

"_Oh… Jesus."_

"Now, Lindsay, speaking of that handsome devil, where is he?"

---------------------

"Now Daniel, what are you intentions with my granddaughter?"

Lindsay had officially died; this was, to date, the most embarrassing, humiliating moment in her life. Danny was being interrogated by her 80 year old grandmother over the dinner table… To be fair, she had gotten through 6 hours of nice, chatter, and congratulations about the wedding, without any input from nosy brothers or cousins. _Yeah, they've just left it to the big guns…_

"Well, Mrs Monroe…"

"Call me Evelyn"

"Evelyn, sorry, well, I love your Lindsay, with all my heart. Lindsay is the only woman I would want to see my future with. She's the only one my future's with. I cherish Lindsay with every fiber of my soul, and I can't wait for it to be my sole responsibility for it to be me that has to look after her not only emotionally, but financially and whatever other support she requires"

"Right and when she's giving birth"

"_Grandmamma"_

"No, Lindsay, it's fine, she only wants the best for you. I understand… I want that as well. Now, Evelyn, back to your question, when Lindsay's having_ our_ children, I shall be there in the delivery room, like I said, supporting her. And I'm sure I'll be getting abuse and violence as well, but it comes with the territory."

This caused quite a few Monroe's' to laugh. Danny had remembered that Lindsay's mom had said that ever since Lindsay was little she had had a fiery little temper.

"Right, what about when they get home from the hospital?"

"Well, as long as I'm there, then I will do more than my fair share. Anything to make it easier on Montana…"

"And what about when your children are getting ready to go out courting?"

"Well, you see that's when her natural mothering instincts will kick in, and tell me it's irrational and unethical to lock our daughter in her bedroom, that's when I take down the barricade, and let her out of her room, then, whilst Lindsay is taking pictures to email to you all, I'm threatening the guy that wants to take her out, that if he pulls any fast ones, I know some damn god cops, marines and people with wheatfields to bury him in, and they'd be able to make it look like suicide, and in effect they're home for 11pm."

"See Nana, That's the weird sense of humour I was telling you about"

"Very funny Lindsay, I only learn from the best, the best being you..."

"Well, I must say, for a New-Yorker, you're very polite… I thought they used slang a lot?"

"Well, my mother always –"

Danny was cut off by Lindsay's loud snigger

"Danny, you wouldn't know polite if it slapped you in the face cowboy!"

"Lindsay Elizabeth. How dare you speak to Daniel like that!"

Lindsay looked on in disbelief. _Did her grandmother just stick up for Danny? _

"Sorry Nana, Look, me and Danny are tired. Can you excuse us? we've had a long day."

As much as Lindsay liked listening to Danny plan their lives out, she felt over a dinner table wasn't the best place.

Lindsay's mom smiled.

"Sure, go ahead sweetie. Night you two, sleep well"

For the first time in what seemed to be the whole evening Chris finally spoke up…

"Hey, Linds, come 'er a minute will ya?"

She smiled and lent next to him… "Yeah?"

"Remember I'm only next door yeah? And you still are my little sister"

"Chris. Seriously? For the love of God… Please spare me…"

"Well, just taking precautions, ya know"

"Yeah, well, next time. Don't."

-------------------

Lindsay poked her head out of her bathroom, with toothbrush in hand, to look at Danny sat on her childhood bed.

"Well damn, Messer, your mother was right."

"Why, what did she say now?"

"You're a charmer?"

"Oh, yeah with who?"

"I believe her precise words were 'Grandmothers' "

"Seriously, what did she say?"

"Well, you lose your all your cute slang you use. You look people in the eyes, and you tell them what they want to hear."

"Oh, and I did that?"

'Danny, my even my Mom asked me if I was sure you were from New York, because you'd lost your accent."

"Ah."

"But, its okay, I just told her what your mom told me, she gets it now."

"Right, yeah thanks for that. So anyways, this bed – it's pretty small ya' know."

"Now, Danny, you weren't saying that last time!"

"Yeah, but we weren't in that place last time I was here"

"True, I'll give you that. Well I must admit, it certainly isn't no pool table"

He chuckled. 'You can say that again"

"Oh, yeah, and Danny, we ain't going to be doing anything of _that_ whilst we're here"

"See, I thought you might say that."

"Why's that?"

"Well Lindsay, Chris isn't exactly the worlds best whisper-er"

"Ahh, so you heard then?"

"Little bit"

"Well, least we'll be glad to go home"

"Yeah, and what should I do for the mean time"

Lindsay chuckled, taking off her bathrobe and getting into the bed with Danny.

"I don't know; think about your mom"

"Yeah, okay thanks Lindsay. You've killed my sex drive. For life."

"We'll see about that Messer"

**A/N it appears my muse had about 900 million ideas for this chapter… so I apologise for the jumpy-ness. Could also be that I'm bunged up with a cold, and its 4am. I love not being able to sleep! Lol! **


	15. Bonds that tie

**A/N: Well, I got taken down by that cold. hence why i've not updated, but after being nursed back to health by Danny cough, yeah i wish cough im back to business :) **

**Disclaimer: Judging by my bank account, either I dont own them or CBS have the wrong bank details for me...**

Danny looked around the room, terrified.

_Alone, in a room, with Lindsay's whole family… Remind me why Lindsay has to shower, alone; normally she likes my help…_

"Danny?"

"Sorry Emily, what did you say?"

Emily smiled and kneeled down next to Danny.

"You were thinking about her again, weren't you?"

Danny smiled,

_Yeah, but I'm sure you'd throw me out of your house if you knew what I was thinking about…_

Thinking that answer might not exactly be one to impress he grinned;

"Yeah, I can't stop thinking about her"

"Fancy coming into the kitchen to help me?"

"Sure."

_He would have done just about anything to get himself out of that living room. _

She went over to the refriderator and grabbed some potatoes, handing them to Danny to peel. Pulling himself away, he smiled at how similar his mother, and Lindsay's mother was. The first time he'd taken her to his house, his mother had done the same.

"She told me, you know."

Danny's heart dropped he instantly dropped the peeler and leaned against the kitchen counter for support; he hadn't even thought about that. He knew, really, realistically that she would know. Emily Monroe knew just about everything.

"You mean what happened last week?"

"Yeah, she called me in tears that night."

Danny swallowed, hard. _What he wouldn't give to be back in the living room…_

"Look, I meant to talk to you about that. Honestly, I'd had a really bad day, and I know I shouldn't of but-"

"Danny, I don't think we're talking about the same thing you know"

"You don't?"

"The night you proposed, on the bridge?"

It hit him. He'd been so tired he didn't even realise that Lindsay hadn't even told her family how they had got engaged.

"Yeah, I-er – I thought you meant that"

"That look on your face suggests you didn't Danny. Wanna talk? Because I'm pretty sure you won't have gone through it, out loud. Get it off your chest. Talking helps."

As much as Danny hated it, he could feel himself opening up to Lindsay's Mom. He knew that as soon as he opened up to someone, something went wrong. He'd sorted everything more or less out with Louie, and he got beat up, he told Lindsay how he felt, and she left, but he could feel himself opening up, he knew that as soon as his mouth opened up, there was no going back.

He took a deep breath.

"Did she tell you 'bout Ruben, a few months back?"

"Yeah, I didn't press the subject though; she seemed really upset by it all"

"Yeah, I mean it hit us both hard. Linds really took to him, he was round one time when I forgotten that I'd arranged to cook, and she walked in, and Ruben jumped her, yelling at me to call Don, to arrest the intruder. She thought it was cute. I was glad she already knew that I babysat for him, otherwise, that could have been pretty sticky."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, we hadn't been dating for very long, so I mean she could have thought he was my kid."

"Danny, she's not like that, she wouldn't have expected the worse..."

"I know, I know. I just wasn't sure what to think. That why I'm glad I mentioned Rikki, and Ruben's dead beat Dad beforehand. Least then, when I said his name, she knew straight away."

"Anyways, you were saying?"

"Ahh, yeah, well, he really took to Lindsay, Ruben did. He wanted us to get married and everything, which meant a lot; he practically drove Cindy away, probably for the best though. Annoyed the hell out of me she did, so yeah, basically, that day, I'd taken Ruben to the church, to get his bike blessed, and yeah, went from there, Linds fill you in?"

Emily nodded, letting Danny carry on.

"Yeah, good, well basically, Linds took it upon herself to help me get through it, knowing how hard I'd take. I stayed at hers the first night, after she had came to mine that night, and stayed there pretty much ever since that day, just going back to check the messages from my Mom."

"And then?"

"Then, there was the case with the kid Lindsay told you about"

"The one that got shot in the side, like Ruben?"

"Yeah, yeah, like Ruben."

"You were lead weren't you?"

"Yeah, and I took it pretty hard. I'd gone straight to mine that night, and saw Rikki. She was so angry with me, and I took it out on Lindsay when she came over that night. I was awful Em, awful. A real jerk. One of them guys, that I wouldn't think twice slipping a nice little hit to, when I'm cuffing them. That bad. And to top that off, I slammed the door in her face. I could hear her crying, and I'd done that. It killed me, ripped me in two."

"Well, it doesn't matter now, does it? Whatever you did, you've fixed it now. That's all that matters."

He looked on in disbelief, he'd just blurted out all of his innermost feelings,

"Sheesh, how'd you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Say nothing more or less, and get me to say all that?"

"Want to know my secret?"

'If you've taught it Lindsay, then yeah…"

"I smile, and listen. That's all."

Danny nodded. _Yep, she's defiantly taught Lindsay that._

"Danny, you do know it gets easier."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Lindsay's a prime example."

"Speaking of Lindsay, she's having a long shower today"

"Yeah, she's been a while; I'll go up and see what she's doing."

"Sure thing Danny."

"Oh, yeah, Emily…"

"Yes?"

"Thank you"

"Anytime. Oh, and Danny."

"Yeah,"

"I won't say anything to Linds, if she says anything"

All he could do was smile.

"Thanks Emily."

"Go and see what the hell my daughters doing"

And with that, he turned taking the stairs two at a time. He hadn't seen Lindsay for far too long.

**A/N: I know I already had Danny say what happened, but I really wanted for Danny & Lindsay's mom to have a bond. So I figured, I'm the writer, so why the heck not! Lol:) **


	16. Concrete Angel

**A/N: well, I really felt I couldn't have Lindsay back in Montana, without addressing her friends… so, this just flowed onto paper, it was however inspired by Martina McBride's Concrete Angel. Great song…**

**So, without further a due, enjoy :) **

Lindsay sniffed back some tears. She had tried not to let staying in her old room bother her. But the memories came flooding back. The pink walls she and Kelly had painted when they were 11, the material her and Jennifer had picked out for her window seat. She ran her hand across the material, and a tear fell from her eye.

"_God I miss you guys."_

Realising she'd knocked a teddy off from her window sill; she lent down to pick it up, when an old, battered shoebox caught her attention underneath her dresser. Realising what it was, she opened it and sat on the floor against the window seat.

The picture hit her first. The four of them in their bathing suits, with their arms round each other's necks. It had been their first trip together to the beach, a year before that night in the diner. Running her thumb over their faces, she put the picture on the floor and continued to rummage through the box.

She picked up what looked like a Cassette case with a little note.

_Linds, _

_Figured you needed a pick me up, and when we were out this weekend, without you, dumbass that you are, next time we say we're studying, don't tell your parents we're going to the state fair okay? Anyway, we heard this. Couldn't not get it, give it a chance though, and listen to it. We recorded a little message for you on there._

_We love you girl…_

_Kel, Jen & Ash…_

_P.S. You owe us $1.99. Just kidding. _

She tried to remember the song, but couldn't remember what it was. A message? Why couldn't she remember? She went over to her cassette player and put the tape in and pressed play, only to be greeted by the sounds of her friends voices.

_Hey Linds, we thought we'd talk over the first bit of the song, doesn't really relate to ya. _

_Jesus Kel, fancy shutting up? You wrote the note, let me and Ash talk. _

_Fine... You think of something. _

Lindsay sat on her bed. Chuckling at her friends arguing... She had always been the mediator. And she was the one with the fiery temper, _apparently_…

_Well, we know that this week's been tough, with that Natalie bitch in your science, so… here's a little motivation song we heard in the music store… _

_Ash, shut up. It's nearly on… _

Her mind flashed back to that week in school. Science class, As much as she loved science, Natalie Richmond made her life hell. This only fuelled her, making her want to do well. That week though, was different. Lindsay had spent forever that week doing her assignment, only for Natalie, to 'bump' into her on the halls and 'accidentally' cause her project to plummet to the ground, in pieces. Lindsay laughed at the memory of Kelly's face when Lindsay had told them at lunchtime in the cafeteria, and how in English, the period after lunch, Natalie had come in, late, with messed up hair, wet clothes, and toilet paper stuck to her shoe. When Lindsay asked Kelly what happened, Kelly's response had been she had no idea what had happened, with the smirk on her face that indicated to Lindsay that Kelly was most likely the suspect of Natalie's humiliation.

The sound of Jen's voice slowly brought Lindsay back from her thoughts.

_Okay, we're gonna stop talking now… _

_Shurrup, it's on…_

_**Through the wind, and the rain, she stands hard as a stone **_

_**In a world that she can rise above,**_

_**But her dreams, give her wings, and she flies to a place,**_

_**Where she's loved, Concrete Angel… **_

_Okay, so really, that's the only bit of the song to be honest, but Kelly over here, insisted we bought it._

_Hey!_

_You know I'm right. _

_Kinda_

_Anyway, Linds. We just wanted to show you that, well we love you, your our angel, and we know you're gonna be that CSI you wanna be. _

_God knows why, you morbid child. _

_Kel, it's better than what you want to be. _

_No, James is hot. I don't mind working on his farm. _

_There's actually no hope with you – see Linds, we need someone to actually do something with their life. _

_Well, anyways, I'm sure we've got something better to do than talk to a cassette player, we'll bring this round when we've got chance yeah?_

_WE LOVE YOU! _

_How'd you turn it off?_

_That one, No… No that one…_

She wiped her tears away from her cheeks. She had completely forgotten about the tape. They'd given it to her the night of the shooting at the diner.

When Lindsay had finished talking to the police, homicide detectives, and her parents, she wanted to go straight to bed; something inside her though was making her listen to the tape.

She had slowly put the tape in and pressed play. Listening to that tape that night was the hardest thing she had done in her life. It gave her determination though. They believed in her to be that CSI she wanted to be. She was going to do it for them. Like Ashley had said, _they needed someone to actually do something with their life._

She looked up to see Danny stood by the door. Smiling she stood up.

"How long you been there for?"

"Long enough"

"Did you-?"

He walked towards her but stopped;

"Yeah, I heard most of it, you forget you have it?"

"I guess so, I mean after a while, once it had sunk that they'd gone, it was too hard to listen to."

"I can believe that, Look Linds, I really didn't mean to intrude."

"Don't be silly"

"I know, but I shouldn't have stayed, I should have gone back downstairs or something"

"Danny, I thought you said you were going to support me last night."

"I did, I'm going to-"

"Yeah, well get over here, and give me a hug."

He didn't hesitate a moment longer, and pulled her into a hug.

"God, Linds, how'd you do it?"

"Easy."

"Is it?"

She looked up at him, still wrapped in his arms;

"Yeah, I had my parents, my family, my memories, and now, you."

"But even so."

"You heard them on that tape, if they had seen me crying any time after the first month they'd tell me to buck my ideas up and get on with it. I made a promise to them, I was going to be the CSI they wanted me to be, and I was determined not to turn into the 'girl-that-lost-her-friends-in-that-tragic-shooting', so I did it, I cried, I was angry with the guy that did it, I decided I didn't want to be depressed, I picked myself up, without them albeit, I went back to school, graduated, got my degree. I did them proud. I got them justice. Now, I can live my life."

"Lindsay Monroe, Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

"I've got some idea" she giggled whilst playing with the ring on her finger.

"Your Mom was wondering where you were…"

"Damn, she's a busybody, you been okay down there?"

"Yeah, I was talking to your Mom for a while"

'What about?"

"Nothing much"

"I see. So then, Wheatfields Messer, You up for it?"

"Thought you'd never ask…"


	17. Oh, great great, great, great

**A/N: Okay Danny Wheatfields Fluff and fun… **

**_I nearly died today... Season 4 premiere. O.D. on squees and fluffies!! Sister thought I was crazy.._**

**Oh, few 'spoilers' for Boo, this chap. Just to let you know…**

**Enjoy :)**

"Lindsaaaaaay"

She rolled her eyes looking around for him, before shouting out to him;

"Look, what did I tell you before?"

"Not to get lost"

"And what have you done?"

"I got lost"

"Yeah, where about's are you? What can you see?"

"I can see wheat. If that helps"

"Danny, I swear to god"

'No, wait a second, I can-"

"You can what?"

"BOOOOO!"

She jumped and turned round, he'd approached her from behind and had now picked her up and was about ready to throw her on the ground.

"Danny! Put me down. How old are you seriously?"

"Well, ya see, my birth certificate puts me at about 31, but mental age suggests otherwise"

"Yeah, Believe it or not, I've gathered."

"Linds, I was thinking right, you know how you said that sex was off the tables at your parents? Well, does a Wheatfield count?"

"Daniel Messer, what would your mother say?"

"Can't blame a boy for trying?"

"You know, if you weren't so cute, I'd kick your ass into next week. Anyway, thought I killed your sex drive for life."

"Yeah, yeah… so what you think?"

"I think you're crazy"

-----------------------

"Lindsay, Linds, is that your cell?"

Rummaging around, she found her jeans and got her cell out of her pocket and sat up.

"Danny, its Chris, he must be picking us up. I said we wanted a ride home"

"Well, answer it. I don't want him thinking we're doing something we shouldn't…"

"Danny, seriously? Why do you care what he thinks?"

"Just answer it"

He sat up and grabbed his shirt, and chuckled to himself, _first a pool table, now wheatfields? Jesus, what's next? _Not that he minded… Lindsay kept him on his toes. He made a mental note to visit the wheatfields one more time before they had to head home… _And I thought pool table sex was good…_

Her voice brought him back from his day dream,

"Danny, come on, we've gotta get dressed. We're going to a movie with Chris and Amy"

_Amy? He hadn't heard that name before _

"Amy?"

"My little niece, Chris's daughter, I promised her I'd take her to a movie with Chris and you. They're waiting for us, come on, hurry up cowboy!"

"Yeah, yeah, alright."

He thought he was going to be able to escape spending time with Chris. They hadn't really addressed the subject of the last visit, and Danny was quite happy about it. He was happy about anything that made it so that he didn't have to talk to Chris for a long, drawn out conversation.

_Looks like that plan went flying out the window the minute we landed in Montana…_

--------------------------

"Hey, sorry Chris, we got a bit lost, you know how it is"

Lindsay smiled getting into the back seat of the SUV, leaving it so the only free place in the car was in the front seat next to Chris.

"Yeah, I know how it is. How you doing Messer?"

"I'm- a- I'm good thanks. You?"

"Fine"

Lindsay chuckled and turned to Amy, who was sat in her car seat.

"Hey there munchkin, how we doing today?"

"I'm Fine, thankyou. Erm, Aunt Lindsay, why do you have wheat in your hair?"

"I'm pretending to be a farmer, like Grandpop, see?"

Danny, who had turned red from sheer horror, turned to look at Lindsay in the back seat, mimicking her Father's actions with wheat in her mouth. When she caught him looking at her, she flashed him toothy smile. He loved how she was with kids, _Perfect mother material for their kids_.

He turned his back to Lindsay, nearly hitting Chris in the face.

"Whoa, there Chris, little close there aren't ya?"

"Messer, did Amy dress you this morning?"

"What'cha mean?"

"The buttons, on your shirt, they're done up wrong."

Danny looked down. _No, god no_. He was trying to make a good impression, but each time he tried, something went wrong. Wheat in Lindsay's hair, his shirt done up wrong. _Oh, great; great, great, great_

"I-er, I must have done them up wrong this morning, we were in a rush."

"Didn't you have a two hour breakfast?"

Danny looked at him whilst Chris was concentrating on the road. _Jesus, did this guy seriously have an answer for everything? _

And, as if that wasn't enough, Chris carried on.

"And Linds, I thought it was one of your pet peeves when people aren't dressed properly."

"I wanted to see how long it'd take him to notice"

Danny turned round in his seat to look at her. Damn she was a quick thinker.

"Yeah, and I –er wanted to see how long it would take for her to fold, and re-dress me."

Danny sat smugly; he could be a quick thinker too.

Chris looked in his rear mirror at Lindsay, turned to look at Danny, then back to Lindsay.

"You guys play some weird ass games"

-----------------------------

Danny bobbed down to Amy's level,

"So, how did you like that movie sweetie?"

"I loved it Uncle Danny, thank you for buying me my popcorn"

"Don't worry about it sweetie, you should get your Daddy to bring you to New York. They have much better popcorn there. Me and Aunt Lindsay u'll take you some time, how's that sound?"

"Great, will you give me that piggyback now Uncle Danny?"

"Sure sweetie"

Lindsay looked on and smiled; she'd only ever seen Danny with Ruben a few times. Rikki was always funny when Lindsay was around, so when she came round to Danny's, Ruben tended to stay away… Lindsay had first had her inkling that Danny would be a great Father after the Ocean drive homicide, with the shotgun.

He had supported her all the way through the case, and made it easier for her to deal with, the hand gestures, and such. It had been the first time he'd called her 'honey'. She remembered turning round, her face full of surprise when he'd said it. It had been lower, giving her an indication that he meant it, like how he said 'I love you'. His New York accent always went deep when he was getting serious.

And even though it shouldn't of, when he ripped down the wall to get Rose out; it made her heart flutter. Before then, she hadn't even thought of Kids with Danny, hell, she hadn't even thought about marriage… But seeing him with Rose finalised it in some way for her. _Danny Messer was perfect father material for their kids. _

She glanced up to see Chris staring at her.

"You love him don't you?"

"Yeah, I really do."

"Yeah, I guess he's not so bad you know."

"Really? I hadn't realised."

"Jesus Linds; almost forgot how sarcastic you were. You know, you should come home more often; you and Danny, we all miss you. And now, well Amy's hooked on Danny, he got a magic spell for Monroe girls or something?"

Lindsay smiled.

"Yeah, it's something like that"

------------------------------------

Danny was laid on Lindsay's bed reading a case file he'd brought to finish off, whilst she sat on the floor, sorting out wedding plans; getting the guest list together.

"Hey Linds, you know what?"

"What?"

"I actually kinda liked that movie today?"

"What?"

"The movie, we went to see, I liked it."

"Yeah, I heard you, the first time. You, like, a Disney film?"

"Yeah, well, actually, I only liked the song at the end."

"You base your analysis of a whole movie, on the song at the end?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Danny, you do know its country that song. You hate country."

"I don't hate country"

"You do."

"Don't, because then I'd have to hate you."

"I think Chris put somethin' in your water this morning."

"No, I liked it, the song. It had meaning, showed me the bigger picture."

"Should I even ask?"

"Yeah, okay, so what did it go like?"

"Wait, are you gonna sing?"

He smirked_, when in Montana_

"Well, I mean-"

He cleared his throat

"_**Storybook endings, fairy tales coming true…"**_

"Aww, Danny, that's cute."

_Well, at least she thought it was cute…_

"Well, we are a fairy tale, you're my princess"

"Seriously, Danny, either Chris has put something in your water, or you're having too much fresh air"

"_**The world can be yours if you believe in ever after"**_

"You know Linds, you're my world."

"So I guess you got your ever after then?"

"No."

"Oh, right? Wanna expand on that cowboy?"

"You're my world at the moment, but when we have kids, that's our ever after"

Lindsay wanted to roll her eyes at his sappiness, but secretly, she loved it. It was a different side to Danny she thought she'd never see. A side of Danny she didn't know existed.

"Aww, Cowboy, you're cute, sappy, but cute."

"You love my sappiness."

"Yeah, I know"

"Come, on, lets go make Dinner"

**A/N: I know the majority of this chapter is dialogue, but that's the way it spilled out. So, if it's a little confusing, one's sorry :)**

**And, the movie I was talking about was '****Enchanted'.**

**And the song was…**** Ever, Ever After, by Carrie Underwood**

**_Go on, do your thing_ :)**

****

**Season 4 eeeee! Saturday Nights wont be the same :)**

**Okay, im done now. promise. **

**eeee!**

****


	18. Jeez, that's one day i'll never get back

**A/N: Okay, guys. You've gotta thank Twinkeyrocks for this chap…: Thanks for the idea Hun!**

**And I updated this early, just 'cause CaRiNeSs made me smile...alot... with her review... :) **

"Jesus Linds, what have I told you? You don't need that crap. You're beautiful the way you are"

"Danny, I don't complain about you gelling your hair do I?"

"You do, you just think I can hear you" He mumbled as he walked away

"Yeah, well there's a difference between me mumbling and you mumbling, I can make it subtle. You just make it damn right obvious Messer; you're the world's worst mumbler..."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever"

"Look, are you still in a bad mood from earlier?"

"No, why would I be?"

Danny threw himself back on Lindsay's bed. Hell he was a crap liar. But he couldn't care less. Yeah, he was in Lindsay's home state where she grew up... But who knew that Lindsay had, had boyfriends before him. It just didn't dawn on him.

Until he saw that grinning mess today in the grocery store…

"_Lindsay, Lindsay Monroe?"'_

"_Jay-jay?"_

"_My Little Lindsay, oh my gosh, how are you doing? Last thing I heard you were living it up in New York. What happened?"_

"_No, everything's fine there. Just on vacation, oh yeah. Jay – Danny Messer. Danny, this is Jay."_

"_Nice to meet you Danny. Hey, Lindsay, how long you in town for?"_

"_Another week. Why?"_

"_Fancy meeting the guys at the bar. Old times sake?"_

"_I would love to. When, what time?"_

"_Tonight, 'round 8?"_

"_Sure, I'll be there."_

"Danny, hello?"

Danny, rather promptly snapped out of his flashback

"What, er- what did you say?"

"Are you sure you don't mind me going alone?"

"No, why wouldn't I? I mean, you, my fiancé, alone, with all her friends. Well, the _guys._ Sure, why would I mind?"

"Because, 1, the look on your face says it all. 2, the way you've practically stormed around since 11 o'clock this morning. 3, the way you keep looking at the clock. 4, how you tried to get me to wear my scruffs. 5, how you said you'd come pick me up at 8.30 and 6, how you're rolling your eyes at me now, because you know everything I've said is right."

He hated the fact she knew him so well.

"Look, I'm just gonna go downstairs, so you can carry on getting ready."

"Yeah, I think you should do that"

And with that Danny slammed the door, reopened it, and slammed it shut again, for extra effect, and to make it a tiny bit more obvious that he was insanely jealous and pissed off... To hell if he was at her parents house... Those black bears, they would defiantly take up some of his time worrying about them, but he'd be fine in the barn? Wouldn't he?

He plonked himself in the seat next to Jack Monroe.

"GRRRR"

"Can I help?"

"Yes, No, Yes. Oh I don't know. What the hell would you do if Emily was going out with her 'guys?' Alone… Without you? "

"Ahh, that's where Linds' going tonight then?"

"How'd you mean?"

"We had bets on where she was going, and why it'd make you so riled up. Looks like Chris won."

"Yeah, well, we saw _Jay-Jay _in the supermarket today, and she got invited out with '_the guys for old time's sake' "_

"Danny, I know you're pissed and everything, but please, don't say _Jay-jay_, in that girly voice ever again, or I'll personally cancel the wedding. Solely on that reason."

"Yeah, well. I tend to give guys girly names when I-"

"Feel threatened, so you tone up your masculinity, and make them seem inferior. You'll do anything to protect the girl you love, refuse to allow them to be 'hit on' by some guy. Do anything to make sure that the guy understand that they're your fiancé, and nothings gonna change that…"

"Yeah, alright, something like that. But, she didn't even tell him we were engaged, hell, she didn't even say we were partners, girlfriend boyfriend, roomies, his & hers-"

"Please leave the last one out Danny. I know you do. I don't need confirmation"

"I was going for Fiancés, but nice to know where you're at"

"Yeah, okay… Well, she must have felt it wasn't relevant. It has nothing to do with them Danny"

"Yeah, but Jack, I sing it from the roof tops."

"Or the Brooklyn Bridge"

"Yeah, okay, I wondered how long it was gonna be before you threw that one in…That was a cheap shot anyway..."

"No, but seriously Danny. A lot of people round here hurt her. She's careful now. She doesn't let people in, until she fully trusts them. You should be honoured. She trusts you with her life. You've proved that time and time again. You've put your life on the line for her. You've brought my baby back. And I can't thank you enough."

"Aww, well Thanks, Jack. That, that means a lot, it really does. I mean, don't get me wrong. I trust her; damn I'd trust her with my life. But I don't trust the _guys_; I have to deal with _guys _most days when I'm on shift. I know what they can do. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I allowed anything like what I've seen to happen to her. I wouldn't."

"I know, and that's why _I_ trust you with her life."

"_Okay, Daddy, I'm ready, what do you think?"_

Danny turned round and looked towards the staircase. His heart sunk, broke and shattered all at the same time... If it was possible, he'd never seen her so beautiful, and it wasn't even him going on the date with her. Well, if he could even justify it as a date, so to speak.

"Aww, Princess, you look lovely. I'm glad you've grown out of you short skirt stage though"

"Daddy, honestly, that was when I was what, 12?"

"Yeah, but I'll always remember the time that you and the girls-"

The look on Jack Monroe's face said everything to Danny. He knew talking about Lindsay's friends was like walking on eggshells.

"Dad, no it's fine. Honest. I'm over it; I can't change the past; so there's no point in wrecking the future."

"I know sweetie, but it's just-"

"You're so used to me breaking down in tears that you automatically stop yourself. Look, I told you. The day he was sent down, was the day I became myself again. Simple. I don't mind you talking about them; in fact I'd quite like it."

"I'll remember that Linds."

"Anyways, I think you and Danny have to have a talk. Have a good time Princess, don't be too late"

And with that, Jack Monroe tapped Danny on the shoulder, winked at him, hugged Lindsay and kissed her on her temple; and made a beeline for the kitchen.

"Linds, I"

"I heard what you said Danny"

"I know, I'm sorry it's just-"

"No, I'm sorry. I know; I should have been more understanding. I know you think it's your sole responsibility to protect me, but honestly, I've had 29 years without you. Baring in mind they were the worst 29 years of my life. I can deal being on my own for one night."

"I know, Linds, but if something happened to you, I would never, ever forgive myself"

"I know that Danny. It's the same with me. But, honestly, when I say I'm gonna be fine; I will be fine. I've known these guys since I was 6. To them, I'm still the girl in the pinstripe dress with curly ringlet pigtails. Not the super-hot sex goddess you consider me as. You have nothing to worry about"

'Well, I'm glad we've cleared that up. And, for the record, I am sorry."

"I know Dan, I know."

He moved towards the front door and looked down at her where she was stood at the bottom of the porch.

"You wantin' me to pick you up?"

"No, Jason's gonna do the designated driver thing. If he decides to drink though, I'll call you, promise."

"Yeah, well you'd better. And, hey, remind _Jason_ that he's got my whole life in that car, so he'd better be damn careful. And he better not hit on you Montana"

"Danny, come 'er, I don't think that beloved father of mine told you everything about Jason"

Lindsay stood up on her tip-toes and whispered to Danny.

"No, I don't believe he mentioned that."

"Okay, well Danny I gotta go. Remember if you kill him, make it look like suicide."

"Yeah, I will baby, I will. And Lindsay"

"Yeah Danny?"

"Have fun baby"

"I will honey, I Love you."

"I Love you too Linds."

"Jesus Messer, when did we turn so sappy?"

"Go on; get your ass out of here."

"That's better"

Watching her to make sure she got into _Jay-Jay's _car okay he decided he'd just watch her wave as she pulled away.

_My whole life's in his hands_

Now he had a father in law to be to beat up…

Danny walked behind into the kitchen and raised his arm to hit Jack…

"Jesus. You didn't think to share a crucial piece of information?"

"What crucial piece of information?"

"That he's gay?"

'Who?"

"Jason, _Jay-jay_?"

"Oh, that Jason?"

"Huh-huh-huh. Yeah that Jason, Jack-ass"

"You know Danny, Lindsay's right, you are a crap mumbler."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

Danny suddenly felt very stupid about his temper tantrum.

_Jeez, that's one day I'll never get back _


	19. I’m engaged, hit on me…

**A/N:**

**Absolute HUGE MASSIVE thanks to kcatlin for just, everything, and suggesting I post it now.. and CaRiNeSs 'swell, for your idea… Chap's down to you guys… Cookies all round :)**

"How you doin' there little miss? Can I get you a drink?"

_Jesus, not again. They must have some type of radar. Do I have a sign on my head? **I'm engaged, hit on me…**_

"Aww thanks, but my fiancé might not like that."

"That's a shame; I could show you how us college boys ride these days."

_College boys? Oh my god. This gets better._

"Well, thanks, maybe when I'm getting divorced."

_Yeah, like that's gonna ever happen…_

"Yeah, well you keep me in mind."

She smiled as he turned to his friends.

"Jeez, Jay, how old would you say he was? 19, 20 tops?"

"I don't know, but I'd say he was gay…"

"You would? See, I didn't get that."

"No, he doesn't know either yet. Defiantly compensating though."

"Compensating for what?"

"Its better you don't find out."

Lindsay felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Look, I've told you, I'm not interested and I've got a NYPD cop waiting for me at home. I'm out with my- DANNY? "

"Hey Cowgirl."

"What are you doing here?"

"Jason called, said he needed reinforcements, some pretty girl getting hit on, and she needed protecting."

Lindsay turned and smiled at Jason who had his hands in the air.

"Look, what could I do, that a hard muscle-ly NYPD cop couldn't? – Exactly."

Lindsay smiled.

"I kinda missed you anyway"

"Good, now I'm getting myself a beer, you want a glass of wine?"

"Sure, thanks sweetie."

Lindsay turned away from the bar smiling, God she loved Danny. _Tonight, just got a lot better._

"Hey, little miss, I was thinking, you and me, whilst your boyfriends at the bar."

"No, no thanks. And he's my fiancé, now get out of here before I pull out my NYPD badge and cuffs and arrest your ass."

"Come on… You don't want a piece of ass like mine?"

"No, next time I'll kick your ass, get out o' here."

And with that, he scampered. She smiled. _Still got it in me…_ She turned back around, feeling a tap on her shoulder.

"Look, buddy, I told you once, I'll tell you again, leave me the hell alone,"

And with that, she flipped the guy over onto the floor, without even turning around. Smiling, she glanced down… What had been a proud moment had turned into something out of a movie.

"Danny did I – did I just flip you over onto the ground?"

He sat up and rubbed his neck.

"Yeah, erm, were you wanting ice?"

"Danny, I'm so sorry. No, ice in wine Danny? When have you seen me with ice in my wine?"

"I don't know, Jesus, I feel sorry for any, I repeat any of your suspects. Help me up will ya?"

She couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm sure as hell glad you find it funny Montana, I got crap all over me, my ass hurts, and I'm pretty sure the crack I heard when I went down was my back"

Biting her lip, she glanced over his shoulder to see Jason actually sat on the floor of the bar in a fit of laughter. This made her lose the ounce of composure she had left.

"Danny- I'm –"

"Country girl" he mumbled before returning to the bar.

She made her way over to Jason.

"Take it you saw that."

"Yeah, smooth Linds, real smooth."

"Shut up"

"Seriously though Linds How'd you bag him?"

"You want the truth? I hated him for a few weeks, slowly began to like him; then fell for him totally; got that call, so I had to come back here, he followed me; few weeks, some tequila and a pool table make for a freakin' awesome time, then we move in; we break up; get back together; he proposes on the Brooklyn bridge; he brings us out here… and i'm here explaining it to you...Well, that's the jist anyway..."

"I got you white."

She turned to see Danny, giving him a kiss on the cheek; she took her glass and took his hand.

"Tequila?"

"Pain relief…"

"A bit more than pain relief Messer."

"Alright, reminds me of good times."

"I bet it does Danny"

Danny turned to look at Jason funny, who then pointed towards Lindsay

"She told me"

"I thought she might."

"Danny, how's about you finish that, and we head home?"

He downed it in one.

"Done,"

"You don't mind Jase?"

"Get out of here; nurse him back to health, bye guys"

"See ya Jason,"

_You did good Lindsay. You pulled yourself a good one. _

Danny smiled and turned to Lindsay,

"You know, Jason isn't that bad Linds"

"I thought you wouldn't mind him once you found out he was gay"

"Yeah, well, protect your own and all that"

"Come on cowboy, let's head home"

"Yeah, where you can nurse me back to life…"

"Hey, hey, don't go getting any ideas now. I aint wearing no nurses outfit round the house."

"Yeah, we'll see about that."


	20. Theres no way she’s kickin' my ass again

**A/N: Aftermath of Lindsay's kick ass kung-fun stunt... **

**Hope you like it:)**

"Montannnaa!"

Lindsay stormed up the stairs for what was the 9th time that hour.

"What Danny, what!?"

"My glass is empty"

"Fill it up then"

"I can't"

"Why?"

"My back's hurtin' again."

"Yeah, well Danny, I aint playing nurse for the rest of this vacation."

"Aw, but, you know, that Doctor your Mom called, he said I was supposed to have bed rest and do no strenuous activities"

"Danny, he meant no sex, not 'have Lindsay fill your glass up because you're a lazy ass,' Do it yourself. You know where the freakin' tap is."

"But Lindsaaayy"

"Danny shut up, you drive me crazy sometimes"

He smiled as she slammed the door shut. Chris had been right; she did get pissy when she had to look after someone.

"Montana-"

He heard her stomp back up the stairs.

"For the love of god Danny, what… what do you want now?"

"Nothin'"

"What the hell did you call me back up for then?"

"Felt like it."

"I swear to god Danny, you're pushing me to the limit with this, Look, I said I was sorry I flipped you to the floor, but seriously, it was two days ago. Get over it. Stop faking it. I called your Mom, she told me about that time you managed to fake a cold for two weeks, to get out of a project in art. I aint stupid cowboy, now, either you come downstairs, or I'm leaving you here tonight, whilst we all go out."

Danny weighed up his options, as much as he liked winding Lindsay up, he wanted to go out with them tonight, cowboy rodeo or no cowboy rodeo. That was the question.

"Okay, I'll be down in a few minutes, just let me get changed."

"Okay, but if I hear my name, I swear to god Danny."

"You won't, promise."

"Good."

She smiled as she turned towards the door. She loved how she knew all the right buttons to press. And now she really did have to call his mom; she was just kidding with the art thing. Two weeks? Seriously? How could she have been so stupid to let him pull one like that?

"Lindsay"

"WHAT?"

"I love you."

"Yeah, yeah whatever cowboy, get dressed."

Danny smiled as she shut the door, and pulled the covers off him, to reveal, a showered, fully dressed Danny. Just as he was getting out of bed, the door opened again.

"Oh, I almost- Oh, wait, what do we have here? Dressed, and-"she smelt him "showered already. Wow, Danny, that's pretty good."

Danny's face said it all. He was busted, well and truly.

"Yeah, well, I thought – I uh – Ahh shit."

"Yeah, pull a fast one on me again Messer, and I'll kick your ass."

"Lindsay, you already did."

"Whatever, get downstairs, you're setting the table."

"Yes ma'am."

He shuddered to himself… If Flack could see him now…

He jumped out of bed.

_There's no way in hell she's kicking my ass again. _


	21. no good at goodbyes

**A/N: Decided to move the story on a bit now.. :)**

**Enjoy :**

Danny had had enough of poking her nose to wake her, as much as he liked it when she crunched up her nose, after half a hour watching her do it, it was starting to get annoying.

"Lindsaaayy"

"What Danny, what?"

"It's not fair; it's out last day in Montana, you're sleeping, and you've not taken me back to the Wheatfields. Some city guide you are"

"What time is it?"

"9.36"

"Sorry, remind me why I'm awake again?"

"You said-"

"Sarcasm Danny..."

"Yeah, well. I mean it. I want to go to the Wheatfields again."

"Danny, please. We can get married in a freakin' Wheatfield if you let me have an extra twenty minutes in bed…"

"Seriously?"

"Yes, Danny, yes. Now, if you don't mind."

And with that she flopped over to her other side and nestled into Danny's body.

"Hey, Linds?"

"Yes, Danny." The annoyances now clear in her voice.

"What time of year do you want to get married?"

"I don't know really. I wouldn't mind a summer wedding. Outside in New York, like a garden party maybe. Stella said we could have it at hers, they have a huge shared garden and she said the owner would be more than happy to let us use it for the day."

"Summer? That's like what? 6 months away."

"Danny, how long so you think it takes to plan a wedding? It's not something I can do on my own in like 2 weeks."

"If I helped you, would it be done in two weeks?"

"Danny, what's the rush?"

"I don't know; I'm just, oh, just forget it."

"Danny? Seriously, what's wrong with you?"

"I don't know. I'm going downstairs, I'm hungry"

Lindsay sat up and threw her hands up exasperated; she hated it when he got like this; quiet, reserved and not talking straight. She blamed her mother; she always caused him to think.

He hadn't even mentioned the wedding. Now he wanted it planned in two weeks? She threw the covers off. She wasn't having this. Grabbing her dressing gown, she followed Danny in pursuit down the stairs.

Looking into the living room, it was undisturbed. Great either her parents weren't up, or they were helping Chris with the cows. Heading for the kitchen she sighed, there she saw Danny in his boxers stood by the kitchen sink with his hands in his hair.

"Danny, just talk to me; I want to know what's going on. What's the sudden rush?"

"Nothing, okay, nothing, I just want to married. That's all. I didn't expect it'd take 6 months to do it all."

"Well, Danny, I don't think you actually have any idea how much I've done. Look, the guest list here see, I got your address book, my address book, and my Mom's. I just need to see your Mom's then the guest list's done. I'm going shopping with Stella next week for wedding dresses. Then you're going with Stella and Mac the week after, for your tux. It's not as if I've not been doing anything. I have. Now, seriously, what's your problem?"

"I didn't realise you'd done all that. I'm sorry. It's just, I hate being in limbo. Like before, it was all exciting for me, waiting to propose, finding the perfect way, getting you there, and actually proposing. But now, waiting for the wedding; its boring Linds."

"Well, I'm sorry being my fiancé is boring Danny."

"No, Lindsay honey, I didn't mean it like that, I'm excited for it, it's just so long away, and it's out of my hands. It aint up to me, but like the proposing bit was."

"But Danny you are going to be involved. We just need to be back in New York for you to be involved. We can't pick out our wedding cake design and the entrees and all the other stuff here in Montana, if we're getting married in New York."

"Why don't we get married here, in Montana?"

"In Montana- Danny, can you hear yourself?"

"Why not Linds? It's beautiful."

"Yeah, it might be, but all our friends and your family is in New York. It would cost a lot less, flying my family out, then the crime lab, and your family out here."

"I guess I didn't think of that."

"Yeah, I mean, don't get me wrong. I thought about it, but it's just, just, more practical to do it in New York. And I've become quite partial to the idea of it being in the summer in New York."

"Well, I want you to have the perfect wedding. So whatever you want goes."

"Aww Danny, you're cute, you know that?"

"Yeah, I am a little cute, aren't I?"

"What we're you wanting for breakfast?"

"Pancakes" accompanied by a toothy smile…

"I swear to god, you live off them things. Go get me the flour. Looks like I'm making them"

They moved around the kitchen in sync to one another, like they did in their own apartment. Lindsay sighed, as much as she had loved her two weeks back in Montana, with her family and Danny, she missed her own apartment. She missed it being just her and Danny. She missed going down to Sullivan's after shift, or going to Cozy's with the team to watch Mac on Wednesday nights. Hell, she even missed her and Danny's take out nights, which had become more and more frequent as they had become lazier in the kitchen.

Bringing Lindsay out of her thoughts, she heard the front door open and a muffled sound coming from the living room.

"Lindsay, Danny, you up yet?"

"Yeah, Mom, we're in here"

"Good," Emily Monroe set her grocery bags on the kitchen table.

"Have you packed yet?"

"No, figured we'd do it after breakfast, and then go for a walk, least then we'll have tomorrow to just relax with you and Dad before we have to go."

"Lindsay, the airline called, your flight's been rescheduled, so you're not stuck out here when the snow storm hits us tomorrow. Didn't Chris tell you?"

Lindsay's heart sunk. As much as she loved New York, She hated leaving Montana, especially now, when everything was going to be rushed.

"No, he wasn't home when we woke up. What time's the plane leaving?"

"Two hours, go pack, I'll send your father up to help."

Lindsay grimaced, her dad, helping her and Danny pack. No way.

"No, mom it's fine, I'll just throw everything in, I've gotta wash it all when I get home anyway."

"Lindsay, I'm sure I've taught you better."

"You have, just thinking about time here Mom, will you finish cooking Danny his pancakes, and I'm gonna go pack, then take a shower. Then, by the time I'm done, Danny can jump in the shower, and then we can go."

Danny turned round with flour on the tip of his nose.

"Hey, can I get dressed after my shower before we go."

"Shut up Danny." Was all Danny got, before she stormed off upstairs…

"Ooo-kay"

"Danny, don't take it personally, she always gets like this when she leaves. You should have seen her before she left for New York the first time. Her daddy nearly moved out that week."

"Shall I go up?"

"I'd leave her sweetie; Her Daddy knows what to do"

Danny nodded in response.

---------------------------

"Lindsay Monroe, Let me in now"

"Daddy, go away, I've got too much packing to do."

Jack Monroe heard the door to his daughter's bedroom unlock, indicating he could go in… He was met by the sight of both Lindsay's and Danny's suitcases thrown open on her small single bed, with clothes flying across the room from her wardrobe, towards the direction of the bed.

"Come here pumpkin, let me help"

"No, Daddy, I don't have the time. We've got two hours and-."

Before Lindsay knew it, she was being pulled into her father's chest.

"I know sweetie, I know. You thought you had another day."

"I haven't done half the stuff me and Danny wanted to do..."

"I know princess."

Lindsay felt the tears release themselves from their eyes, and finally gave in and hugged her Dad back.

"It's not fair Dad, I really miss you, and – and-"

"Listen. I'll finish this, take a shower. It'll be done by the time your ready. Then, we'll have the time whilst Danny's in the shower to talk… How's that sound?"

"It sounds perfect, Dad."

Wiping the tears away, Lindsay headed for her bathroom. Jack Monroe smiled to himself;

"Work's every time…"

-------------------------

"Promise me Mom, you and Dad are gonna come out more often?"

"Yeah, sweetie, we promise… Lindsay, they're calling you're flight. Go, Danny's waiting."

"Okay, okay. Tell Daddy I love him -"

"I will."

"Okay. Love you Mom,"

"I know. I love you too sweetie. Now go. Some girl won't think twice about snapping your Danny up, whilst he's waiting for ya!"

"I'm going Mom, I'm going."

Danny looked up from Lindsay, seeing she was leaving Emily at the security checkpoint, he smiled at Emily and mouthed Thank you… He smiled to himself and made a mental note_. Lindsay – no good at goodbyes…_but he already knew that, the note she'd left him all them months ago had been a big indicator she wasn't one for saying goodbyes.

He walked over to her, coffee in hand and embraced her in a hug.

"How the hell did you leave last time?"

"It was easy…"

"It was?"

"Yeah, Daddy had to buy a last minute plane ticket, and he came with me"

"Oh, so that's what you do. Make Men buy last minute plane tickets."

"Funny Messer, is that caffeine?"

"Sure is."

"Gimme."

**A/N: Well when I was writing this chapter, I hated it; so much so, I nearly deleted the whole thing… But now, it's grown on me… **

**So, we're back to New York…**


	22. “And that’s gotta stop”

She was in the same position she was in a month ago.

Sat on her couch, alone and single, without Danny, listening to a break up song on the radio. Kelly Clarkson this time, to be exact.

"_**Seems like just yesterday, you were a part of me, **_

_**I used to stand so tall; I used to be so strong. **_

_**Your arms around me tight; everything it felt so right, **_

_**Unbreakable like nothing could go wrong." **_

She cried at the song; and how right it was, that opening verse summed up everything she was feeling… With Danny, she'd been strong, without him- she wasn't that strong. And his arms, his arms made everything better, everything right. And, if things did go wrong, the arms made everything complete, so that when things did mess up, it wasn't the end of the world.

She cried at the lack of Danny; Danny, her Danny. Well what had been her Danny…

She cried at the fact that it was happening again; she thought they were past it.

She cried that Danny wasn't there to tell her it was okay.

"_**Now I can't breathe, no I can't sleep; I'm barely hanging on…" **_

She hadn't slept since she came off shift as he was going on 9 hours ago. Well, 9 hours 37 minutes and 28 seconds, not that she was counting.

She had tried, but it'd been no use, she was feeling the void and emptiness that she was feeling, especially on that left ring finger.

She heard his key turn in the front door, but it didn't open straight away. She turned the volume on the radio up.

--------------------

_What the hell did I do? What did I do to get this small bruise on the front of my forehead? Oh, yeah, yeah, that's right; I got my ring thrown at me, getting out of the shower this morning. I can't believe I had to go to work. Of all days to do a near enough 10 hour shift, it was today… Ahh, here we go, radio's going up, she's heard me. _

_------------------------_

Slowly and cautiously he opened the door to blaring music.

Clearing his voice, he shouted over the noise

"Lindsay, we need to-"

He was cut off by the pillow hitting him in his chest.

"And that's gotta stop"

She walked over to the radio and turned it down.

"Do we really need to talk Danny? Do we?"

"Yeah, I think we do, what's going on with you"

"This"

She said whilst pointing to the radio;

"Listen to it"

"_**I told you everything, opened up and let you in, **_

_**You made me feel alright for once in my life, **_

_**Now all that's left of me is what I pretend to be,**_

_**Sown together, but so broken up inside…**_

_**Now I can't breath, no I can't sleep; I'm barely hanging on…**_

_**Here I am, once again, torn into pieces**_

_**Can't deny it, can't explain,**_

_**Just thought you were the one"**_

She turned the radio off and faced him.

"I guess I was wrong. You're not the one"

Her words hit him in the chest like ice. Something he'd done was on the verge of breaking them up and he had no idea what it was.

"Lindsay, please tell me what to do and I'll fix it."

"It's too late Danny, just go"

"But Linds-"

"I really don't care Danny – go. You'd better be gone before I come out."

And with that, she slammed the bedroom door in his face.

Gone? Why? He felt tears run down his cheek. Desperately, he scanned the room, looking for a indication of what had happened, what he'd done to make her feel so strongly about this.

They hadn't been back in New York a week and he was in trouble. He couldn't understand; He'd been working more or less 24/7 to make up for the lack of work he'd been doing recently. He really, couldn't understand - he'd been nowhere near another woman. He hadn't wanted to. Lindsay was his girl, his one and only. And he hadn't been drunk and said something to upset her.

He thought about what could have been bothering her; bad shift? Missed her friends? It all didn't make sense.

Until he saw it in the kitchen; sprawled across the kitchen table, and circled. _Shit_, she'd seen it; His credit card bill for the other night when he went to the new up town restaurant.

He kicked himself – She wasn't supposed to see that.

"I shouldn't a said I was goin' to Flack's. I should a told her the god damn truth."

He walked over to the bedroom door, tapped on it, and then let himself in.

She was sat, head in her hands on the edge of their bed, clutching one of his t-shirts, realising he was there, she put the shirt to one side, and wiped the tears from her face.

"I thought you were leaving"

Danny showed his free hand from behind his back and produced the credit card bill.

"I owe you an explanation"

"No you don't Danny, I don't want to know."

"But Linds, it aint what you think, you've gotta believe me"

"Why should I Danny, you've taken another girl out. You've lied to me Danny. You cheated, you cheated on me."

"Linds, No, you have it all wrong baby. You do. Yeah, okay, I did go to that place, but I went with Flack and Stella. Flack made me pay for him 'cause I ruined his night off, dragging him along. Jesus, I've totally messed up here. Ughhh - Linds, we were, we- ughh- we were- we were writing my wedding vows. I wanted it to be a surprise for you Linds, and Stell wanted to try that place, and they helped me. I swear on my mother Linds."

"Danny – I"

"You didn't know, I know, I specifically didn't tell you – I wanted it to be a surprise – I wasn't sure whether you'd thought about it, and Stell didn't want to ask, 'cause we thought that it might give it away, so, I just didn't ask. I wanted write mine myself so that they'd be more personal, and I thought you'd think it was sweet. I wanted my vows to you to mean more than just the usual; I wanted them to be special, like you are, you're so special to me Linds. And I knew I couldn't say that I was hanging with Stell and Flack, cause then you'd either wanna come, or you'd know we were up to somethin'"

"Danny, I'm-I'm so sorry."

"I know baby, but like I said, you didn't know. Linds – You thought I'd cheat on you?"

"I – I don't know Danny, I know you wouldn't but when I saw that, the rational side in me disappeared and I thought the worse"

"Yeah, well at least I know now."

"Know what?"

"If I cheat on you, pay cash"

She looked at him in disgust.

"Too early to joke about it?"

"Yeah cowboy, little soon"

"Ooo-kay, Come 'er Montana."

Lindsay snuggled into Danny's strong arms. The arms that made the world melt away.

"Danny, I'm-"

"Don't say sorry again."

"Okay-"

"Well, now we've sorted that; how about we put this ring back on your finger, where it belongs; before it does me anymore bodily damage."

She laughed. "Yeah, did I mention I was sorry about that?"

**A/N: Danny's second proposal next chap… **


	23. “Will you marry me?” Again?

**A/N: Sorry its taken so long to update... Real life even takes me down sometimes!**

**Enjoy:)**

Danny smiled and took her hand, leading her into the kitchen. Once there, he picked her up, and sat her on the kitchen counter and re-took her hand.

"Now Linds, I know last time, I kinda lucked out of actually saying anything other than 'how bout it'. I guess my actions spoke louder than words and all that, but this time. Well. Here goes…"

Lindsay's free hand started fidgeting, not knowing where to place herself; she took hold of Danny's hand that was holding her own.

"Jeez, well, Linds. I thought, before I had my actual idea, of the ways I could say this. The songs I could sing to you, The Poets I could quote to you... But nothing seemed right. Nothing seemed like us. So, I'm gonna slum it, well, not slum it, but speak from the heart."

Tears had now filled Lindsay's eyes, as much as she loved the other proposal. This was more them. They weren't for the extravagant displays of affection, except for maybe the one or two mishaps in the broom closet. But this, this was them. She in her NYPD sweats, with one of his shirts, him in his socks, and work clothes.

"How did we get here – huh? I turned around at the Zoo, and there you were. Little miss country girl; little did I know. I always knew that there was more than just chemistry between us Linds, always, but I just figured it was too good to be true, I wouldn't be your type, and back then, you weren't mine."

"Yeah, Messer, keep telling me I'm not your type."

"Back then you weren't. Jeez Linds, Shurrup will ya? I'm kinda trying to propose again here – properly at least. Anyway, I never thought that meeting somebody as perfect as you would be possible Linds, never. I didn't want it Linds, didn't want to fall in love, and I went and found the one thing I wasn't looking for. I found you. I found my whole world.

I love everything about you Linds, the way you laugh, the way you smile, the way you turn your head sideways when you're thinking, and the look on your face when you break a case, your soft touch that calms me down when I'm mad, the sparkle in your eyes, the way you make me laugh 'bout silly stuff, your hugs, and them kisses, the way you've got me to cuddle, the amazing sex, jeez, I even love the way you tap your fingers on your waist when your thinking about a case. You know that time, the vodka queen case, walking down the road, thinkin' bout the gum, you did it then. Remember?"

Lindsay thought back, walking down the road, he'd asked her to go for lunch. She smiled at the memory.

"Yeah, I remember"

"I love everythin' Linds, when I'm away from you, it's like there's half of me missin'. Well, damn, it's getting harder now; I can see why guys go down on their knees, 'cause my legs are sure as hell feeling like jelly."

"Its okay cowboy, I'll get down"

"No- I'm doin' it this way."

Not letting go of her hand, he lent down on one knee, once steady, he revealed a box, containing a new ring, causing her to nearly fall off the counter.

"Whoa, there Linds, you wanna stay up there?! This is why I had to pay for that meal on my credit card, because I'd saved everything else up and paid cash for this, didn't want there to be a paper trail. I wanted everything to be special and new for us. I love the sentimental value of having my grandmother's ring for you baby, and I know you loved it, but I want you to be able to say, "My Danny saved up, and bought me this." On that note, Lindsay Monroe, I love you, Will you marry me?"

"No."

"Excuse me, what, what did you just say?"

"No,"

"Linds, I- what?"

"Jesus Danny, you're a trip, of course I'll marry you."

Danny jumped up from his knees and pulled her off the counter and spun her round in a hug.

"Don't you ever do that again Monroe… I'll kill ya."

"Again, jeez, how many times you proposing Messer?"

"Just twice; unless you're planning on throwing my ring at me again."

"No, never."

She looked at the ring that was now on her finger.

"Danny, it's beautiful."

"See, I had it engraved, and it was custom made."

Lindsay took the ring off and looked at the band.

"M&M"

"Danny, you engraved my engagement ring with your favourite candy?"

"No, Montana and Messer; jeez, or Monroe and Messer. Either way works really. Or I mean Messer and Messer that could work too."

"Aww, Danny. That's, that's adorable. Did you say it was custom made?"

"Yeah, it's 3 rubies, your birthstone, surrounded by 8 small, I repeat small diamonds."

"Can I ask why?"

"Yeah, well, you are the centre of my world, and the diamonds represent people in my world. There's my mom, and your mom, my dad, your dad, Mac, Stell, Flack, and Hawkes. I was gonna have two more, but I decided not too. They'd wanna be with you, even if it is just on a ring."

"They, who's they?"

"Our two children"

Lindsay was taken back; she couldn't believe that he, Danny Messer had put so much thought into her ring.

"You want two kids?"

"Yeah, Boy and a Girl,"

"Danny, why 3 sapphires?"

"For you, and our two children, my world's complete then. You 3 being the centre of it, everyone else, surrounding us."

The tears Lindsay had been keeping under wraps had now allowed themselves to flow freely down her face.

"Danny Messer, do you have any idea how much I love you?"

"I got some idea baby, I got some idea."

**A/N: I thought I would pre-warn you that there's some serious angst coming up in the next few chapters. But stick with it though, trust me:) **


	24. “Go Rikki Leave, now Get out”

**A/N: Okay. heres the angst I was talking about... I hope you all dont hate it too much! Bare with me people.. :**

**Absolute huge massive thanks to kcatlin. She totally knows why :)**

Lindsay matted her hair down, she hadn't been expecting anyone, she had the day off and Danny was due home at 7, considering it was only 1.30 there was no way it could have been him home early. She opened the door;

"Oh, hey Linds, I was kind of expecting Danny, is it okay if I come in?"

Lindsay looked on in surprise. Rikki? What the hell was she doing wanting Danny?

"Hey Rikki, well actually Danny isn't home until 7. I could tell him you came round, get him to call you later?"

"Actually, I kind of wanted to talk to you as well?"

"Well, in that case, come on in."

She moved, making room for Rikki to get past, she wasn't altogether sure as to why she was here, and especially why she was being so nice. Rikki in the two years she'd known Lindsay had never been nice.

"Do you want a drink or something? I just made some coffee"

"No, no it's okay thanks."

"So, you wanted to speak to me?"

"Yeah, you know, you're a bigger person than what I am. I wouldn't have taken him back after what he did"

Lindsay acknowledged her and smiled. _What he'd done to her? What, he was grieving; she totally understood why he did what he'd done. _

"And I'm even surprised you're speaking to me, you still don't know how sorry I am Lindsay."

Lindsay's heart rate increased, and she wasn't sure why. What exactly was it that Rikki was getting at?

"Sorry Rikki, I'm a little lost. What is it that you're telling me?"

"Well, I went to the doctor and he said it was negative, so I guess it worked out for everyone didn't it."

Lindsay's heart was beating faster now. She wasn't telling her what she thought she was telling her. Was she?

"You know, I wasn't sure but Danny convinced me, and I'm glad I did. It would have been too hard. Especially now"

"Danny convinced you to do what Rikki?"

"To do to the doctors for a pregnancy test... Lindsay, has he not told you?"

"Told me what?"

"Shit, well, that night after you two argued he-"

"We didn't argue, I was just giving him space"

"Yeah, well either way, that night, he came over to mine-"

Lindsay looked at Rikki, her hands shaking, her whole body shaking, tears welling up in her eyes, a lump in her throat. She needed to know…

"Come on, he went over to yours?"

"Lindsay it was a complete mistake, he was plastered. Drunk, Gone. It was a one off thing. I swear to you."

Lindsay felt sick.

"I think you should go Rikki"

"Lindsay, I swear to god. I had no idea that you didn't know. I'm so sorry."

"Go Rikki. Leave, now. Get out."


	25. “Why Danny, why’d you do it?”

**A/N: Thanks for all your reviews... Even though you all hate me right now, stick with it.. :) **

**And, Twinkeyrocks, when we own it. Nothing like this will happen... pure fluff i tell you!**

He opened the door to a quiet apartment. He turned the hall light on, expecting to hear her, but he couldn't.

He set his keys down on the table, and headed for the kitchen, grabbing himself a beer and making himself a sandwich. He'd skipped lunch, and figured that a sandwich wouldn't make much difference to whatever Lindsay had planned for dinner. He decided he'd go and watch the replay of the Yankees game until Lindsay came home.

He stumbled into the living room and was met by Lindsay sat on the edge of the couch, with red, puffy eyes and tear stained cheeks.

"Shit Linds, you scared the hell outta me. What you doing sat here in silence?"

"When were you going to tell me Danny?"

"Tell you what?"

"Rikki told me Danny"

He felt the colour drain from his face. He remembered her telling him, but he had no recollection of what had happened...

"Why Danny, why'd you do it?"

He dropped his beer and the sandwich on the coffee table, and kneeled by where she was sat, taking her hands.

"I don't know Lindsay. I was drunk, I cant even remember it. I swear it meant nothing. She meant nothing. I love you. You're my world, you know that baby."

"Danny, that's no excuse. You cheated on me. You slept with Rikki. You slept with her Danny."

"Lindsay don't say that"

"You did Danny. You thought she was pregnant and you didn't even tell me. You let HER tell me. She thought I knew Danny. You proposed to me twice, knowing that you'd cheated on me. That you had slept with another woman. Do you know how stupid I feel? How betrayed you've made me feel? How much you've hurt me?"

"Lindsay, it meant nothing. I was drunk. It was one, huge drunken mistake. I figured that if I forgot about it, it would mean it didn't happen"

"Yeah, well it hasn't Danny."

"I know. I've really fucked up Linds. What can I do to make it better?"

"Answer me this, how was she?"

He looked at her in disbelief. "What?"

"How was she Danny? Come on, was she better than me?"

"Lindsay… Don't be like that"

"Be like what Danny? I've not had sex with another man. Do you know what I've had to deal with, the images of you two going round in my head? The thoughts of you, holding her, kissing her. Then two days later, you have sex with me. Danny, she was practically still on you, and you knew full well."

"What can I do to make it better, please I can't lose you. I can't."

"No Danny, that's just it. You didn't think about losing me whilst you were having sex with her. That all seemed irrelevant then didn't it?"

"Please Linds, you gotta forgive me, I'll do anything, please Linds, please."

"No, you're a totally different person to me now Danny."

"Don't say that Lindsay, please"

"But Danny, it's true. You're not my Danny anymore. I can't do _this _anymore."

Letting go of Danny's hands she stood up, and made her way to the door, Danny following in pursuit. He knew he had to do something - he pulled her close in bare desperation, but she was having none of it. He tried wrapping his arms round her, trying to change what she'd said. He pulled her chin up so that their eyes met, and he saw the pain that this whole big fucked up situation had caused her. He looked deep into her eyes, hoping that the look in his eyes would change her mind. Make her stay. He knew it was a long shot, but he was willing to take it. He wasn't going to leave it now. Not now they'd come this far. He couldn't lose her. He wouldn't lose her. Realising he still had his arms around her waist, his heart fluttered, giving him hope. That was until she pulled his arms away, stepped back and looked at him. The hurt that was evident in her eyes and it stabbed him in the heart. Normally, if she was hurt, or upset, he would take her in his arms, and it would go away. Not now, especially now that he'd been the one to do this. Slowly, she turned around, so that her back was now facing him. Picking up her suitcase that had been situated by the door, she turned around one last time to look at him, then walked out, and shut the door behind her.

Danny stood there for a few seconds, reliving the silent conversation in his head. Their actions had spoken louder than words.

He realised he was still stood there, doing nothing.

He opened the door, and ran after her. Seeing that she was already in the elevator, he headed for the stairs… He made it to the bottom, just as she was wiping her eyes and stepping off the elevator. She glanced up, and saw him stood there, in front of her; tears streaming down his face.

"Where are you going Linds?"

"I'm going back to my parents for a week; I need to be away from you Danny. Maybe when I come back, we can talk. Re-build something; slowly get back to where we were."

"Stay Linds, talk to me now, don't go like this"

"Danny, I can't stay, not right now. I need to be away from you. Decide whether there's something here to save. I can't even bear looking at you right now."

"But Linds, this is your place"

"I'm not saying move out. You can stay; all I'm just saying is that I need space, time away from you, time away from New York. I know that if I stay here, every time I look at you, I'm gonna see you two together, and I can't handle that right now. I've Okayed it with Mac, and I'm taking the last week of my holiday time."

"You told him why you're going?"

"Have I told him you've cheated on me? No. No I haven't. I figured they'd find out sooner or later, and anyway, it isn't my place to say, evidentially you felt that I didn't need to know."

"So, you're going for a week?"

"Yeah, I'll be back on Saturday. Look, I don't wanna stick around and make small talk, my planes leaving at 9.30. I gotta go Danny"

"Do you want me to drive you? Least let me know you got there safe"

"I'm a big girl Danny."

"Yeah, okay I understand, could you call when you get to your parents?"

"Yeah, I'll call."

"Montana, You don't know how sorry I am"

"Yeah, well Danny, I hope it was worth it. I sure as hell hope she was worth all this pain you've caused me. And yourself. I hope she was worth our relationship. You better keep hold of this for the minute. I don't want it right now"

He put his hand out, wondering what it was she was talking about, and she placed it in his hand, and walked away.

Looking down, he realised what it was; her ring. He felt someone had ripped his heart of his chest. He'd done all this, and there was no way in this god's earth that he could do anything to change what had happened.

He saw the door man help her into her cab and put her suitcase in the back of the cab that he'd hailed down for her.

Watching her drive away was the hardest thing he'd ever done.

**A/N: Depending on how things go, the next update may also be up tonight... **


	26. “I didn’t mean for this to happen”

**A/N: Okay, more angst. **

_Watching her drive away was the hardest thing he'd ever done._

He pulled his hand up to his face, to wipe his tears away. He looked around. He was still stood in the lobby. He wanted to move, he really did, but something inside him wouldn't let him.

He had a feeling that maybe, just maybe, if he stayed in the lobby long enough, Lindsay might come back.

Slowly, he turned, realising that Lindsay wasn't coming back, not for a while; he stepped into the elevator and pressed the button that would take him to the eleventh floor – their apartment. As the elevator doors began to shut, he saw her come into the lobby. He tried to open the doors but it was too late. Now he was stuck in the elevator, and there wasn't anything he could do about it…

He angrily stepped off the elevator, and saw her stood outside Lindsay's and his' apartment.

He called out to her down the corridor

"You had better not be here to speak to me."

"Danny, I'm so sorry. I thought you told her"

"Yeah, well I hadn't. So I mean, great job. You've wrecked the best thing in my life, the only thing in my life. I get it; I took yours away, so you go ahead and take mine."

"Danny, don't be like that, can we talk?"

"About what Rikki, last time we did that, it got us into this"

"I didn't mean for this to happen"

He looked at her in disbelief.

"What did you just say?"

"I didn't mean for this to happen?"

"Go Rikki, just go."

"But Danny."

"No Rikki, go. I don't wanna see you. I don't wanna hear you. I don't wanna be anywhere near you."

"Danny, please. Just talk to me, what have I said?"

"What have you said? What have you said? Are you seriously that stupid?!"

He put his key into his lock and started to enter his apartment, completely ignoring Rikki's presence.

"Danny, I swear, I didn't mean for this to happen"

"Stop saying that, just go Rikki. You've done enough don't you think!"

She turned away, tears streaming down her face, she turned back, to say one last word, only to have the door slammed shut in her face…

He slowly slid down the door, taking his head in his hands, and sobbing uncontrollably. He needed Lindsay. He wanted Lindsay. He missed Lindsay. He couldn't believe that he'd done this. He felt her ring still in his hand. And Rikki, he couldn't even fathom what he thought about her. How dare she say what Lindsay had said to him less than 3 years ago...

He went over to the phone and speed dialled Lindsay cell, hoping, and willing for her to pick up, only to find it was switched off…

_Hey, Its Lindsay, or Monroe, or Montana, depending on who's calling. I can't answer the phone right now, so leave a message. If its you Danny, stop calling my voicemail to hear my voice, or to ask me what's for Dinner, your running the phone bill up--… _

Danny's heart sunk, he loved her voicemail message. He laughed his ass off the first time he heard it. It was so her to do something like that.

"Hey, Linds, I just, ughh, to be honest, I have no idea why I'm calling you. You're just the person I call when things fuck up. I shouldn't be doing this. You want space. Ughh, okay, well give me a call to let me know you've landed safe. I'll have my phone with me… Even if you land at 3am."

He hung up, and kicked himself. He couldn't have sounded more stupid if he'd tried.

He glanced over and looked at the clock. 8.37pm.

Scanning the room, he realised he couldn't stay here without her. He grabbed his jacket and picked his keys up. He had to get out of the apartment.


	27. Campin' at the lab

**A/N: I know I said this was going up yesterday, but i had a breakdown, when i thought i'd lost a huge chapter. I found it, so i might make up for it by posting the two i was gonna post today, today, making the grand total, 3... This is kinda a filler chap anyway... :)**

**You know, they're ours Twinkeyrocks... snap, all mine, snap**

"Danny, what are you doing here, I thought you would be at the airport with Lindsay?"

"What? Oh, yeah no."

Stella Bonasera walked into his and Lindsay's shared office and sat.

"Come on."

"What?"

"What happened?"

"Nothing' Stella."

"Don't make me beat it out of you Messer"

"Just back off Stella, this has nothing to do with you."

"Danny, I'm just trying to help, you know be a friend and all that?"

He could feel himself caving to her questions. He felt the words slipping out of his mouth and there wasn't a thing he could do about it.

"I think I cheated on her"

Stella sat back on the couch with her mouth open, not quite understanding what she had just heard.

"You think, who with?"

"Rikki"

"Ruben Sandoval's mom?"

"Yeah"

"Danny, how do you not know?"

"I can't remember Stell. I'm only going off what Rikki's told me. I was drunk"

"Danny, you should know better"

"Look Stell, I don't need a lecture right now. If I wanted one of them, I'd have gone to Mac, Flack or my Mom."

"I'm-I'm just shocked… How bad is it?"

"Well, considerin' I have her ring right here on my dog tags, I would say it's lookin' pretty bleak right now"

"Where's Lindsay, have you left her at home?"

"She's gone back to Montana"

"How long has she gone for?"

"A week"

"And you're camping out here like you did last time?"

"Somethin' like that"

"So, what's gonna happen?"

"Look Stell, I appreciate your concern, but I really don't wanna talk 'bout it"

"Sure Danny, you know where I am when you wanna talk"

"Yeah, thanks. Would you mind shutting the door on your way out?"

"Okay."

He hit his hand against the desk. He was doing it already. Being blunt, pushing his friends away.

He turned his computer on and uploaded the last case file that he'd been working on.

"Come on Lindsay, you can't sleep on the couch, you nearly threw your back out last time"

"Uncle Freddie, its fine, don't you worry about it."

"So where was it that you told him you had gone?"

"Back to Montana"

"Why?"

"I knew he'd persuade me to stay in the apartment"

"Linds, what has he done?"

"Can I tell you tomorrow? I want to gather my thoughts and everything. I'm kinda tired anyway"

"Don't worry about it; I'm here when you're ready. What time did you say you were working tomorrow?"

"The night shift, Mac switched me around for a week,"

"That was nice of him."

"Yeah, he's good like that."

"Anyways, g'night Linds"

As she turned the lamp off, she felt a tear fall down her cheek. It couldn't be happening to her, could it? Yesterday she had been the happiest woman on the earth. Yesterday she had her Danny and today, she was alone, single, and she hurt like hell. And there wasn't a damn thing anyone could do about it.


	28. I owe you Adam

It had been 3 days since Lindsay took off to Montana, and deep down, he knew he shouldn't have expected to hear from her. It wasn't as if he deserved it…

Slowly, it seemed that people around the lab had caught onto what had happened. He did work with detectives after all.

He put his head in his hands, and rubbed his eyes. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept. Taking refuge in his and Lindsay's office, he had only been home twice to grab a shirt and take a quick shower. This had only reduced him to tears when he'd seen her shampoo bottle gone.

Mac had begged him to go home, Stella had called his mother, and Flack had tried to entice him out of the lab with the offer of free drinks, but he was having none of it. He didn't want to go home. His Mom couldn't fix this mess. And there was no way he was ever drinking again he was never, ever stepping foot into a bar ever again. He put his glasses on, and looked towards trace. His eyes were defying him. No, surely he couldn't be seeing what he was seeing. Could he?

He took his glasses off, rubbed his eyes, and replaced his glasses. He could still see her. She was there, sat in trace.

He got up, and headed straight for trace, making a detour into Flack.

"Whoa there buddy, where's the fire?"

"Piss off Flack get outta my way, I'm busy"

"Yeah, yeah…whatever man. Sorry."

Danny briskly walked past Flack. He knew that he shouldn't be such an ass to him. He was his best friend after all. But right now he needed to make sure he was seeing straight.

He rounded the corner of trace.

"Lindsay?! Lindsay?"

"Danny, what the hell are you doing?"

"Adam, where's Lindsay?!"

"Danny, she's in Montana"

"No, I've just seen her. Where is she?"

"Look, Danny, I really think it would be better if you went home. Get some sleep. Your seeing things, go on, I'll cover your shift. Kendall's staying on tonight anyway. It's no problem"

Danny nodded, making a mental note to buy him a coffee later. He turned and headed for the locker room. He was sure he'd seen her. He shook his head. No, He only _wanted_ to see her. She was in Montana. He knew that.

Adam watched him as he headed towards the locker room…

"You can come out now Lindsay"

"Yeah, thanks Adam"

"Yeah, well, you're – a – you're my friend too. And Messer was an ass to you."

"I know, I was being sarcastic; I wondered what the hell you were doing shoving me into a supply closet. I hadn't seen him coming; you scared the daylights out of me…"

"Yeah, I gathered that you hadn't seen him, hence why I shoved you in the closet."

"I owe you Adam."

"Yeah ya do, I've already done a double today"

"I'll go and make sure the coffee machine's on for ya buddy"

He watched her take the short cut to the break room. He hated this. Lying, especially to Danny. Danny had always been there for him, and it almost killed him lying to him. Danny had his back in that warehouse, and now, when Danny was hurting most, Adam had turned his back on him… He knew what he needed to do…

"One sugar or two Adam?"

"Linds, come here a minute."

"What Adam?"

"What's gonna happen between you and Danny?"

Lindsay pulled up a stool and sat down next to Adam and sighed.

"I don't know Adam. I just don't know. You have no idea how much I miss him. I thought I was okay about it all. But I'm not. Hearing his voice today, just made me realise how much I need him. But I don't think I can forgive him for what he did"

"Course you can"

"What?"

"Look that came out wrong. What I was trying to say was that you will forgive him, because you love him. It'll just take time. You'll make it through this, I know you will. You and Messer and the definition of soul mates Lindsay. And you saw how badly he's beating himself up about this."

"Adam?"

"Yeah?"

"When the hell did you start talking sense"

"I dunno, maybe, I'm in this parallel universe where-"he caught onto Lindsay's look of amusement "never mind, I thought it wouldn't last"

Lindsay shook her head. He didn't know it, but Adam Ross had just made the world seem a little bit clearer for her…


	29. He was going to get Lindsay her answers

**A/N: I swear, its like I have a OCD in updating. lol!**

**Disclaimer: Me and Twinkeyrocks own it all. Cough**

She took a deep breath before putting her key in, and letting herself into the apartment.

She knew full well what to expect, pizza boxes, beer bottles, him asleep in front of the Yankees game.

--------------------------------------------------------

His ears perked up. It was only Wednesday; she wasn't supposed to be back until Saturday. He turned, hoping and praying it was her…

--------------------------------------------------------

She went in, placed her bag on the floor, and looked around. It wasn't half the mess she had expected it to be… She walked into the living room, and was met by Danny, a tearstained, broken Danny.

"Lindsay, what- what are you doing here?"

"We need to talk Danny"

"Yeah, I know. Please let me explain to you"

"No, listen to me Danny. I need to let this out, you need to know what I'm thinking"

"I swear I won't say a word"

"Good, because right now Danny, I can't cope hearing your voice. It breaks me in two. I miss you so much, but I know that I can't – I can't do this Danny, knowing what you've done. I still see you both in my head Dan, and its eating me up. Do you know how hard it is for me, desperately wanting you to hold me, telling me it's gonna be okay, but knowing, that its you that's done this, makes it even worse. I could have dealt with a kiss Danny, but not this. Do you know how hard it's been for me these past 3 days Danny? Do you? Thinking about you, missing you, wondering why I was away from you, waking up every morning alone, wondering why I was alone, and then it hit me. Them images I had, they're still there Danny. Still at the forefront in my mind; I can't deal with it. I can't deal with the thought of you, with her."

"Lindsay, please tell me what I have to do to make this better"

"I don't know Danny, I don't know."

"Please Lindsay, just give me one chance. One chance; I'll prove to you that this is a one time thing it won't ever happen again. I'll move out, we can be friends for the time being, anything, just as long as I don't lose you"

"I'm not saying you have to move out, I have a spare room. And I think for the minute, we should just be friends; just until I can sort this out in my head."

He felt his chest shatter into a million pieces. He'd lost her. He had lost Lindsay.

"Anything for you Montana; I want to do this right, and if it means that this is what you want. Then I'm okay with it"

"Are you really?"

"I'm being honest here, no. No, I'm not at all okay with it. I can actually feel my heartbreaking with every breath I'm taking, but if it means my heart has to break to get you back, then I'd let it break a million times Linds. I swear"

"I just need time Danny. I need to re-build my trust in you"

"Well, I've got forever, and I'm in this for the long haul. However long I have to wait is fine with me, if it means you're my baby again. I did it once; I'm more than capable of doing it again"

Lindsay felt the tears running down her face. She so badly wanted to say 'forget it, and let's move on' but she knew she couldn't. She needed this time. She needed the time for him to realise what he'd done. She ached for his arms to hold her; for his lips to touch hers; to feel his body against hers. For him to tell her that everything was gonna be okay, and that he'd make it all better.

She knew, over time, that he would heal her broken heart. How long this was gonna take, was the thing she was really scared of. She needed to know why. It was one of her flaws. To understand, she'd been the same in the Sarah Butler case. She needed answers.

"Danny, why, why'd you do it? Why'd you have to go and do that to me?"

"Linds, baby, I have no idea. And I'm not just saying it. I don't. I don't know what happened that night. Everything that happened after you left goes blurry. I don't even remember seeing Rikki, Linds, I really don't."

"Danny. You've lied to me once; I can't deal with you lying to me again. All I want is the truth."

"Lindsay. I swear to you, I don't know."

"I'm going to bed Danny. I can't deal with you right now. I'm sick of your lies"

She turned on her heel, and headed for their bedroom, _her bedroom_.

Danny knew and understood her reason for needed answers. He knew exactly what to do.

He was going to get Lindsay her answers.


	30. No Danny, you didnt

**A/N: _Hey, Twinkeyrocks, see if you can find the inside joke I put in here for ya!_ **

**Huge thanks to Kcatlin. We think too alike, I'm telling ya!**

**Disclaimer: Do I look like I own them? Nope. I just kinda own the story... **

He stood outside, beating on her door. So what if it was 2am. She had made his life hell the past few weeks.

"Wake the hell up Rikki, let me in"

Opening the door, she blinked at him in disbelief

"Danny, its 2am, what you want?!"

"Answers"

He stormed past her into her apartment. In full cop mode now, he wasn't taking any crap. Now, he meant business.

"What happened that night Rikki? And the truth. Don't feed me any bull."

"Danny I told you-"

"No, don't give me that. You are solely responsible for that pain me and Lindsay are going through. Me, I couldn't care less about what pain I'm going through. But you hurt Lindsay, and I ain't gonna stand for that. Now I know something ain't right about that night Rikki. And you know it to, you better start talking"

"Danny, I tried to tell you"

"Tell me what?"

"That day I came to your place, after Lindsay left. I tried to tell you then"

"Tell me what Rikki."

"I didn't mean for this to happen"

Danny clenched his jaw together, apparently she didn't know that them 7 words made him near enough die inside... He sucked it up though, he wasn't going to lose it like he did last time. He was going keep it together, she wasn't gonna see him cry again.

"Rikki you better start talking now. I'm losing my patience here."

"Promise you won't get angry"

"I'm so far past angry; I don't think I've seen straight for about 2 days. Start talking. Pronto"

She took a deep breath. Her relationship that she had with Danny was about to collapse in ruins. There was defiantly no going back.

"I've always liked you Danny. You've always been there, ever since Ruben was a baby. You helped me so much back then Danny, and you don't know how much I appreciate that"

"Yeah, okay, I'm a good guy or whatever; I get that, come on"

"Yeah, well, when – when – when Ruben died, I needed something to keep hold of him. I was terrified I'd forget him, and terrified I'd lose you Danny. And I did. That day, she came over, and took you to her place; I knew you were out of my life for good. You had no more ties to me. Ruben wasn't here anymore, so you didn't have to come round and help him with his baseball, or try to teach him how to play pool, or help him with a dictionary with so he could do his homework. He loved it when you taught him stuff. I knew that was all going to be snatched away from me, by her."

"You'd better stop referring to Lindsay like that."

"Or what?"

"Trust me Rikki; you do **not** wanna find out"

_I'd kick your ass so far into next week, you'd have no idea what happened. _

She looked on and shook her head. _She had never been a fan of Lindsay, why start now?_

"So yeah, when I heard you slam the door in her face, I knew that it was my chance. I was meaning to apologise anyway, but this gave me an excuse."

"An excuse for what?"

"An excuse to see you; It made my heart melt seeing you like that. All broken up about her, I wished it was me Danny, I did. I longed for it to be me that when you thought about her, it brought that smile to your face, that it was me that you were thinking of. That it was me that you held, instead of her. That it was me you overslept with, not her. I guess really, I should have known deep down that you wouldn't."

"Wouldn't what?"

"Wouldn't cheat on Lindsay"

On the inside, he was smiling. Hell, he was crying on the inside. From relief, from happiness, from just about everything and anything he could think of. But he needed to keep this up; he needed to get her to say it.

"I didn't cheat on her?"

"You could say that"

"I could say that? Rikki you had better starting talking sense sometime soon"

He could feel himself shaking, desperatly hoping that he was sounding hard and intimadating, because he sure as hell wasn't feeling it.

"Okay, okay, you didn't cheat on her Danny, you didn't cheat on Lindsay. I laid myself on a plate for you, but all you kept saying was that you needed Montana, you wanted your Montana, and you missed Montana. Then, after a while, you passed out from whatever you were drinking. And I let myself out."

_Thank you Rikki, you've just made this so much easier for me…_

"So then, let me get this straight, you lied?"

"Danny don't say it like that"

"Did you lie to me Rikki?"

"Yeah, I lied about it. But I thought that if you two broke up, you'd move back in, and we could make a go of things."

"Thanks Rikki"

She looked on in bewilderment.

"What are you talking about Danny?"

"Thanks for giving me the chance to win my whole world back"

And with that, he turned and shut the door behind him.

_He had never loved his brother more in all of his life._


	31. Answers

**A/N: Okay, totally irrelvant but... 4 Words people – "All in the family"… gahhh! God I love CSI:NY**

He poked her nose; "Hey Montana, baby, wake up."

"Mmmm- Danny, its 3.45am, what- what you want?!"

"I want to show you something."

"Danny, look I've told you-"

"Just hear me out Linds. If you don't feel the same after you've listened to me, then I'll go. I swear."

"Fine, what is it?"

He reached over and turned her bedside lamp on, and handed her a cassette player.

"Listen to this,"

"Danny, what is this?"

"Press play."

"I trust you on this Danny."

"Good. I'm glad."

She sat up and hesitated for a few minutes. She had no idea what she was going to be listening to. She pressed the button slowly. There was defiantly no going back now…

"_Hey Linds,_ _I'm getting you your answers, once and for all."_

Lindsay sat back and listened to Danny and Rikki's conversation, tears welling up in her eyes as the conversation progressed. She listened to the whole tape through, then rewound it, and listened to it over, and over again

"_No, you didn't cheat on her Danny. You didn't cheat on Lindsay". _

"Jeez Linds, you're like a girl rewinding her favourite bits on a TV show, and watching them over and over again."

"Shut up Danny."

"Sorry, look I just wanted you to listen to that"

He got up off her bed, but she grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to my room. I'm exhausted, I haven't slept for about 4 days, and I just went from one side of New York to another"

"This is your room Danny"

"But Linds, I thought-"

"Yeah, so did I, but this proves it. She lied to you Danny, she lied to us. You didn't cheat on me. I should have trusted you."

"Don't you dare even go there Linds. For all you knew, I had cheated. I don't blame you one bit"

"But I blame myself Danny."

"Lindsay, was it you that cheated?"

"No, but neither did you Danny"

He took of his shirt and pants and crawled into bed next to her…

"Yeah, but I didn't know that then, look, if you want, how about we forget the whole thing. I mean if it-"

"Forget about what?"

"Rikki saying I - Ahh I see what you did there."

She smiled and snuggled into his warm chest. Tears were slowly escaping from her eyes. She always knew; deep down that he would have never cheated on her, she should have trusted him…

"Hey, hey, hey, what you crying for?"

"I thought I'd lost you Danny"

"I'm not going anywhere"

She wouldn't have been surprised if their bodies had moulded into one, how close they were to each other. Suddenly it hit her and she sat up.

"Whoa, Linds, where the fire?!"

"I'd better call Jason"

"What, why?"

"He was coming to kick your ass"

"I would pay money to see him kick my ass."

"Yeah, well it can be arranged Messer. Chris wanted in on it as well you know…Now come here and cuddle me."

"Yes ma'am."

He shuddered, hoping that he didn't meet Chris on his way home from work, in a dark alley.

He glanced down and kissed the top of her head. This is what he lived for;

Cuddling with Lindsay Monroe

**A/N: Okay. I know it's probably totally and completely obvious, but I'm ignoring the Rikki storyline in "All in the family". Felt it needed to be said :)**


	32. With You

She was laid, drawing soft circles into his chest. She could hear him sleeping lightly,

Glancing over at the clock, she saw that it was only 8.30. She slowly slipped out of Danny's arms, and grabbed a shirt of his and padded into the kitchen.

Sighing happily, she turned the coffee machine. She couldn't decide what to make for breakfast; Pancakes, or just toast and cereal. After debating with herself, she figured she wanted pancakes, and she couldn't see Danny complaining. He loved her pancakes.

She turned the radio on in the kitchen and smiled.

_Wish I could say the save the world, like I was super girl  
The real me is to laugh all night lying in the grass just talking about love  
But lately I've been jaded life got so complicated _

She couldn't stand Jessica Simpson normally, it was nothing personal, just not her cup of tea, but this song, was one of them she couldn't help but sing to. It reminded her so much of her and Danny. It made her think back to them in the Wheatfield's laughing, joking, and generally being in love, and right now, the song was perfect. Life had been complicated at the minute…

_After thinking about it, I almost forgot what it feels like,_

_To know what it feels like_

_Cause with you  
I can let my hair down  
I can say anything crazy  
I know you'll catch me right before I hit the ground  
With nothing but a T-shirt on  
I never felt so beautiful  
Baby as I do now  
Now that I'm with you _

She picked up the whisk she was about to use, deciding it'd work better as a microphone, she started dancing around their kitchen, carefree and happy, singing along to the song.

_You speak and it's like a song  
And just like that all my walls come down  
It's like a private joke just meant for us to know  
I relate to you naturally  
Everybody else just fades away  
Sometimes it's hard to breathe  
Just knowing you found me_

_Cuz I'm still thinking about it almost forgot what it was like  
Do you know what it feels like? _

She smiled at how much the song related to her and Danny. Danny had pulled her walls down, slowly, and gently at Lindsay's pace. She couldn't picture herself without him now. She related to Danny naturally, and everyone just faded away, in every room they were in. No matter whom they were with. She couldn't believe how much she had been hurting yesterday, and now, today, everything was better. She was even willing to go as far as things were perfect.

She knew that no matter what he'd catch her when she was falling. He always did. Danny had never let her down, he'd always come through for her at the end…

_Cause with you  
I can let my hair down  
I can say anything crazy  
I know you'll catch me right before I hit the ground  
With nothing but a T-shirt on  
I never felt so beautiful  
Baby as I do now  
Now that I'm with you  
With you _

Danny stood and watched her from their bedroom door. He couldn't get over how beautiful she was; Messy hair, in his shirt and socks, dancing around the kitchen. If he could wake up like this for the rest of his life, he would have been the happiest man on the earth… Eventually, he decided to make his presence known, he smiled and coughed.

"Whoa, there Montana, karaoke queen, careful, there's still a window in the bedroom you haven't broken yet."

She turned round, whisk in her hand, being used as a microphone, flour on her nose, and his shirt on.

"What you doing up honey, I thought you were tired."

"My teddy bear went missing."

"So I'm a teddy now."

"Well, you're defiantly not a pop star"

"Shut up Danny. I was a bit busy with science club to go to choir, unlike some!"

"Shut up. Mom made me, she loved that damned church. I_** had**_ to join Sunday school, and they _**made**_ me join the choir boys. Don't look at me like that. Louie went too."

"Did you no harm, did it?"

"No, 'cause I can woo you with my voice now."

"Yeah, I suppose" She said approaching him, tracing her finger down his bare chest. "You know how I love it when you play that guitar and sing to me"

"I do? I seem to have forgotten how much you love it, you know, maybe you should show me"

He pulled her into a kiss, and lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs round his waist.

"Danny, breakfast is on the stove"

"Turn it off"

He said between kisses, she broke away from the kiss

"The pancakes will spoil"

He kissed her again,

"I'll starve"

"You can't go thirty minutes without some type of food."

"Exactly, I'll starve. Come on, I'll take you out for breakfast."

"I get to pick"

"Okay, whatever. Come on, that shirt doesn't suit you. I found a nice place for it on the floor"

She laughed and hit him in the chest.

"Where's that cheesy one liner book, I thought I'd hidden it from you"

"Shut up and kiss me"

From that point on, she knew full well, breakfast out was going to turn into a lunch date.

"Danny"

"What – what Montana"

"Take me to a movie tonight."

"Absolutely,"

**A/N: I hope with that fluff, I'm forgiven from the previous chapters:) **

**And, well for the lack of updates. I promised myself that i wouldnt update until I got one chapter out that was really bugging me. So, its out, and here's the update:)**

**The song I used was With you, By Jessica Simpson. Needless to say I don't own it, but I figured i'd get it in anyway!. **


	33. Movie trips and chick flicks

**A/N: Well, this chap's entirely inspired by P.S. I love you. It's an amazing movie. See it, seriously. Make sure you have tissues though!**

**Few spoilers for it the next few chaps, I think, so I don't wanna spoil anything, so if you haven't seen it, look away now!**

Lindsay wiped her tears from her eyes as Danny stood up rolling his eyes.

"Montana, seriously?"

"What, Danny, come on you can't say that that wasn't upsetting, he was only 35" she said whilst wiping her eyes again

"Lindsay,"

"But Danny, you saw how much she loved him, it was heartbreaking"

"Lindsay-"

"And he died Danny, he left her" she said with a sniffle

"Lindsay, it was a movie."

"I don't care, stop rolling your eyes at me Danny. It was, just amazing. Danny, he left her notes."

"I do know I was, unfortunately, watchin' the same movie"

Danny pulled Lindsay up from her seat, only to be pulled into a tight hug, which reminded him of the one that they shared in the Montana courtroom.

"But Danny, he knew he was dying and he arranged for all those notes to be delivered."

"Look, I know you're being all girly here, so let me know when your back to being Montana,"

This comment earned him a look of disgust and she swatted him on his arm.

"Look, all I'm saying is I ain't good at comforting ya when ya get like this"

"Okay then, let me put it to you this way." Lindsay grabbed Danny's hand as they exited the movie theatre onto the freezing streets of New York.

"You know how much you love me."

"Yeah, well I don't love you when you take me to movies like that, but go on-"

Ignoring his last comment she carried on walking, pulling him along...

"You know how much you love me, well; imagine that we'd gotten married, and we'd just settled down, getting ready to have kids, then I die."

"Yeah, real upbeat Linds, keep going"

She rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, imagine, I was cruelly snatched from you, and you were heartbroken"

"I would be heartbroken"

"Yeah, well, of course, but anyway, you were finding it hard, then on your birthday you receive a cake, that I had already had pre-ordered, cause I knew I wouldn't be around"

"Jesus Linds, I know, I watched the same movie. You don't need to re-tell me the story, plus you're kinda breaking my heart just thinking about you not being around"

"Danny, I was just trying to make a point"

"Well, make it then"

"Just that if I died, and left you notes, telling you how much I loved you, you might understand the sentimentality of the movie, and you'd stop being such a jackass"

"Right, so let me get this straight. Basically, it's a movie for girls, so that they can put pressure on their boyfriends, or fiancés, that if one of them dies they have to send the other one notes; telling them how much they love them and then arrange them a vacation?"

"Danny, you're so clueless."

"How am I? They suckered you in. I got all these expectations to live up to now. That's why I hate chick films. They give girls ideas."

"Danny you're such a guy"

"And proud of it"

He took her hand, and led her down the stairs towards the subway back to their apartment.

He kept her close, cuddling her, whilst they stood waiting for their train. Danny Messer, cuddle? He never, ever thought he'd see the day. He blamed it on Lindsay; she brought that kinda stuff out of him. He glanced down at her, snuggled to his chest. Lost in his thoughts, he thought back to the time when they'd been separated on the subway. His heart was racing. He knew she was a big girl, but still, she was his girl. He panicked when he couldn't find her when he got off the train, then, on the way up to the city's streets, he still couldn't find her. He headed home, and there she was, sat on the doorstep, huge smile on her face, asking where he'd been, as if nothing had been wrong. For those 15 minutes, he thought he'd lost everything. He shook his head, making a mental note, not to take their kids on the subway.

"What you thinking about?" she mumbled into his chest as he held onto the pole on the train, whilst she wrapped her arms firmly around his waist.

"Just 'bout how harsh I was on you; I kinda understand what you mean now. What'd it be like to lose ya, you're right, and it would break my heart"

'What's brought this on?"

"Nothin' just thinking"

"That's what I was worried about"

"Shut up and cuddle me."

"I thought Danny Messer didn't cuddle."

"You'd be surprised."

Danny smiled to himself. He had a plan, and boy she was gonna love it.

**A/N: I was thinking today, what is your fave chapter so far? And is there anything you think I could do now, like which road to go down After all, its you guys that read it, so if theres something you think I should do, Suggestions are really appreciated :) **


	34. Ps I love you

**A/N: Following on from last chap..:)**

She ripped the post-it-note off her computer screen. It'd been the forth note she'd found today.

She couldn't help but smile and giggle slightly at Danny.

The first had been on the cereal box he'd left on the kitchen counter before he'd gone to work.

Her second, in the bath tub. How he'd managed for it to stay there, she wasn't sure.

Her third had been in her mug, he'd just been lucky she'd seen it before she poured the coffee in.

And the forth on her computer screen…

She hadn't realised how much of an effect the movie they had gone to see the night before would have on him.

She looked down and read the note…

_See Montana, I told you chick flicks give people ideas. _

_We're going out tonight.  
But I gotta do something after work, so I aint gonna be home till 6ish_

_Buy yourself something nice to wear. _

_P.s. I love you. _

"What's made you so happy?"

Lindsay turned round to see Stella stood in the doorway to their office.

"Oh, it's nothing really. I'm just looking for Danny, have you seen him? I haven't seen him all day so far."

"Are we having withdrawal symptoms kiddo?"

'No, I just wanted to thank him for something"

"No, sorry kiddo; think he's out in the field."

"Don't worry; no problem. If you see him, let him know I was looking for him will ya Stell?"

"Sure thing kid."

Stella smiled as she turned around. _All those years listening to them perps paid off, I'm a convincing liar…_she turned on her heel and headed towards trace. She needed to get Danny out of the lab.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lindsay's shift had been one of the most boring ones she'd ever encountered whilst being a CSI. A whole day of paperwork. No new cases, no trace to be done. Nothing, nada. She had almost been glad when Mac sent her home an hour early. It gave her some extra time picking something out for her date with Danny tonight.

She wiped the snow off her coat as she stepped into Macy's, and reached into her pocket to retrieve Danny's note; '_Buy yourself something nice to wear.' _

She stood at the clothes department deep in thought. Deciding that she had no idea what to buy, she pulled her phone out and started to text Danny.

_I'm in Macy's what's something nice cowboy?_

Before she had even had a chance to put her phone back in her pocket, she got a message back.

_It's prepaid for and behind the counter. Wait till you get home to open it._

_D_

_P.s. I love you._

She smiled. He had really taken to this planning ahead stuff…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She couldn't wait to see what Danny had picked out for her. She pushed her way through the crowds on the subway car and found herself a seat. She slowly took the lid off the box; Danny wouldn't mind her taking a peek, surely. She was greeted by a note on the top of the tissue paper, protecting whatever Danny had bought her. Turning the letter over, she opened it to Danny's messy handwriting.

_Montana, _

_I knew you wouldn't be able to wait till you got home. Seriously, unless you want to be mortified, I'd wait until you get home to open it._

_D._

She quickly put the lid on the box. She was already being looked at, not that it mattered really. So what if she was smiling like a lunatic, nobody cared.

She sat back in her seat, trying to relax; she had what, 4 more stops to go?

She couldn't help but smile, she would have never of thought that when she had transferred to New York those 4 years ago, that she'd find love. Hell, she had thought she would have been ecstatic making just one single friend in the whole of New York. But now, she had made herself a whole family.

Before she knew it, she was at her stop. Exiting the train quickly, she practically ran the 4 blocks to her and Danny's apartment, the suspense was killing her. Unlocking the door, she threw her bags down on the floor, and headed for the kitchen table, where she placed the box down, bracing herself for what was going to hit her once she opened it. She always knew that Danny liked buying her underwear, he'd made that plainly obvious, with the past 3 valentines days.

Slowly, she unwrapped the item of clothing in the box. Tears slowly filled her eyes. She pulled the dress out of the box, and examined it. It was the same. The exact same. She had been so upset that week she lost her old dress. It had sentimental value to it, which could never be replaced. Every time she looked at it, she could hear Danny's "Well hello Miss Monroe" comment. She moved the box, only to find it had another letter taped carefully to the bottom of the box.

She smiled as she read it

_Jeez, Montana, you'll believe anything I tell you. Well, that dress is just the start of things tonight. It looks like Mac's gonna keep me behind a little late tonight. I got my things at the lab, so do you wanna head over when you're ready? _

_D. x_

_P.s. I love you._

She read the note twice. How the hell did he know that Mac was gonna keep him late? She shook her head – he'd have an explanation, he always did.

She jumped into the shower and ran round the house like a crazy idiot. She was just glad that Danny wasn't home, otherwise, she'd have been branded a geek forever, but something about tonight made her excited.

Instead of the usual hour it took her to get ready, she was changed; hair dried and make up on in 23 minutes, precisely, not that she had been counting.

She grabbed her purse, and headed for downstairs.

---------------------------------------------------

"Good evening Lindsay,"

"Hey Jeff" Lindsay smiled at the doorman, he'd always been sweet with her,

"Danny meeting you somewhere?"

"Yeah, at the lab, we're going out I think"

"Want me to hail you a cab?"

"I got it, thanks Jeff."

The wind hit her as she stepped out onto the cold New York City streets. The sooner she got to that lab, the better...

------------------------------------------------

"I can't help thinkin' I've forgotten somethin' Stell."

"Danny, you've thought of everything"

"But Stell – I –"

Danny broke off as he saw her step off the elevator. The breath caught in his throat. He had never seen her look so beautiful in the whole time he'd known her. He practically jumped out of his chair to meet her in the hallway.

"Have I told you how beautiful you are recently?"

She smiled and wrapped herself around him, with her heels, it allowed her to be about the same height – something she wasn't used to. She was accustomed to standing on her tip-toes to kiss him.

"Like my notes?"

"Loved them, you ready to go?"

"Well, change of plan actually; I thought we could hang out here"

"Danny, have you not seen what I'm wearing?"

"Yeah, you look stunning baby"

"Yeah, and I didn't come to sit in the break room either"

"I know. I got something planned, believe me."

"Why does that not surprise me?"

"Look, just follow me."

And with that he blindfolded her and led her towards the elevator.

**A/N:. I just had a look at chap 1.. I cant believe this was only gonna be a one/two shot... So, I just wanna say a huge thanks to everyone following the story, those who comment, and those who don't, you make my day either way :) **

**Oh, and yeah. Huge hugs to you guys that gave me ideas in your reviews. Your cookies are in the mail :)**


	35. Danny, where are you taking me?

Danny, come on, where are you taking me?

"Linds, just trust me on this"

She rolled her eyes. Well, at least she would have done if she hadn't of been blindfolded

"Danny, come on, where the hell are you taking me?!"

"Montana, did you know I got some Irish in me?"

"No, can't say I did-"

"Well, I kinda do, somewhere, I think. Anyway, hey, careful watch the step."

She felt Danny open a door, and the cool New York City air hit her.

"Danny, please don't tell me we're outside. It's December."

"Lindsay, just trust me"

He looked around once more, making sure he had everything in place. Not that it mattered. It'd be too late now anyway. He went behind her, and undid the blindfold, letting her see what he'd done.

She gasped.

"Danny how'd you-"

"Stell helped, we didn't have much to do today"

"But Danny, it's"

He smiled. It was exactly the reaction he wanted. She was speechless, and he hoped it was for good reason.

She looked over to a candlelit table sat in the middle of a familiar looking sand pit type of thing, what distinctly looked like the sandbox he had carried her across all them years ago.

He gently pushed her forwards and slowly led her over to the table, kissing her from behind

"Do you know what this is?"

She turned and smiled at him.

"I do, you've got something from all the main cases we've worked on"

"There's no fooling you is there?"

"Danny, what's that, I can't remember that ever being at one of our scenes"

"Because it hasn't. It's mine,"

He said, smiling whilst picking up the guitar.

"What's it doing here then?"

"I'm showing you that it's not only Irish guys that can sing"

"But Danny, I thought you said you were Irish?"

"Shit, I did didn't I"

He picked up the guitar, led her to her seat, then, sat on his seat, and steadied the guitar so he could play…

She smiled as she recognised the tune he was playing, and she smiled at him, as she hummed along… He suddenly had his cheeky grin plastered across his face, but she wasn't expecting what he had planned. She was astounded when he started to sing to her.

"_It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart_

_Without saying a word, you can light up the dark_

_Try as I may, I can never explain, _

_What I hear when you don't say thing._

_The smile on your face, lets me know that you need me_

_There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me, _

_The touch of your hand says you'll catch me, wherever I fall,_

_You say it best, when you say nothing at all…"_

She could feel the tears slowly filling her eyes, and he broke off from singing and continued to play the base line.

"You know Linds, with all that stuff through Ruben;" He broke off from playing the guitar "I don't think I ever thanked you, for you know, being there. Mac told me what you said, that you "weren't good with this type of thing". But, you didn't need to be, you know that… All I needed was for you to be there, to need me, to show me that you weren't gonna leave me, and that you, well like the song says, you always catch me when I fall, and when I hit rock bottom, you're there. You did all that Linds, I can't thank you enough. Then how did I go and thank you? I went and screwed up. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you Linds, you know, about Rikki, I know I should have, I just didn't want to lose you... And I knew 'cause I couldn't remember a thing, it'd seem like a get out, like, I was lying, but as soon as you spoke to her, I knew that, that I'd lost you, and all because I pushed you away, when I really, really needed you the most"

"Danny, it's over now. It doesn't matter. She lied, not you. She lied to you, to me, she's spiteful and vindictive. You didn't know that, what all that matters is you and me now. But Danny, I just wanna ask you this-"

"Go for it baby"

"Why didn't you tell me when she told you she thought she was pregnant?"

"Because, I didn't want any of my children to have a mother other than you, and I couldn't deal with the thought of that not happening. The thought that one mistake would change our whole life, killed me. I didn't know for sure, and I didn't want to put that on you,"

She knew his heart had been there, just not his rational side. But then again, when was his heart not present in something that concerned him, or more rightly, her.

"Well, Rikki was right, everything turned out okay. Our first baby's going to be ours. It's just a bump in the road, Danny, every relationship has bumps. We've gotten over this one, and when the next one comes, we'll get over that one two."

He smiled and took her hand. He couldn't understand why she thought she wouldn't know what to say.

"Danny, teach me how to play the guitar."

"What, now?"

He was confused, had they not just been having an in-depth conversation about their relationship?

"Yeah, why not?"

"Umm-okay then, what do ya want me to teach ya"

"The song you were singing"

"Okay, then, C'mere, sit here, by my legs, an' hold it like this"

He showed her, placing her fingers on the strings whilst almost cuddling her from behind, creating a protective cover around her.

Slowly, she began to catch onto the tune, and looked up at him from approval.

He smiled at her, and kissed her nose, indicating that she was doing good.

He started moving her fingers, making the tune even more recognisable, which she wasn't sure how he was doing it; he quietly started to sing the next verse of the song

_All day long I can hear people talking out loud, _

_But when you hold me near, we can drown out the crowd,_

Watching the concentration on her face, he smiled

"See, there, you're getting it now baby- You know Linds"

He could feel the sap coming on, but whatever he was trying to do to stop it, it really, really, really wasn't working.

"You know Linds; I think this song was written about you."

She smiled at him;

"Danny, since when did you become so sappy?"

"Linds, you say that to me like all the time! No, seriously though, I do. I'd quote it to ya, but I aint gonna, just listen to it, it fits you like perfection Linds"

He took the guitar off her and carried on singing to her

_Try as they may, they can never define,_

_What's been said between you're heart and mind_

_The smile on your face lets me know that you need me_

_There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me, _

_The touch of your hand says you'll catch me, wherever I fall,_

_You say it best, when you say nothing at all…_

"See, told ya, I mean, back then, I didn't know whether it was your heart or your mind telling you to, you know, back away when all that stuff with the trial was going on; but I know now, that really, it wasn't you. That smile, you know, when you said you liked me "a lot", it said it all to me then Linds, that you needed me, and the look in your eyes, before you walked away. I knew you didn't wanna go, but you had to."

"Danny-"

"No, honestly Linds, you know outside the 'doll hospital' when we touched hands, for the first time. I wanted to hold your hand, forever. There was something about you,-"

"Danny, are you going to propose again?"

"Well, I do need to give you your ring back"

"Well, stop messing around and give it to me Messer"

"Always know how to ruin a moment don't you Montana"

"Yeah, well, I know you're off the clock, and I wanna go home and show you how much I love you-"

"What about the deep-fried spiders-"

"Danny, I'll make you deep fried spiders tomorrow"

"Am I going to have to make tracks?"

"You know it"

He stood up and took her hand.

"You know, what I wouldn't kill for a bat mobile now, we'd be home already"

"Danny, don't start that again. You know Mach 5 kicks the bat mobile's ass."

"Whatever country girl"

**Twinkeyrocks- hope you liked it :) cause you know he's gonna teach us:)**


	36. Oh yeah, revenge was sweet

**A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates. I wanted to get these out before I posted a new chap:)**

**And, The conversation Lindsay has with Danny - Danny is in italics. Just so you know :)**

She shut the car door and pulled her coat tightly around her. It was freezing cold and it was snowing, heavily snowing. So, of course, the nearest parking space to the supermarket entrance had to be like what, a 5 minute walk. Eventually, she made it into the supermarket, brushed the snow off her coat and stamped her feet on the sodden mat to get the slush off her work shoes.

She'd lost the coin toss, Danny had gotten to make dinner, and she had to go grocery shopping.

She pulled at the list Danny had made her, realising it was the wrong list; she went back into her purse and pulled out her version of the shopping list, the real one. The one that didn't have just 'chips and beer', she couldn't actually understand how Danny had survived on the diet that he had.

She walked over to the shopping carts, and headed for the fruits and vegetables.

She kept going backwards and forwards between both her list and Danny's to make sure she'd gotten everything. And she laughed when she'd seen what was written at the bottom on his, in messy, small handwriting, with a star next to it, accompanied with a smiley face.

_Condom spray_

She chuckled and headed for the aisle. She knew it was a complete joke, but she might as well have some fun with it.

"I can't believe you make him use that stuff"

The voice she recognised 'oh so well' went straight through her like a knife.

Lindsay acknowledged her then, turned round, minding her own business; not really taking in what she was doing. The last thing she wanted was trouble.

"Hello, I'm speaking to you."

"See, Rikki, I didn't get that, I heard you speaking more out loud, to whoever will listen. You have nothing to say to me, well nothing that I would listen to, so a big tip here, go and find someone else to screw with, i'm not interested."

Lindsay eventually turned round, to see Rikki, looking exhausted, like she hadn't slept in weeks.

"Well, Lindsay, that's not what Danny, was telling me just now on the phone…"

"Oh, really, was it not?"

She chuckled; _surely she was joking, right?_

"No, he was telling me something quite the contrary"

"Well, I hope you didn't take it too harshly, you know, him telling you where to get off."

"No Lindsay, he wasn't saying that. He was telling me how he made a mistake with you. He's changed his mind Lindsay, he doesn't love you. He wants me now."

Lindsay could feel her phone vibrating in her pocket.

"Ahh, really, I can understand where you're getting that from you know Rikki" she smiled, whilst opening her phone in her pocket, hoping to god that it was him, and not her mother.

"I mean, sure, you lie to him about being pregnant, you have him believe he cheated on his fiancé, and make his life hell, but sure yeah, I can see why he'd go to you."

"Yeah, he's always loved me Lindsay,"

"Really, oh yeah, that's why it was my name he was screaming earlier today, and last night, and for, well the past, what? 3 years? You're deluded Rikki. He loved Ruben. Not you -" she started pulling her phone out of her pocket "I have to take this. It's my fiancé – Hey baby"

"_Linds, who the hell you talking to, why cha answer, but then not really answer – are you okay? Do you need me to come get you honey?"_

"Sure, yeah you want two canisters of the spray now Danny?"

"_Two of what?"_

"You want to go where this weekend?"

"_What? Wait, where are we going this weekend? Linds, what's the matter?"_

"Sure that sounds amazing Danny, a whole weekend in that hotel we like, just us two, you sure don't wanna leave the hotel room? You should know Danny, that's always fine by me"

She wiggled her eyebrows at Rikki smiling, noticing the pained look on Rikki's face

"_Linds, have you been taken hostage or somethin'"_

She laughed,

"No, I'm just here talking to Rikki honey, she said she spoke to you a few minutes ago"

"_What the- I haven't spoken to her since the other night when she told me she lied"_

"Oh, well I'm not sure then, maybe she was speaking to another Danny. Hey, one sec, I'll ask her – Rikki, was it _my Danny _you were speaking to, you know; the one that loved you, and wanted you instead of me?"

"Oh, erm, no. You – you don't know him"

"Ahh, yeah I thought I'd misunderstood." She turned her attention back to Danny

"So yeah, I'll be home in 15 minutes sweetie. Yeah, I already went by the store, they said you picked it out for me, and it was lacy, like my other one, its gift wrapped in the back of the SUV..."

"_Linds, I haven't picked anything out for you."_

"Oh, okay, well in that case I'll pick up 3. You know what we're like Danny"

"_Linds, I hope you know you've got some explaining to do when you get home"_

"You can count on it baby. I Love you."

And with that she hung up. He took the phone from his ear and looked at it, put it back to his ear, looked at it again, then hung up.

_Was Lindsay high or something?_

Lindsay put her phone away, and stepped closer towards Rikki;

"Screw with me and Danny again Rikki and I swear to god, you being humiliated is the least of your worries. Now, if you don't mind, as much as I love making small talk with you, I have to get home to my fiancé, the dinner he's cooked me is getting cold. I'll see you around"

And with that she walked off leaving Rikki dumbstruck.

Oh yeah, revenge was sweet.


	37. Before it's too late

He sat with his arms crossed on the couch with the TV off. Hell, that girl of his had some serious explaining to do…

Initially, she'd scared the living hell out of him, answering the phone, but not speaking. Did she not know he was a terrified cop at the best of times? He heard her keys go in the door, and he watched her stumble in with the bags

"Hey, can you give me a hand with this sweetie?"

He walked over, and snatched the bags out of her hand, and stormed off into the kitchen to put the groceries away, leaving her dumbstruck to shut the door and remove her shoes.

"Everything okay, you want some help baby?" She smiled whilst poking her head round the kitchen door

"I got it"

"You sure"

"Yep"

She nodded, and walked into the living room.

_Oh yeah, she was in shit. _

She felt like a 13 year old that had gone to see an R rated movie, or a 17 year old that had snuck in at midnight. Either way, she felt the storm brewing.

"Hey Danny, you'll er- you'll never guess who I saw today"

He shook his head. He knew what she was doing. Making conversation, getting herself out of the trouble she knew that she was in. he walked into the living room, livid.

"What the hell Linds? You scared the crap outta me"

"What- what the hell are you talking about?"

"You, answering you're freakin' phone, then not talking, then having like a conversation with yourself anyway. And talkin' to Rikki, what's that about Lindsay?! You forget what she did last week?!"

"No I haven't forgotten Danny. Actually I was having words, making sure that she fully understood that if she came within close proximity of us I'll kick her ass so far into next week, by the time we get there, she still won't know what happened. Danny did you honestly expect me to see her and not rip her to shreds?!"

"Lindsay, did you beat Rikki up?"

"What?! No Danny, for the love of god. It's a figure of speech. But believe me, if I had 10 minutes for when I wasn't a cop. She would be the first person I found. Then, I would rip her to shreds"

"Lindsay, I thought we decided that-"

"Yeah, well Danny, you got your say. You told her what you thought; I thought she should know how I felt. She screwed me over as well you know"

"Yeah, Linds, I know. Believe me_, I know."_

"Well then, what's your problem?"

"Nothing, I just don't want you talking to her, you go to her, and it's like you're asking for it Lindsay"

"I can do whatever the hell I want Danny; whether you want me to or not. You always think you can tell me what to do"

She stormed towards the door, and picked her purse up.

"You know what; you can go to hell Danny!!"

"Yeah, whatever Lindsay; Go on, leave; Like you always do."

"I am,-"

"Go on; Run when things get hard,"

The door slamming shut released the tears he'd been holding back.

He pushed her too far and he knew it. He hadn't meant for it to go that way. He really hadn't. _Why couldn't things ever run smoothly for them?_

Lindsay threw her bag into the passenger seat and rammed the keys into their SUV's ignition. She was so angry with him, that she knew that if she hadn't of left, she'd have probably either thrown his ring at him, again, _or _kicked his ass, again.

She needed to get out of the apartment.

She turned on the radio and changed the station from his crappy city boy music to her country music.

She backed out of the parking space, as the 'intro' to the song came on. She was sure she hadn't heard it before, but she thought she'd heard all of Carrie Underwood's songs. She listened to the beginning, not really taking it in; the chorus however, caught her attention.

_Baby when you leave me, why'd you have to go, _

_I was counting on forever, and now I'll never know, _

_I can't even breathe._

_It's like I'm looking from a distance, standing in the background, _

_Everybody's saying 'he's not coming home now'_

_This can't be happening to me, this is just a dream._

She felt tears prick her eyes; she pulled over, and listened to the rest of the song. Hoping and praying, it'd give her something; an answer telling her where to go and what to do.

_Then they handed her a folded up flag, _

_And she held on, to all she had left of him,_

_Oh, and what could have been._

_And then the guards, rang once last shot, _

_And it felt like a bullet in her heart._

She didn't want these types of thoughts. These thoughts were the kind that made her insecure, the ones that, in the morning, when he had to get up for work and she didn't, she'd hold him for that extra minute, hoping that, that one minute would make it so that he was that one minute late to a scene. She was desperately trying to stop it, but she couldn't help it; she saw herself at Danny's funeral; the team around her, Mac giving her the flag, the look in the team's eyes that told her that they knew that he'd been taken from her too early. She could feel the regret she would have for not holding him for that extra minute, she could see herself regretting every moment they spent arguing over stupid things; regretting every moment they spent apart. She saw exactly what the song was describing, and she felt that bullet in her heart.

_Baby when you leave me, why'd you have to go, _

_I was counting on forever, and now I'll never know, _

_I can't even breathe._

_It's like I'm looking from a distance, standing in the background, _

_Everybody's saying 'he's not coming home now'_

_This can't be happening to me, this is just a dream._

One line stayed in her head as she listened to the rest of the song.

_Everybody's saying 'he's not coming home now'_

Her mind started asking questions that her heart couldn't answer. What would she do? How would she cope without him? How could she live without him?

She turned the radio down and wiped the tears from her face. She pulled down the visor and looked at her reflection in the mirror, and she shook her head. She was being stupid. Danny had just been looking out for her. She should have known that. She shouldn't have needed a song to remind her of that.

She sniffed up the few tears she had left, and put the car into drive and headed back towards their apartment, hoping that she wasn't too late to fix things.

**A/N: The song I used was "Just A Dream" By Carrie Underwood**


	38. Jeff to the rescue

He was taking the stairs two at a time. If he wanted to make it to the lab before she did, he'd have to run. Fast.

It was 6pm and he was planning on running through New York City. What was he crazy?

_He was. He was crazy for Lindsay_

He stood in the foyer for a minute to catch his breath, and looked at Jeff. Apparently Danny hadn't done a very good job of hiding his tears.

"You been arguing again haven't you Messer"

"Sorta"

Jeff signalled for Danny to sit next to him on the comfy chair sat in the lobby, and offered him a tissue.

"You carry on like this Danny, and you're gonna lose her"

Danny sat down. Normally he'd tell the guy to mind his own business. But, he was right. It was true. If he carried on, he would lose her.

"I know – I know Jeff. But I can't help it. Nothing ever goes right"

"What do you mean?"

Danny smiled noticing striking similarities between Jeff and Emily Monroe, Jeff could say very little, and get a whole detailed story, just like Lindsay's Mom.

"Every time we put the ring back on her finger, something goes wrong. I proposed, and Rikki ruined everything. I gave her the ring back last night when she came to meet me, and now, today we argued about Rikki again. It's like we're cursed Jeff."

"No, it's not Danny."

"Yeah, yeah it is Jeff. Nothing ever runs smoothly."

"Danny, you're wanting a fairytale."

Danny rolled his eyes. This was why he usually just smiled and said he was busy.

"What do you mean?"

"You want to get married, have kids, and live happily ever after. Well, I for one can tell you that's not going to happen. Look at me I'm a doorman that works around the clock, to remind me of the fact that my wife isn't going to come back, and my kids have all grown up. Don't let this happen to you Danny. Lindsay's one of them you find, and you need to keep hold of, good and tight. She's a true one in a million Danny. Whatever you've done, go fix it."

Danny nodded, stood up, and rushed out of the lobby doors. He stood for a moment, trying to work out the closest and quickest way to the lab.

She knew she was breaking speed limits. But she needed to get back to Danny; she pulled up outside their building, and she saw him; looking sad and broken.

She opened the door to get out, but she'd forgotten the seat belt was still fastened round her, which stalled her. She could see him, staring at her, wondering what was going on. She couldn't stand not being near him a moment longer. She jumped out the car, ran up the small set of stairs towards him and he caught her, swinging her round, kissing her lightly on the lips.

He slowly set her down and laughed, whilst wiping a tear from her face, not letting go of her.

"When are we gonna learn to stop arguing?"

She put a finger to his lips.

"Danny, promise me something"

"Anything Linds"

"Promise me that when I cuddle you for that extra minute in a morning, you'll just let me"

"I promise baby"

"Danny, take me upstairs,"

He scooped her up in his arms, and carried her inside; he stopped for a minute, and asked Jeff if he could sort out the car. Through Lindsay's romantic performance, she'd forgotten to take the keys out of the car. Jeff smiled at the sight of Lindsay snuggled into Danny's neck and him carrying her.

He winked at Danny and shooed them off, smiling.

_Young love._


	39. You talk too much

She smiled and traced circles on his chest.

"You know Montana; I was thinking we argue more often, if it means we can do it like that"

"Danny, do you mind, I'm having a bit of a moment here"

"Sorry, carry on," he chuckled whilst kissing her temple and pulling her close.

He could feel her heartbeat regain its normal pace and her breathing slow. She was drifting off the sleep.

"Linds, before you go to sleep, I just wanna ask you somethin'"

"Mmmm- sure, what Danny?"

"What made you come back?"

Her eyes shot opened and she took a deep breath

"Well, I kinda broke down in the car, I realised what you really meant to me Danny"

"What, like that I'm your everything"

"Something like that"

"Yeah, I could have told you that, because you know I-"

"Danny, shut up, you're making it harder for me to say this"

He sat up, taking her head with him. He had a gut-wrenching feeling in his, well gut. What was she trying to say?

"Say what Linds?"

"If you shut the hell up, you might find out"

She then pulled his chin down towards her face.

"Marry me Danny"

"Oh, so you're doing the proposals now are you?"

"I'm serious Danny"

"We're already getting married Linds"

"No, marry me, like tomorrow. I want you for life Danny. Like you said back in Montana, I can't stand this limbo thing we have going on. I know that technically, it's just a piece of paper, binding us together, but I want that piece of paper. I want to be able to sign my case reports Messer, not Monroe. I can have everything ready in two weeks. Or is that too soon"

"Lindsay, tomorrow wouldn't be too soon"

"It wouldn't?"

"Linds, I wanted to get married in Montana a month ago. I'm waiting for you here baby"

"Oh yeah, I guess with everything that's been going on, I kinda forgot, about you know, the wedding, all the arrangements and that."

"Yeah, well, how's about we get dressed in our sweats and we'll move the furniture around, lay out your plans, and make a start. A proper start, where we're both involved, how's that sound Montana?"

"It sounds perfect Danny"

* * *

She was resting her head on Danny's back, whilst he was lying on his stomach going over the seating plans.

"Linds, I really don't know how you've done it. You've catered for everyone. You've made sure My Aunt Em and Uncle Jim are on the opposite sides of the room, my Nana's sat by the kids close enough for her to cut up their food, but far enough away for them to feel grown up.

The team have their own section, our parents are together. Your talents cease to amaze me Lindsay Monroe."

"Yeah well, get used to calling me Messer, Messer."

"I was ready to call you Messer from day one, well you know, after I'd gotten over being pissed at you for being hotter, kinda smarter and kinda wittier than Aiden. Okay, so maybe I'll place at a week or somethin'"

"Danny, you talk too much"

"Montana – when can we book the function suite at the hotel?"

"Tomorrow morning, but we need to call people first. I'm thinking it's a little late to send out invites. So, I'll call most people when I'm on call tomorrow-"

"Yeah, and I can call people from my cell"

"No, Danny, it's your day off"

"Exactly, so I'll have more time to spare"

"I don't want to force you into helping me-"

"Lindsay, it's my wedding too. I want to be involved."

Her smile was slowly creeping into a huge grin, plastered across her face.

"Remind me why I love you Danny"

"'Cause I'm hot"

"And…"

"I'm cute"

"And…"

"Stop goofing off Linds, we got work to do"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever Danny"

"Actually Linds, speaking of work, why was there a case report in the shredder yesterday?"

"Mac wanted me to re-do it"

"Why?"

"Because…"

"Because…?"

"I signed it wrong."

He couldn't help but laugh, "excuse me? You did what now?"

"I signed my name wrong"

"You signed your name wrong? How is that even possible? I thought you were the smart one Linds"

"So, I was- am, I am the smart one; it was a mistake anyway-"

A light bulb practically went off over Danny's head

"You put Messer didn't you?"

"No."

"Don't lie, you signed it Lindsay Messer"

"Maybe"

"No… Definitely, you wrote Messer didn't you Linds"

"So what if I did? At least I don't have DL or D loves L, written on my notebook. Geek, you're a boy Danny. Boys don't do that kind of thing"

"What the hell else am I supposed to do in staff meetings Linds?"

"Write notes? Listen? Take in what Mac's actually saying, instead of depending on me?"

"Yeah, well, at least I know my own name"

"That was cheap Messer, real cheap"

"Well, I do what I can, I do what I can"

"Next time we're at a scene, and you don't know what to do, I'm not telling you"

"Fine,"

"And next time Mac-"

She was cut off from his kiss.

"Danny-"

"Montana, you talk too much"

He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. She smiled inwardly.

_She'd never felt more home._


	40. “This lab bullies me”

He shoved all the papers from the desk onto the floor

"Fine, you want sex, we can have sex"

She threw her hands up in annoyance

"Danny, I didn't mean here"

"Yeah well, I'm not having you think I can't satisfy you!"

"Danny, that's not what I was saying!"

"What the hell are you saying then?!"

"That sometimes, maybe, well,-"

"Come on, spit it out-"

"Danny, I hope you're doing a reconstruction here, and you're planning on picking all that paper up, because otherwise I do not wanna know what else you and '_Montana' _here had in mind"

"Oh, Mac, erm, yeah I was just showing Lindsay what err- what – what my Vic did to the err-"

"Danny, next time you get an urge to ravish Lindsay, do it in your own time. We have glass walls remember, and not when you're on the clock in my lab"

"Yeah, sure Mac, sorry"

"And Lindsay,"

She grimaced; she thought she'd gotten out of having to deal with embarrassment

"Yeah Mac-"

"Next time you're trying to tell Danny things about you're private life, at least shut the office door."

"Yeah, I'll –er – I'll remember that Mac"

They watched Mac leave and shut the door behind him.

He smiled as he could hear them explode at each other in the office, sure they both had fiery tempers, but Mac couldn't picture either one of them without each other.

They had been trying to keep their voices down, but really, over time, it was getting harder, and they were both now, in fully formed shouting mode.

"See, look, if you could have waited to tell me that until we got home, we could have actually done it-"

"Yeah, but Danny, you've been pestering me all day!"

"Yeah, well I hadn't expected you to say that!"

"Why are we still shouting?!" she yelled at him

"I'm still not sure"

He stepped over towards her and took her face in his hands and leaned in for a kiss. Minutes later, they separated, and she smiled at him

"So, what was it that we were talking about?"

"I think it was where we're going out for lunch"

"No, I don't think that was it..."

"I'm sure it was Lindsay"

"No, it was –"

"Guys, are you two arguing?"

They were once again interrupted, he rolled his eyes

"Mac sending in the big guns this time?"

Flack and Angell looked at each other

"No, but Australia's trying to sleep you know Dan, keep it down a little"

"Go to hell Flack. Me and Montana here are going out for lunch"

"Hey, Jess, you know what that means, broom closets off limits for 20"

"Hey, 30 at least, play fair Flack. And anyway, it's fine, you can have it, and we'll take Mac's desk"

Both Lindsay and Jessica Angell looked at their partners with disgust…

"Hey, Danny, you know what, I just remembered I promised Jess I'd have lunch. Sorry, rain check cowboy"

Lindsay, kissed him on the cheek, and then took off after Angell down the hall, laughing, leaving Danny and Flack dumbstruck.

"Man, you do know your game will be revealed to Lindsay now."

"Danno, she already knows my game-"

"Get outta here before I kick your ass Flack"

He nodded as Flack left his and Lindsay's office, and he lent back in his chair. _Great, _He had no lunch buddy, and an hour to burn. He got up, grabbed his coat, and headed to Ray's for some pizza. He knew he had a case report that he'd been putting off for the longest time, and he figured this time would be great to get it done, whilst waiting for his prints and DNA to come back…

Taking one step outside into the fully fledged snow storm, Danny decided against venturing the 6 blocks to Rays, instead he headed for the vending machine and got the Danny special. Cheetos and Reeses peanut butter cups. He remembered when they decided to go healthy last month, and took them out of the vending machine. He had protested in the break room until Stella and Flack came in and threw the snacks at him, and told him to get his ass up off the floor, stop acting like a baby and actually get some work done.

He headed back to his office, and smiled as he rummaged through Lindsay's draw for her IPod.

He put it on shuffle, and skipped through the play list rolling his eyes at the country-ness and girlyness of the whole thing.

He stopped on the song from P.S. I love you, shuddering, he was still broke from buying her dress, broke from that whole damn idea. He had, had to buy Stella lunch that day and man alive, that woman didn't have cheap taste. Quickly he changed the song, and hoped Lindsay wouldn't want it on DVD. It was true. Chick flicks gave him ideas; and bad ideas at that.

He left it on U2 for a while, until it reminded him of Ross and Rachel from friends, then he changed it again.

He skipped through Westlife, Lifehouse and Spice Girls.

Sure, he understood Westlife; it must have been a girl thing.

And Lifehouse, sure, he himself loved a bit of Lifehouse. Sometimes.

But spice girls? No. he didn't get that, he made a mental note to delete it off her IPod.

Kylie Minogue. Sure, for an old woman, she was hot. He left it on, humming along to the tune, he pulled the case report up on the screen and he started singing along whilst he was typing.

"_The way you walk; the rhythm when you're dancing;_

_Every inch of you spells out desire,_

_You're such a rush, a rush that's never ending,"_

She could help but laugh at Danny singing along to her IPod whilst doing his case report, spinning on his office chair along to the tune...

She called out his name 3 times, but he had the volume up so damn loud, there was no way he'd hear her. She moved over and took the earplug out of his ear and smiled

"Karaoke queen, Mac wants us in his office"

"I – I –"

"I don't care. You can sing to Kylie any day of the week if you want Danny."

He knew there was a reason he didn't like IPod's.

"Linds- please"

"I wont tell Flack Danny, don't worry"

"Thanks baby – So, Mac wants us"

"Yeah, he said somethin' about damages to his lab"

He stood up and stretched, "damages?"

"Yeah, he's charging us for that window you broke while you were trying to beat Kylie to that C note"

"Funny Linds, real funny"

"Me and Angell thought so"

"Yeah, I bet you did- wait Angell knows"

They heard the sounds of laughter then what sounded to be like Flack crying.

"And, judging by the sounds of that, Flack knows now."

"Yeah, thanks Montana, I gathered that- So, Mac wants us?"

"No. He just told me he'd give me $5 to stop you from singing without kissing you. You're giving him a headache."

"This lab bullies me"

"Whatever Messer"

"Careful Linds, don't sign your name wrong"

"Danny, that's not even funny. If you're gonna tease me about it, at least make sure it's relevant to the freakin' conversation"

"See, bully"

"No more Cheetos and peanut butter cups for you cowboy"

He stared at her, how she could have possibly known that was beyond him. She wasn't even here, in the building when he'd had them. He blinked to see her rubbing the sides of her mouth, indicating he had something round his mouth.

"How'd you- never mind"

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as she walked out of the room. He smiled to himself. _God help their kids…_

**A/N: the song in italics, is Kylie - Wow (the actual song title btw!)**

**And, because theres alot of references to other stuff in this chap, i'm just reiterating the fact that its all not mine.** **_Shocker!_**


	41. He aint the leaving kind

"Look Linds, just don't listen to them; remember what they were like when you first got together. You and Danny are so over Rikki it's untrue, there's nothing going on there, and the techs have nothing better to do with their time."

He smiled at her whilst he handed her a glass of wine, returning his smile, she took the glass and took a sip.

"I know Don, I know, I just can't help thinking there's something I can't give him. I mean I'm not blonde. I'm not tanned, I'm not perfect-"

"Linds, neither is he- he loves you the way you are. He loves his Montana. To him, you're perfect. Surely you of all people should know that"

"I know, but I just always can't help but think that he's just gonna decide he's bored, that he doesn't want the commitment. That he doesn't want me"

"Linds, how long have you been together?"

"Um, nearing four years I think"

"Messer used to get bored within 4 days Linds, it should have been a big sign him getting to the week mark"

"What about Cindy-"

"What about her?"

"He was with her for a few months wasn't he?"

Flack nearly spit his beer out that he's just taken a sip of

"He told you that?"

"No, I just always presumed that-"

"Linds, take a guess at how long they were together for"

"A month?"

"Try a week and a half"

"Seriously?"

"Hell yeah – he couldn't stand her. And he was hung up over someone else"

Lindsay's heart sunk,"oh, really?"

Noticing her pained look, Flack smiled

"Yeah, he seriously loved her. He fell really quickly. Head over heels and everything—"

She could feel the tears in her eyes. She didn't want to know.

"Flack, please don't- I don't wanna know."

"Linds, I'm talkin' about you."

"You are? How'd you mean?"

"It's you he dumped Cindy for. Well, not as such. But he wanted to clean himself up; he didn't want you to run a thousand miles once he was sure you were into him, he said he knew after you held his hand at that doll house thing-"

"He talked to you about this?"

"Yeah, he was in a similar state to you, like the one you're in now."

"What? frantic, insecure?"

"Yeah, somethin' like that"

"But Flack, what if he leaves me?"

"Seriously Linds, what's brought this on?

"I don't know. I'm just feeling a little 'ugh' at the minute"

"He ain't the leavin' kind…He'd never walk away Linds"

"Flack, you do know you're quoting Rascall flats to a country girl?"

"Crap, it usually works with Stell- Jess, I mean Jess. It usually works with Jess"

Flack dragged his hand down his face.

"You're still hung up over Stell aren't you?"

"No, no, nothing happened. Nothing was going to happen. I should have known, anyways, I'm really happy with Angell, just a slip of the tongue; you know how it is Monroe. You – you won't say anything will you Linds?"

"Does it look like I'm in a state to say anything? Seriously Don?"

"No, I guess not. I still don't understand why you were crying"

"No, I don't either actually"

"Hey, shouldn't Danny be–"

Flack was broken off by Danny bursting in through the apartment door.

"Lucy I'm home- Flack, what the hell are you doing here?"

Lindsay chuckled at Danny's accent. What a day to start a new little saying. The one time Flack was round, surely he'd be teased for life now, if not just for the lame accent he'd put on with it.…

"Was just talkin' to Linds, thought we could all go out for a drink or somethin' but I have a better idea"

"You do?"

"Yeah, you can go out, and come back in sayin' _"Lucy I'm home"_ over and over again. That would sure as hell make my week. Actually strike that, it'd just make my year."

"I'm getting changed. You're an ass sometimes Flack, you know that?"

Lindsay looked over at Flack, who was now biting his hand to stop his laughter. She knew she had to go and talk to Danny

"I'll be right back. Turn the TV on if-"

She was interrupted by the sounds of ESPN.

"Never mind"

She chuckled and headed into the bedroom, and saw Danny sat on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands

"Danny, what's the matter?"

"I heard what they said to you Linds"

"What?" She tried playing it cool but her voice really, really gave it away…

"Linds,-"he looked at her whilst he spoke with a warning tone "that's why Flack's here isn't it"

"Yeah, kinda"

"Why didn't you come and find me?"

"Oh yeah, sure…" she put on a whiny voice and sat next to Danny. "Danny, all the lab techs are making me cry, saying you're gonna leave me, go make them stop Danny"

"Montana, I didn't mean that"

"I know. I know we're over Rikki, it just gets me how first off they all know, and second; they think they have the right to say anything. We don't sit in the break room making out, being obvious about us. So why do they have to get involved."

"Linds, what they think doesn't matter. You know whatever they say isn't true. I know what they say isn't true. The people that matter to us knows that it isn't true. So why do you care so much baby?"

"Because Danny, I just do. I'm a girl; girls care what other girls think"

"Linds, who's wearing the ring I saved my pay checks to pay for?"

"Me"

"And who am I marrying in a week and a half"

"Me" she sniffed through her tears

"And who do I love more than life itself?"

"Me"

"Right then; stop this insecure thing you have going on. I love you Linds, I'm not leaving you."

"I'm sorry Danny."

She smiled as she wiped her tears away

"I don't know what's gotten into me recently."

"No, neither do I – you still wanting to go out baby, I can tell flack to-"

"No, its fine, I'll go re-apply my make-up"

"Take a shower; it'll make you feel better honey."

"Yeah, okay I won't be long"

Danny nodded as she walked into the bathroom and he sat on the couch next to Flack, rubbing his eyes

"I don't know what's gotten into her today Flack. She went crazy. Normally she's fine with the stupid lab techs."

"Maybe she's just hormonal this week"

"Trust me Flack. She isn't."

"Dude, too much information- seriously though, she did go a little whacked for a minute there. You don't think she's-"

"Nah, she can't be"

"Sure?"

"Positive, we're careful Flack."

"So long as you're sure."

"I told you, I'm positive."

"What are you positive about cowboy?"

Danny turned round to see her smiling in her short green dress, jeans and heels.

"That I want to go out tonight, you look beautiful sweetie." He smiled as he walked over to her. "You didn't take long, you ready to go?"

"Sure am"

Danny watched her as she walked towards the door to grab her coat, full of confidence, and being her total self again, he turned to look at Flack, who was already looking at him, words not even needed. They shook their heads at each other.

_Women_


	42. Wedding Invites

**A/N: The muse decided he wanted to write New Years Eve before he tackled christmas... Hence why i've not updated for what seems like forever:) but, it's all good now :) **

"Okay, well we'll see you a week next Thursday Mrs Messer. Oh, sorry, Lydia. Yeah. We are really sorry about that. Okay, I'll let Danny know, yeah, you too – bye"

Lindsay clicked the 'end call' button on her phone, and ticked off the next person on her list. Danny's aunt that lived in Washington was on the next flight down to help with the preparations.

She glanced over at the clock and smiled. Her mom would be up. She speed dialled her old house number and listened for her to answer.

"_Hey, it's Emily and Jack. We're busy at the moment, but if you leave your name and number, we'll get back to you."_

_Voicemail? – _Who on earth could her parents be on the phone to?

She hung up the phone and headed to the break room where Danny was sat waiting for their coffee.

She walked into the break room, and smiled at him waving at her,

_He's on the phone too?_

"Yeah, gotta go bye-"

He slammed his phone shut

"Who was that honey?" smiling, she picked up the coffee cup he had edged towards her.

"No-one important"

"Why's it I don't believe you?"

"Because you're paranoid – it was just my – er, dentist, rescheduling my appointment, for next week"

"Danny, you are actually the world's worst liar, come on, knock it off, who were you on the phone with?"

"No-one Linds, it was no-one. Leave it."

She threw her arms up and surrendered. "Fine!" she turned on her heel and stalked back to her office.

He grimaced. He hated lying to her, and he hated it even more when she knew full well he was lying. But, it had to be done

He picked his phone up and redialled.

"Hello, Emily? Yeah, sorry she came into the break room. So, next week, you think you can arrange it? Crap, she's coming again. I'll talk to you later"

He slammed his phone shut. Again. And smiled at her, he figured he'd try and sweet talk her. "Hey baby, back again?"

"Don't you 'hey baby' me, what did my Mom want?"

"What- what you talking about Montana?"

"It's you. You're the one that's one the phone to her. That's why I can't get through and tell her about the wedding."

"Yeah, I was just on the phone to her. She said that they can't get any flights out before the wedding. They can get here the day after but that's the best the airline can do baby"

Lindsay sat down on the break room chair, and blinked back some tears

"So, my family won't be at my wedding?"

"I'm sorry baby. But it looks that way"

She got up and walked away from him without saying a word, and by the time she'd gotten to the office he was already in the doorway…

"How'd you- how'd you get here before me?"

"Shortcut; Me and Flack found it last week"

"Danny. How old are you two? You two act like 6 year olds."

"Listen Linds, I know you really wanted them here, but it's gonna be fine. Trust me, they'll-"

"Danny, what are you talking about? It won't be okay. My family isn't going to be there. Not one of them. Yours from Washington can manage to get here. Mine, oh no, they can't be-"

"Linds, come on, that's not fair, and it's not their fault. Plus, it's like 2 days after New Years Eve. Flights around then are pre-booked for months… I know you don't mean it Linds"

"I know I don't Danny. Can we drop it? I don't wanna talk about it."

"Sure I'll be in the break room."

"Yeah, fine. I'm gonna go over some trace."

"Can you meet me for lunch?"

"Um- yeah, sure Danny, what time?"

"I get off at 1.30"

"I'll be here for 1.25"

He smiled and watched her slowly walk away. It killed him lying to her, but she'd love it. Sure, she'd kill him first, but after, she'd love it.


	43. What've you done now Danny?

**A/N: Okay. you will not believe how much trouble I had with this chap. **

**It was actually not funny. I hated it, but now, after days of tweaking. I got a rush of ideas today.. and well, here we go :) **

**Danny's note is in italics. just in case it gets confusing. So's some of his' speech aswell :) **

**Disclaimer : Anything you already know aint mine. **

* * *

"Linds, come on, I've told you the Christmas tree looks beautiful. You did a great job"

"Danny, I'm not stupid. You know you have to say that."

"No, seriously, I'd push it as far as it looking better than my Mom's"

"Now I know you're lying to me Messer"

"I'm not. Come on, we still have a little bit of Christmas shopping to do baby"

"I thought you said you'd gotten all your presents?"

Danny smiled. "I have, I just gotta make sure there's nothing else I can buy you in Macy's"

"Danny, you better not have spent a fortune on me."

"Trust me baby – I haven't, all my presents mean something, don't get me wrong, but they've nowhere near broken me as much as that ring did. But, you'll love it, so that's all that matters"

Danny glanced under the tree where he could see her present safely hidden for Christmas, the day after tomorrow. It'd been a bitch trying to get it all together, and so that she had no idea. He still owed Flack a beer for the day he'd taken her shopping for her to buy his present, so that he could have the day to sort everything out, and well, so that she knew what to get him. Flack had been informed of exactly where to find the shirt Danny wanted, the new jacket, and matching scarves he'd spotted for both him and Lindsay. It was up to Flack to drop the hints Lindsay would need. But, Danny knowing Lindsay, she probably would have picked the stuff out before Flack had even had chance to drop any hints.

"What you thinking about Danny?"

"Your present, and how much you're gonna love it"

"I hate it when you do that"

"Do what?"

"Tease me, get me thinking you're gonna tell me what you got me, and know full well, that you're not gonna"

"How do you know I'm not about to tell you?"

"Well, are you?"

"No, but that's beyond the point"

"I'm going for a shower baby- you wanna get breakfast going?"

"How's about we skip breakfast Linds, and we spend extra time in the shower?"

"Sounds like a plan Mr Messer"

* * *

She smiled as he wrapped his arm around her as they walked down the busy street leading up to Macy's.

"So baby, how many presents can I expect from you this year?"

"Danny, Santa brings you your presents. I don't know what he's getting you"

"Ha-ha. Funny Montana, seriously, what you got me?"

"Danny, I'm not telling you. You wouldn't tell me, so I won't tell you. Come on, there's a sweater I want in here that you can buy me-"

* * *

They were cuddled up on the floor resting against the couch listening to the ending credits of Miracle on 34th street.

"Have I told you how much I hate that damn movie?"

"Danny, it's a classic! How can you hate it?!"

"Classic my ass. What's the matter with watching a little black hawk down, or I dunno anything other than sappy crap"

"You love sappy crap"

"I know, but sometimes I gotta pretend I like the macho stuff don't I?"

He pulled her close and began tickling her, and stopped when she couldn't breathe from giggling.

"Hey, you still wanting to know what I got you baby."

"Yeah, it is Christmas Eve, so I mean technically, you can give it to me? I mean back at home, we always open a present on Christmas Eve."

"Well, we can't go breaking traditions Montana now, can we?"

"Definitely not"

"It's under the tree- see if you can find it"

He watched her scurry on her knees over to the tree in search of her present. She dived under and moved the presents around, after what seemed like 5 minutes she backed up from under the tree and smiled in his direction

"Is it this?"

"Sure is – open it-"

She unwrapped the first layer of wrapping paper.

"You haven't"

"It's wrapped 6 times. I had to make it look bigger"

"Danny, I swear, sometimes I could kick your ass"

She carried on ripping the wrapping paper until she got to the 5th layer where a folded up piece of paper fell on her lap and it she was presented with a cassette

"Can't you count Danny? That was only 5 layers. A cassette? Erm, you shouldn't have?"

"Read the note babe" he was sat smugly. She glanced it him and looked down at the note, slowly unfolding it

_Linds,_

_I knew you wouldn't last until Christmas. Ha – don't look at me like that. _

"Jeez Danny, you think you know me so well"

_See, I know you so well. _

"Alright, No need to get smug now Danny"

_Alright, I'm done bragging and being all smug now. Although it's nice being right for once ya know! _

_Okay, so Christmas present. Do you know how hard it is planning something for you? You're such a busybody baby. So, this tape is a result of an afternoon of me brainstorming and you shopping with Flack. _

_I wrote down the songs for ya, and told you why I recorded them. _

_Happy Christmas baby. _

_Love always _

_D._

_xxx_

She scurried over to the CD and cassette player and slowly put the cassette in the player and pressed play.

She was met by the sounds of soft strumming of a guitar and the sounds of Danny's voice

"_Hey baby – happy Christmas – I love you. Now, go get the note. You're gonna need it-"_

She looked at Danny "what have you done Danny?"

"You'll see"

She rolled her eyes and picked the note up off the coffee table, and sat on Danny's lap, who was still sat on the floor. His voice came back on the stereo.

"_Right Linds, Turn the note over, you'll see I've recorded the songs I have, and why I have… Hope you like it"_

He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck.

"_Oh, and Linds – try not to cry on me too much"_

She punched him in the shoulder

"I do not cry Danny"

"You will"

She paused the cassette and she read down the list of the songs he'd recorded onto the tape for her

_She's everything - Brad Paisley – its scary how much this song reminds me of you baby – you sure Brad aint one of your exes. Kidding, jeez. dont punch me Linds - wait it's probably too late _

She looked up from the note.

"Just carry on, never mind punching me-"

She simply shook her head and carried on

_Somebody like You - Keith Urban– Just cause I wanna love somebody like you Linds. _

_A Thousand Miles - Vanessa Carlton – do you know how freakin hard it was to find this? _

_Everything – Lifehouse – cause you're everything to me Linds_

_Forever and for Always - Shania Twain – just cause I needed some country crap on here. _

_Hanging by a Moment – Lifehouse – Just cause I love this song. _

_I Call It Love - Lionel Ritchie – cause I call this love. _

_First Time – Cause you set it as my ringtone. Flack took the piss for a week Linds. But, secretly, I kinda love this song anyway._

_I Need You - LeAnn Rimes – because I do. I need you Linds _

_I Want to Know What Love Is – Foreigner – well; I did, until you showed me._

_I'll be - Edwin McCain – cause Cinderella story was actually kinda good._

_Iris - Goo Goo Dolls – cause we loved city of angels._

_What's Left of Me - Nick Lachey – actually, I have no idea. But you think he's hot anyway. So I'm sure you won't mind. _

"I do not think he's hot"

"Just keep reading Lindsay"

_Concrete Angel – Martina McBride – I felt like I needed to add it on here. It means a lot to you, this song. And you mean a lot to me. _

_Home – Daughtry – cause I'm home when I'm with you. _

_Jenny Don't Be Hasty – Paulo Nutini- pool table and tequila anyone? That was some hot sex Linds…_

_Amazed – Lonestar – cause baby, I'm amazed by you._

_Wow – Kylie, - the way you walk, the rhythm when you're dancing, every inch of you spells out desire. Yeah. I am good at karaoke. I don't care what you and Flack say. _

_No, you hang up – Shayne Ward – If we didn't live together. I'm sure we'd argue over who hung up first. _

_With You – Jessica Simpson – I do believe this was your attempt at Karaoke Miss Monroe. _

_Ever, Ever after – Carrie Underwood – cause we're gonna live happily ever after. Geek, yeah I know. But I'm your geek Linds _

_One in a Million – Miley Cyrus – Yeah, okay, I'm a big CSI geek that watches Chick flicks and the Disney channel. But hell, I like this song. _

_Breathless – Shayne ward – Because you leave me breathless baby _

_Like I am- Rascall Flats – Because you love me like I am_

_He aint the leaving kind – again, Rascall flats – cause I'm not the leaving kind Linds _

_When You Say Nothing at All - Ronan Keating – I'd say it goes without saying baby. _

"Do you know how long it took me to write that Linds?"

She looked up with tear filled eyes "Danny, you – this is so – you're amazing, how did you get all the songs together? You buy all the singles?"

"Yeah, erm something like that. Play the tape baby"

She walked over to the cassette player and pressed play and went to sit back down on Danny's lap, who had now moved to the couch. Cuddling up to him, she rested her head against his chest.

He smiled as the intro to _She's everything_ came on

"Did you find an acoustic version Danny-?"

"Wait for it-"

She listened carefully; she could only hear the guitar. Until, a few seconds in, when she finally heard something

"That's you – you're singing"

"Sure am"

"Have you- did you- you –"

"Whole tape's me singing baby"

"Danny. That, that's amazing, you- this is -"

She wrapped her arms around his neck, and they slowly sunk down on the couch, so that they were lying down together, the tape becoming forgotten.

Breaking away from her kisses, Danny smiled

"So, you like it-"

"Best. Christmas. Present. Ever. Now, shut up and kiss me"


	44. New Years Eve pt1

Normally, Danny hated New Years Eve, for as long as he could remember. He could never, ever see the point. It was totally overrated, and a big fat waste of money…

_Until he met Lindsay Monroe_

And now, he was stood outside their apartment building in front of the Limo, waiting for her. She had said she'd be down in 5 minutes, 15 minutes ago. His patience was slowly leaving him. But for Lindsay he'd wait until the end of time.

He smoothed out like $350 dollar suit she had persuaded him to buy. And he picked up the baby pink tie, off his shirt and examined it.

"I have it bad"

"You sure do, wearing a tie like that Messer"

Danny turned round and smiled

"Happy New Year's eve Jeff"

"Don't start with that crap Messer, not everyone's off to an exclusive party like you. Jackass..."

"Somebody wake up on the wrong side of the bed today Jeff?"

"No, just saying. Not everyone has-"

Jeff saw Lindsay step off the elevator before she came into the sight of Danny. Jeff had tears in his eyes; he had known Lindsay from the minute she had moved into the apartment building, 4 and a half years ago. He'd watched her turn from a little naïve country girl, to a full blown New-Yorker.

When Danny caught sight of her, he thought his legs were going to give way. She looked amazing. Her hair flicking out, just like she'd done it on her first day at work, a yellowish halter-neck dress, that fitted her curves perfectly, and yet, it was loose on her. He cleared his throat and winked at her.

"Well Hello Miss Monroe"

"Don't get smart Danny"

"You sure as hell took your time"

"Yeah, well I wanted a reaction"

"Believe me Linds, you got one. You got a reaction baby-"

She shook her head and smiled at him. She hugged Jeff, and then swatted Danny into the limo.

He cracked open the champagne and Lindsay smiled

"Starting a little early aren't we Danny?"

"You only live once Linds"

She took her champagne and began sipping it. She glanced over at Danny who had his pinkie in the air.

"Danny, you need to go to a giant's game or somethin'"

"Why, what do you mean?"

"Your pinkie; look at it. It's in the air. Where's my Danny Messer gone?"

"He's right here Lindsay," he winked at her and took her champagne off her, placing it on the side, and he rolled the screen up blocking them off from the driver. "So, I'd say we have 15 minutes from now, until we get to that Mayor's ball"

"And what do you suggest we do until then Danny?"

"Oh, I got some ideas cowgirl. I got some ideas"

She giggled as he gave her his hand to help her out of the limo.

"Oh, so now you're gonna act like a gentleman Messer?"

"Linds, we're in public, in a sophisticated area. Sshh. Imagine the looks we'd get if they knew what we'd just done in there."

"Don't push it Danny."

He smiled and took her hand, leading her into the hotel-esque setting. He glanced down at Lindsay, who was beaming at the décor and how pretty the whole thing was. He made a mental note for him to remember to have a word with the organiser later on.

He led her to the bar, and smiled as she pulled out her purse.

"Lindsay, surely by now, you know I pay for our stuff"

She rolled her eyes.

"Danny, I am capable of paying for drinks you know"

The barman coughed to get their attention, "you do know it's a free bar"

Danny grinned, damn had he been missing out on these Mayor's shin-digs

"I'll have two of everything thanks. What about you Montana?"

She hit him on his arm, and ordered their drinks for them.

"One beer Lindsay, one? Lindsay, seriously, what the hell do you not understand what a 'free bar' means. It means the drinks are free."

"Danny, for the love of god; pace yourself, we don't want another episode like last time we went out with Flack, You singing karaoke with him."

He laughed. "Come on Montana, forget your drink, I wanna dance."

"You, dance? seriously?"

"Linds, come on, you know I dance."

"Actually, in all fairness, you're pretty hot when you dance"

"I'm hot when I breathe"

She hit him on the arm. "Careful Messer, your head won't get out of this place."

He pulled her into a kiss, in the middle of the dance floor, amongst other couples.

He pulled away, and brought her in, placing one hand at the small of her back, and the other on her hand she was holding out towards him. She then took it, placed it with the other hand, and wrapped her own arms around his neck.

Noticing his amused look she smiled "Sorry, I've just always wanted to do that, hey, you know what, I'll be right back, don't go anywhere"

She turned and walked away from him,

He smiled, mumbling to himself "I aint going anywhere".

He stood in the exact place she'd left him for about 5 minutes, until he could see her pushing her way through the crowd of people, making his way over to her, he held his hand out, and pulled her through the crowd into a hug.

"Where'd you go?"

"Business"

"Excuse me, what now?"

She snuggled into Danny's chest "you'll see"

* * *

**A/N: Busy weekend, then back to school.:(:( So here's an update to tide you over :) **

**"Boo" this weekend... eeeeeeeeeee:) **


	45. New Years Eve pt2

Danny looked around the dance floor, whilst Lindsay was snuggled into his chest as they were moving to the slow sounds of the music.

He hadn't realised the amount of looks she was getting; from guys looking too interested. He glanced over at one guy, who was, whilst holding onto what Danny could only say was his girlfriend, clearly checking Lindsay out.

He grinned at the guy looking at Lindsay, antagonizing him. He kissed Lindsay's hair, and glanced back up to see the guy flipping him a V whilst holding onto his girlfriend…

"Son of a bitch"

Lindsay pulled away quickly. "What Danny, what? What's the matter?"

He pulled her into him, and pointed towards where he wanted her to look.

"You see that guy"

"Yeah-"

"He's checking you out"

"He is?"

"Don't sound too excited Linds, jeez-"

Her kiss cut him off. His mind soon forgot about the insecurities of the guy looking at Lindsay. She soon pulled away, giggling.

"Hey-hey, what you stop that for?"

"You'll miss my surprise otherwise."

"Surprise?"

He looked towards the orchestra band where Lindsay was looking and he watched her nod at them. He saw one guy bend down, and the other grab a microphone

"Now, if I could have your attention Ladies and gentleman, we had a special dedication request for a certain Danny Messer."

Danny looked at Lindsay in shock, what had she done?

He heard someone turn a CD player on, and he heard the sounds on Kylie Minogue bouncing off the walls in the ballroom type setting.

"_The way you walk, the rhythm when you're dancing,_

_Every inch of you spells out desire._

_You're such a rush, the rush that's never ending"_

He could feel himself turning red, he turned to look and Lindsay, who was now in fits of laughter.

The music was turned down, and the guy with the microphone started again "oops, sorry for that technical error. Now, for you're real dedication song Mr Messer, Montana says she loves you."

Danny looked down at her, seeing that she was beaming; he pulled her into her, and kissed her forehead.

He looked back up to the man with the microphone standing in front of the orchestra and Danny heard the guitar.

"Linds, is this?"

"Yeah, they had to rustle up the music. But they said they didn't mind."

He pulled her into him, wrapping her arms round his neck, dancing in time to the music; he could hear Lindsay singing into his chest

"_But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd"_

Danny lifted her chin up with his finger and kissed her.

"You know cowgirl, you ought to be careful next time you plan a surprise. I nearly killed you when Kylie came on. Let me guess, Flack put you up to it?"

"Would you kill me if I said yeah?"

"Hmm, I dunno. No, I don't think so… I kinda like you. I might miss you if you weren't around."

"Aw, that's good, because I kinda like you too..."

They danced along with the music till the end of the song, and applauded with everyone else. After a few minutes they heard the guy with the microphone announce the countdown to midnight.

"Okay guys and girls, 5 minutes to midnight. Collect your champagne from our waiters"

Danny smiled, and tapped the closest waiter on the shoulder, taking two glasses, he handed one to Lindsay…

He positioned her so that she could see the fireworks going off in Times Square below them. It had been the first time he'd actually taken in the view.

"Beats a wheat field huh Montana?"

"I'm beginning to agree with you. Obviously I've had too much alcohol Messer"

"Don't be silly Linds; you've only had like half a glass of champers."

"Danny-"

"Yeah?"

"Don't ever say 'champers' again"

"Consider it done"

He pulled her in close, getting ready for the countdown. As the guy with the microphone started the countdown, Danny and Lindsay took turns in counting down the seconds,

"Three"

"Two-"

"One"

He lightly kissed her, bringing her into him. He could feel her smiling against his lips. He deepened the kiss; until she broke away.

"Happy new year Danny"

"Happy new year Lindsay"

She was leaning in for another kiss until they were interrupted by the sounds of a gunshot.


	46. New Years Eve pt3

Danny picked Lindsay up in a swift motion, put her on the floor, and covered her with his own body.

"Messer, what the hell are you doing? We have a shooter and somebody possibly injured and you're protecting me? Get the hell off me and get your badge out"

She rolled out from underneath him, and pulled her badge out from the strap she had attached to her leg with her badge and gun

"You okay, you're not hurt are you?"

"Danny, the only freakin' reason I would be hurt, would be because you had thrown me on the floor, now come on..."

He held his badge up, and headed towards the area where the commotion was coming from.

Danny whipped off his $350 jacket and gave it to Lindsay, telling her to put it on; he then rolled his sleeves up started attending to the bleeder on the floor. It was the guy that had been checking Lindsay out earlier. Danny shook the thoughts of the night from his head – no distractions.

He called out to Lindsay telling her to call it in. and he turned his attention back to the guy.

"Hey Buddy, what's your name?"

"Dave-"

"Dave, Dave what?"

"Dave Butler"

Dave began coughing.

"Hey, hey buddy, come on, relax. Don't panic, you're gonna be okay. Just relax. Stay with me yeah?"

Danny could hear Lindsay clearing everyone away from Danny and Dave. It amazed him how well they worked together as partners. There was no need for words sometimes. They knew what the other was thinking, and they did it. Danny had known that she couldn't deal with blood.

_No_, he told himself. _She could deal with blood_. He just preferred her not to; he knew she sometimes found it difficult. She was better in calming people down anyway.

He kept trying to make conversation with Dave Butler but was failing miserably. He was slowly losing consciousness_. EMS had to be here soon_

"Come on Dave. Stick with it, come on, how old are you Dave?"

"35"

"Who was that chick you were with earlier Dave, you looked cosy"

"My fiancé, I proposed last week. Would – would you tell her I love her, just- just in – in case"

Danny felt his heart break. He whipped round to Lindsay who had everyone at the party on the other side of the room, trying her best to prevent them from contaminating the evidence.

Danny heard the Emergency services coming into the lobby, and he moved so that they could get Dave off to the hospital.

He headed over to Lindsay and took her to one side.

"Which one is Dave's fiancé?"

"The hysterical one, over there, I can't look her in the face Danny, she's so upset..."

He looked over to where she was pointing and he felt like crying himself, she obviously had Dave's jacket on, and she was holding onto it as if it was her lifeline.

He slowly walked over and crouched down

"I'm Detective Messer, from the crime lab. The emergency service guys are working on Dave. Were you hit?"

"Lauren, my name's Lauren. And no; I wasn't hit"

"I'm gonna need a statement from you later Lauren, but if you head over there, with my partner Detective Monroe, she'll make sure that you get a ride to the hospital"

Danny stood up, and turned, and she tugged on his pants leg.

"Did – did Dave say anything about- about me?"

_This was the part of the job he hated_

"Mr. Butler told me to tell you that he loved you, a lot. - Come on, I'll take you to Detective Monroe"

Danny led her over to Lindsay, who had watched the whole conversation, whilst calming frantic partygoers down.

"Linds could you-"

"I'm on it Danny- Lauren? I'm Detective Lindsay Monroe, from the crime lab, we're gonna get you checked out for shock, and get you to the hospital to be with Dave, that sound okay?"

The woman simply nodded.

Lindsay guided her away, as carefully as she could, trying to preserve the evidence on Lauren's clothing.

"You're a little overdressed"

Danny turned round to an amused Flack and Mac –

"Hey guys- me and Linds were here when the shot went off. I dealt with him whilst Linds called it in. Name's Dave Butler, 35. Here with his fiancé"

Mac nodded taking in his surroundings

"You started on the statements yet?"

"No Mac, I wanted to wait until you got here, and we've only just got Lauren, Dave's fiancée off to the hospital. Lindsay was dealing with her."

"I was dealing with who?"

Danny turned and smiled at Lindsay, who now had her hair tied up in a loose ponytail

"Wow, Monroe, you clean up nice"

"Back off Flack I can quite easily kick your ass into next week"

"Whoa, I was just stating facts, anyway, you looking not so bad yourself Messer"

"Yeah, well I'm hanging out with the right people now Flack, I got invited to the mayors ball!"

Lindsay rolled her eyes at his excitement of being invited along to the party

"God, Danny, you're such a geek"

"Shut up. You weren't complaining when-"

"Not on the job children"

"Shut it Flack"

Lindsay could see the situation going down hill quick. Judging by the look on Mac's face, it was her turn to diffuse their little disagreement.

"I'm gonna go and see what I can find, you know, take some pictures. Danny, you'd better start processing"

Danny nodded and smiled at Lindsay. He hoped that it wasn't coming across in his expression, but it was breaking his heart looking at Lindsay. He wasn't sure whether he'd be able to cope without her. Tonight, speaking to both Dave and Lauren for the short amount of them that he did, reminded him that life didn't last forever, and life without Lindsay would be unbearable.

He lightly grazed her arm, and wiggled his eyebrows, asking her to follow him.

She smiled and agreed, setting the camera safely round her neck, and followed Danny. Looking up at him, she smiled

"Can I help you?"

"I just wanted to tell you that I love you. I love you with all my heart Linds, and I'm sorry that we've been arguing so much recently. But I'm gonna sort it. We'll sort it. I don't wanna waste anymore time here, without you."

Lindsay smiled and kissed Danny on the cheek and headed back into the hotel's function room.

He leaned against the wall, and took a few deep breaths, so that he could compose himself.

"Hey Mac, trust them, they would have to be the ones that brought in the New Year with a bang..."

With them still being in earshot, Danny cringed, along with Lindsay, who was already in the room.

Popping his head out from round the corner, Danny smiled

"Flack man that was bad, even for you."

**A/N: See, you were all worrying for nothing werent you :) :P**


	47. New Years Eve pt4

"What we got Montana?"

"Nothing – nada. I haven't found a weapon – no gun. Nobody left the building Danny, and if I can't find it – it means they didn't get rid of it – and that means that they still have it on their person"

"Which means our killer can kill again"

"Reassuring isn't it – Danny - I'm going to go and get some Kevlar's from outside. Before they left, they left two with security. I'll be right back."

"Baby, be careful – you don't know where the perp is. Maybe I should come with you-"

"Danny, I'm a big girl. I'll be fine, calm down"

She placed a kiss on his lips and headed off towards the lobby. Danny shook his head, desperately trying to get his frame of mind, suitable for work. But he couldn't. He had a feeling that something wasn't right. But then again, being in a lock in with your perp wasn't probably the best thing. And they had no back-up. Mac and Flack had been called to a triple homicide uptown; leaving Danny and Lindsay alone. Some great New Year this was turning out to be. It wasn't even 1 o'clock yet

He bent down looking at some trace on the floor; he examined it, and then bagged it... He stood up slowly, and let his eyes wander around the room, willing them to pick up on something. He walked over to the bar where he and Lindsay had gotten their drinks not even 2 hours ago. He was just glad they had never gotten round to drinking them. Looking at the trace on the bar, his heart dropped. He went for his kit, and got out the kit to check for GSR.

_Positive_

His mind flashed back to the guy that had served him and Lindsay. He had looked agitated, scared almost. He got out his phone and speed dialled Lindsay's number

"Come on, come on, pick up Linds-"

_Voicemail_

Crap – he knew she had her cell, and, she would definitely answer. He took off into the lobby. He had to know she was safe. He was just rounding the doors leading to the lobby when he heard her shout

"NYPD put the gun down. Sir, put the gun down."

Danny drew out the gun he had attached to his ankle and he rounded the corner, seeing Lindsay with her gun drawn and pointing it at the perp, who was resting his gun on the side of the security guy's temple. Danny moved quietly towards them, out of view from the perp, so that he didn't freak out, and shoot, but in view, so that Lindsay knew she had him there.

"Sir, put your gun down"

"Afraid I can't officer"

"Sir, we already have one person fighting for their life. Please don't make it two"

Danny began walking towards Lindsay. He was torn. Good cop or good fiancé? It took him all of 3 seconds to decide. Lindsay obviously hadn't made it to pick up their Kevlar's from outside. She wasn't protected, and after seeing Dave, the Vic and Lauren, how their lives had changed in an instant, how they had fallen apart in a matter of seconds. He wasn't about to lose Lindsay. Lindsay began to address the perp again, "I'll repeat myself sir, lower your gun"

Danny didn't like the smile that was slowly creeping across the guy's face.

"Okay"

The bar man turned his gun onto Lindsay, whilst letting go of the security guard, shoving him to the ground.

Danny saw the terror in her eyes, and he saw his life flash before his eyes. She was his life. Her face looked exactly how it did when she had to go and do the undercover thing, dropping off the jewellery to Mosi Ghedi.

He figured it was about time to speak up

"NYPD, lower you're gun immediately"

"What you gonna do? Shoot me?"

Danny's heart sunk. He didn't want to have to do this; but he'd shoot the guy a million times, if it meant Lindsay wasn't in danger. He slowly started moving towards the perp.

"Look, I don't want to have to do this, I'm asking you again, lower your gun sir"

Danny took a deep breath. He'd followed procedure by the book, there was nothing more he could do; nothing more he could say; just nothing. And, even if he hadn't of followed procedure, he wouldn't have cared, as long as Lindsay was safe he'd take what was thrown at him afterwards gladly.

He saw the perp's finger move on the trigger of the gun pointed towards Lindsay. Danny lost it- he didn't want to shoot the guy, but Lindsay – his Lindsay- was not going to be in any type of danger if he could help it.

He heard the gunshot and he saw Lindsay flinch.


	48. New Years Eve pt5

_He heard the gunshot, and he saw Lindsay flinch _

He looked at his finger pressed up against the trigger. He was positive he hadn't shot. He looked up and saw Lindsay with her gun pointed towards the perp, shaking, and then, he saw the perp drop to the floor. Danny rushed over, disarmed him, and cuffed him, as Lindsay was clearly in no state to make an arrest.

"We told you we didn't want to have to do this jackass, my buddy Flack aint gonna be happy, having to chase you up in either Mercy or Trinity, wherever they decide to take your sorry ass. Good luck with that one"

He threw him at the officer that had just arrived on scene. He couldn't even hold the guy in cuffs, if he did; he'd end up beating the guy up. He didn't even care at the fact that they had been left with no back-up. All he cared about was Lindsay.

He rushed over to her, holding her terrified and shaking body

"Linds, baby. What – what happened?"

"Didn't you see? He glanced at me and then you. Then when you were fussing, taking the guard off, he pointed the gun on you, and I shot him, I wasn't risking you leaving me Danny." He pulled her into a hug while she sobbed against his chest.

"I couldn't lose you Danny, I can't lose you."

He held her tightly and brushed the hair out of her face.

"You're not going to lose me Linds"

"If I hadn't of shot him, I might have, Danny, I could have lost you. Why did you walk into view Danny? He could have shot you, he almost did. I was fine; I knew you were there, that you were my back-up and I would have shot him before he shot me anyway."

"Linds, come on, what else did you expect me to do? I'd have thrown myself in front of the bullet for you, when I saw him turn it on you, I saw red… I never saw him turn the gun on me though"

"Well I did, believe me. The single worst thing I think I've seen, well apart from-"

Her legs began shaking.

"Come on, you need to sit down. And not on the floor"

"No- no" she wiped the tears from her eyes "let's get this done Danny – the sooner we wrap this up – the sooner we can get home."

"I'm gonna call Mac, Linds, he can get cover for us. We're both too involved, I'm taking you home and making sure you're okay. I'm getting us taken off the case"

He took his phone out and speed dialled Mac's number, and she took the phone off him, and disconnected the call.

"Danny – we are finishing this case. Cast your mind back to Dave, to Lauren, they –"

He finished her sentence for her "They deserve justice"

"Exactly, we have him Danny. We just have to get the evidence to prove he shot Dave Butler. Bag that gun Danny, let's get back to the lab and nail this guy"

Danny nodded; she was right. She always was right. "I'll go and grab my kit and our coats Linds, and we can go"

She nodded and began to walk away, to process the little evidence they had, that they needed, but Danny grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her back, and close, so that his forehead was resting against hers. Placing light kisses on her lips, he smiled at her

"You always have my back don't you Linds?"

"Always – you're my everything, Danny. Without you, I have nothing, I gotta save you. Go on, go get your kit"

He let go of her and he turned; only this time, she pulled him back

"I love you Danny"

He smiled at her

"Stop goofing off, we got work to do"

She chuckled at the use of his saying, turning back to her work.

"Linds-"

She smiled and turned "Yeah?"

"I love you two"

"Now who'd goofing off? Get-"

"I'm gone Linds-"

He let out a sigh of relief. The feeling he had was now gone. He knew she was safe… Thing was, she had saved him. She always had his back, just like he had hers. He glanced down, and picked his kit up from the ballroom and looked around.

_Now, where the hell were their coats?_


	49. Chris In New York

**A/N: Okay, apparently i didnt save my authors note for last chap.. So.. kcatlin gets big hugs this chap instead for all her help. without her, i wouldnt have half this fic! So cookies and hugs all round: **

**And yes. The wedding is coming.**

* * *

"No, come on Danny, just leave the damn door. If it's something that important they have our numbers they-"

She was interrupted by banging on the door

"Linds, that sounds pretty important if you ask me"

""But Danny-"

"Linds, I gotta, I'll be right back-"

She sighed and let him get out of bed, reaching for his sweater and stepping over his $350 suit that had made its place on the floor, after last night's festivities. He chuckled to himself. _Flack was right; we did bring the New Year in with a bang. I gotta remember to send John and Mary a fruit basket to apologise, or a muffin basket, ya know whatever really._

_Speaking of bangs_ he thought to himself. Whoever that was banging on the door, wasn't letting it ease up anytime soon

"Yeah, yeah I'm coming. Jesus-"he growled whilst unlatching the lock

"Do you know what time- Chris? What – what are you doing here?"

"Where's Linds Danny?"

"She's in the bedroom, why?"

Chris took off into the apartment, and Danny shook his head, quickly shutting the door, before remembering the state in which Lindsay was in

"Crap – Chris, you might-"

He grimaced as Chris came flying back out of the bedroom.

"Crap sake Messer, coulda told me you were doing 'that'"

"In all fairness Chris it is 6.30am. How come you're here, everything okay?"

"No, but I'd better wait for Linds"

Danny's heart sunk. Whatever it was, it had to be huge. Nothing would have gotten Chris out of Montana. "That case you want a drink?"

"Sure, coffee's fine"

Danny padded into the kitchen he and Lindsay shared and switched the coffee machine on. He took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes, bracing himself for the blow they were about to get. He turned round just in time to see Lindsay come flying out of the bedroom and she threw her arms around Chris.

"Chris, it's so good to see you. Where's, where's Amy, Chris?"

"Back at home with Mom, she didn't wanna leave, but otherwise she'd have come"

"Didn't want to leave, why, what's wrong?"

"Don't you check your fucking answering machine Lindsay?"

Danny saw red, even if he was her brother, there was no way in this earth he was about to speak to her like that

"Hey, whoa, calm down there buddy; watch your language. I'm not about to let you speak to Lindsay like that. You'd better apologise pronto man. Have a little respect."

Chris nodded, He knew Danny was right

"Yeah, I'm sorry Linds, it's just been hectic." He said, pulling his hand through his hair

"What has Chris? What's happened? Is everyone okay?"

"No, it's- it's" he sat on the couch and broke down into tears. Lindsay stepped back. She had never, ever seen her brother cry. Something had to be drastically wrong.

"Chris, tell me. Please"

He looked up at her through her tears "Answering machine"

"We ended up working last night. We came straight home and went to bed; we didn't think to check the answering machine"

"No, listen to it."

"What- now?"

"Yeah"

Danny looked at Lindsay and she nodded and he pressed the playback button

"_Lindsay, Danny, it's-it's Emily. Can you give me a call? I know you're probably at work, but – what? Yeah, I'll be right there doctor. Lindsay, just call me when you get this." _

"You came to tell me to call Mom Chris?"

"No, it's the next message"

Danny nodded and pressed play again

"_Lindsay, Danny, I guess you're busy with work. I really didn't want to have to tell you over the answering machine, but I need to tell you. Your Dad Lindsay, He was in the diner last night, and he – he you know what Lindsay, just call me?"_

Lindsay was now in a panicked state, she glanced at Danny, who pressed the button _no new messages_

"You had better start telling me what's going on Chris. Now"

"Dad got caught in a cross fire 2 days ago. They'd gone to the diner and some guy – he came in- and"

"Not _the_ diner"

"Yeah, Linds, _the_ diner"

_Danny looked at Lindsay and saw how she had broken in two. Diner? The diner? What the hell were they talking about? _

"I thought they had vowed never to go back there"

"They did, but after you said you were over it, they figured it'd be okay"

"I was over them not being here anymore, I didn't expect them to go"

Danny soon understood what they were talking about.

"How is he Chris, Jack? Is he okay?"

"Well, they're not telling us much. They say he's stable, but, whether they're telling the truth or not, only god knows"

Danny nodded, and took a seat next to Lindsay who was curled up on the couch, he took her in his arms, and stroked her hair and kissed her forehead

"You need to go baby"

"I can't – the wedding Danny."

"Lindsay, go. You're family needs you. Chris is gonna be there, but they need you baby."

"Are you not coming Danny?"

"I can't. Mac wont let both of us go. Don't worry baby. Go take a shower. I'll sort you guys a flight out. The travel agent's gonna love me, it aint helping my case on this OCD I have on buying plane tickets last minute to Montana, but don't worry about it. Chris, go crash in the guest room. I'll wake you up when I get back. Linds, pack a few things. And I'll call Mac as well... Remember I have your back baby"

He went to the door, and she followed him,

"Danny, wait. We can't postpone the wedding. It's our wedding Danny"

"Lindsay, your family needs you. Go, I'm still gonna be here when you get back. You know that"

"I know, but Danny, I don't know how long I'm gonna have to be out there. I –"tears started rolling down her face.

"Hey, hey come on baby. It'll be good. You're dad's a trooper. He'll get through this"

"I know he will. It's me I'm worried about. My Mom's gonna be a mess. I can't be strong, like how she needs me to be. Not without you Danny"

"You can baby. You're the strongest person I know."

"You kill me sometimes, you know that Danny"

"Come on Linds, shower. I'll be back before you know it."

"You better be Danny"

"Count on it"


	50. Last Minute Flights

**A/N: Total and complete filler chapter, but i'll let you guys read it before i post the next one up. It'll be up tonight though. Dont you worry :) loL!**

"Hey, bet you can guess why I'm here"

"Sure can. How many this time?"

"Two, different names this time though"

"Alright, shoot"

"Chris Monroe, and Lindsay Mess- Monroe, Lindsay Monroe."

"Ahh, the fiancé. She like your surprise last time?"

"Loved it, thanks"

"Okay, when you wanting the flight for?"

"Next possible one from any NY airports"

"I got one in 3 hours leaving from JFK"

"I'll take them."


	51. We'll see about that Montana

**A/N: Can you tell i want to get to the wedding? lol! Lucky people 4 updates in 2 days. :) **

"NYPD" Danny said holding his badge up at the security check guard

"Sorry sir, I'm afraid I can't let you through. Safety regulations, you gotta say you're goodbyes here I'm afraid"

He looked down at Lindsay and felt his heart breaking

"I'm sorry baby, I tried-"

"I know-"she pulled him to one side, out of the line of passengers trying to get through security

"Are you sure you can't come with me Danny?"

"Positive. The only way you could go is if I cover your shifts. So, looks like I'm working doubles."

"Danny, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-"

"No, no I didn't mean it like that baby, I'm more than happy to, well actually, what would make me really happy was your dad being okay. But you gotta go. I get it, I'll rearrange everything. Don't you worry about a thing baby, I got you covered."

"You always do Danny" she said, pulling him into a tearful hug

"I don't want to go Danny"

"I know baby"

"I wanna stay with you-"

"I know baby"

"I want to get married Danny. God, nothing ever goes right with us. It's like –"

"Hey, hey, come on now. We're gonna get married the minute your Dad's better and you're back here with me. I promise you."

"Pinky swear?"

"Aww Montana, don't start that crap again"

"Danny-"she smiled through her tears, her voice trying to warn him she was being serious.

"Fine. Pinky swear, Happy?"

"Yeah, so I'll call you when I land"

"I'm holding you to it"

"Good, I – I love you Dan"

"Love you too, now come on, Chris's waiting. If he's anything like you, he'll kick my ass for holding you up"

"I wondered when you were gonna bring that back up. Alright, I'm going."

She slowly walked away, letting go of his hand as she walked away, so that just their finger tips were touching.

"I'll see you when I see you Montana"

"Yeah, I'll see you when I see you Danny"

"Don't miss me too much Lindsay now will ya."

"Yeah, whatever cowboy; Go on, get-"

"I'm going," he put his hand up and gestured to Chris who nodded back.

He turned, watching her put her bags onto the belt and remove her jewellery, including her ring. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, and stood there, making sure she got through the metal detector okay. She got through the other end and reached for her ring first. Putting it on, she kissed it and looked up and Danny. He blinked back the tears in his eyes and kissed his hand, then waved the same hand at her; His way of blowing her a kiss.

He watched her walk away and he took a deep breath,

"Jeez Linds," he said running his hand down his face "Why'd you have to go?"

* * *

"Chris come on; just let me see if he's still there"

"No, Linds, we gotta head towards the gate. There's a burger king or KFC we can get something to eat at. You haven't eaten yet have ya?"

"I aint hungry"

"God you sound like a New-Yorker"

"Don't"

"Do"

"Do"

"Don't"

"Ha- gotcha. Told ya I didn't" she smiled punching him in the arm

"Yeah, yeah, you win."

The heart wrenching feeling came back to her.

"So, What about Dad? What – what happened Chris?"

"Well, they went into the diner, and were sat – they were – they were at the same table Linds."

"As, in-?"

"Yeah as in the same table that you and your friends were sat at"

"Why Chris?"

"I aint sure Linds, I'm really not."

"So, what happened?

"The bell chimed – the guy called out telling everyone to get on the floor, Dad threw himself on top of Mom to protect her, and she let out a cry, so he shot him, he saved Mom... He's gonna be alright; it hit him in the shoulder. Mom's just beating herself up about it, I figured you being a cop. You'd know about this type of stuff"

"What guilt?"

"Well, I didn't mean it like that, but yeah, basically. You can get her through this better than what I can Linds, I was no use the first time round"

"Chris, you were. You kept me smiling when times were hard. Neither of us knew what to do. You were the only one that didn't treat me differently. You still teased me, taunted me, and drove me crazy. When things were crazy, you kept me sane"

"You've never said that to me before Linds"

"Well, to be honest Chris. Its not exactly something that crops up into conversation is it?"

"No, I suppose not"

"So, what were Dad's injuries?"

"Didn't hit any of his vitals apparently, the guy fled the scene as soon as the shot went off."

"Have they caught him?"

"No, they haven't apprehended him yet"

"Chris you sound like Mac"

"Who?"

"My boss, Mac,"

"Ahh, right, whatever; so then Linds, how's things between you and Danny?"

"I miss him already"

"I bet"

"Hey, I'm gonna go grab a coffee, you want anything?"

"Way to change the subject Linds, no I'm okay thanks. I'll go sit by the gate. Meet you there?"

"Sure"

Lindsay headed over to the Starbucks and opened her purse, looking for her wallet. Rummaging through, she found a medium sized box with a bow attached to it. Surely she would have noticed this going into her bag.

She took it out and set it on the side. Taking the bow of, she smiled at the note that greeted her. Unfolding it, she wiped a tear from her eye

_Linds_

_Nearly forgot your tape huh? Bet you're glad I was on top of things. Don't worry about anything baby, I'll sort the wedding. you have nothing to worry about. Everything works out in the end. _

_You got no idea how much I'm gonna miss you honey. I'm thinking of you. I'll call you baby. Take care. _

_MOO_

_Danny xoxo_

She got her cell phone out and speed dialled Danny's number

"You're terrible"

"You found it then?"

She could hear him, but it was echoing.

"Danny where are you, it's echoing"

"Really, 1 sec, I'm just getting out of the parking garage- How's this?"

"No, it's still echoing"

"This?"

"No, it's like you're on a surround sound Danny. Move from wherever you are"

"Alright one second, How's this?"

He wrapped his arms around her

Her breath caught in her throat.

"Danny"

He took her cell off her and disconnected the call, "Security guard felt bad. Took pity on my crying ass"

"Nice guy" she smiled through her tears rolling down her face

"So, you have an hour before the flight leaves?" he smiled, wiping her tears away with his thumb.

"Yep, have anything in mind?"

"Yeah"

"Oh yeah, what?"

"Food. I'm starving Montana, and it might be the best food you get until you get back. There aint no Rays in Montana."

"There aint no Rays in JFK either Danny"

"True, beyond the point though baby"

"So, where you taking me?"

"You pick-"

"Between?"

"KFC or Burger King"

"Jeez, romantic Danny"

"Oh, so me busting my ass to get through airport security, slipping the cassette in your bag, and surprising with a, what I can presume we'd see in one of your girly ass movies, hug in the middle of starbucks at JFK, aint romantic?"

"Now, I didn't say that now did I?"

"Didn't have to, Lindsay Elizabeth"

"What are you doing? Getting me ready for my Grandmother?"

"Would your Grandma do this Linds?"

He took her face and cupped it placing light kisses on her lips. Then he brought her in closer hugging her around the waist, lifting her up slightly and then he deepened the kiss. Slowly he set her back down, and she broke off from him

"I sure as hell hope not"

"Sure as hell hope not what?"

"That my grandma would kiss me like that"

"Aw, now come on Linds, that's- that was uncalled for"

"Yeah, sorry, come on lets go find Chris. He was starving earlier. Surely he'll be wasting away by now"

"Your brother wasting away, don't be stupid Linds-"

"You'd be surprised. He eats more than you sometimes Danny-"

"Yeah, yeah. We'll see about that Montana, we'll see about that."


	52. Love? Yeah Love

Danny was walking from trace back to his office. Dead end, again. If Lindsay had been there, she'd have cracked the case by now.

"Danny?"

Danny stopped and turned, Mac had just practically chased him down the hallway.

"Can you come to my office for a minute, or are you on a lead?"

"No, I'm good. I'm far from it Mac actually. I could really do with Lindsay right now to bounce ideas off her"

Mac nodded and let him into the office, slowly shutting the door behind him. He crossed his arms, and nodded at the young CSI to get him to sit.

"How longs it been Danny?"

"About two weeks, probably three. I lost count. I just remember not being able to – and not- and her" he said, sitting back in the chair, watching Mac move to his desk.

"And?"

"And, what?"

"How many times have you spoken to her?" Mac said finally sitting down on his chair

"On the phone or through text and email?"

"All three"

"Well, I finished the email I was sending her when I was on my break about an hour ago. I have to text her back from a message she sent me 5 minutes ago and I'm calling her tonight."

"You miss her don't you?"

"You know Mac; I thought I'd be fine. But hearing her voice, it aint enough Mac. I need to see her. To hug her, let her know I'm there for her. Not just in spirit. I can hear how broken she is down the phone. It's really getting to her"

"What is?"

"Her dad; I know he's gonna pull through, but she aint so sure. I guess she's just bracing herself for the worst. She saw how Louie, Ruben and Aiden affected me. She hasn't had that, well, not since-"

"How long you been on for?"

"Umm- I think its 16 hours now, ooh wait, no. 17".

"Danny- You're doing it all over again"

"Look Mac, I promised her and you I'd cover her shifts. So, here I am"

"Yeah, but I also said we'd all pitch in, last time she went you-"

"No, but I sent her there this time, I need to cover for her"

"Danny, if it had been me, I'd have sent her as well. Now, go on. Take the rest of the week. It's what Wednesday? I want to see you back here Monday afternoon, for your next shift Danny."

"You sure Mac? It's gonna leave you in the lurch"

"Danny. We'll manage. Amityville owes me that favour from when you and Lindsay headed out there for the Duncan murder. If it gets hectic, I'll call that one in. Don't worry. Just go home and relax, enjoy your free time. Get ready for Lindsay coming back"

"Yeah, I might do that"

Danny nodded and stood up and headed to the door

"And Danny?"

"Yeah Mac"

"Go with your instincts"

"What- how'd you-"

Mac smiled at him

"Flack" they both said in unison

"What?" he said, poking his head into Mac's office.

"Nothing man, talking about ya, not to ya."

"Ah, it's like that now is it?"

"Don't you have Angell waiting for you at some coffee shop?"

"Ha-ha. Messer's missing the Mrs by any chance? How is Monroe by the way?"

"If you'd have called- you'd know"

"Whoa, alright; calm your passions there Messer. I've been busy"

"Bet you have; with all that sex that-"

"Detectives-"

"Yeah, sorry Mac, I'm gonna get going, I'm expecting a phone call from you Flack" Danny spat whilst walking out of Mac's office

"What's with him Mac?"

"Love"

"Love?"

"Never mind Don, never mind"

* * *

Danny tossed the quarter he had in his hand into the air.

Heads he'd do the first option. Tails, he'd do the other.

He had both newspaper articles laid out, and the coin landed. He closed his eyes leaned over onto the coffee table and opened them

_Tails_

He walked to the phone and picked up the phone…

"_Ma, it's Danny, yeah. Yeah, I'm gonna do it. No, she doesn't know. I haven't told her. It's a surprise, for when she gets back. Yeah, I'm gonna now. I'm calling her now. I'll call you. Yeah Mommy, yeah love you too-"_

He hung up the phone and went to find Lindsay's address book. Flicking through the pages, he reached 'M'

He took a deep breathe and picked the phone up.

"Pick up – pick up…"

"_You've reached the Monroe residence. We'll get back to you as soon as we can."_

"Ugh – hey guys guess you're at the hospital – I'll call back –"

"_Danny?"_

"Emily?"

"_Hi, yeah, I just got in and heard you on the answer phone, Lindsay's still at the hospital though honey."_

"That's okay. I wanted to talk to you anyway"

"_You did?"_

"Yep, Is Chris doing anything tomorrow?"


	53. Chris Back In NY

**A/N: Wedding next chap people... :)**

"Thanks Man, I really appreciate it, I know it was a lot for me to ask you to come back out, so when I say I appreciate it, I really do."

"Yeah, well you'd better. I hate lying to Linds."

"I know, I know, me too. But, I mean imagine her face when-"

"She's gonna love the house Danny. Where'd you find it?"

"My ma saw it last week in the paper. She called and made us an appointment to look round... But, she forgot Lindsay was back in Montana. How, I don't know. I haven't moped like this since, well, since she left last time. But Chris, she's gonna love it. We're here now anyway"

Chris stepped out of his sisters and Danny's SUV.

"Damn Messer, so this is what a CSI makes in a year."

"Nah, My Ma's been saving since I was a kid, she never wanted me to buy an apartment. It was for when I found my girl."

"So it's free and clear"

"Free and clear, all ours."

"You gonna show me round it? Or we gonna stand staring at it forever Messer?"

Danny smiled, and led Chris up towards his and Lindsay's new front door.

"She'll love the porch; it's"

Danny finished his sentence off

"It's exactly like the one back in Montana-"

Chris nodded.

"So when are the movers coming?"

"3 days. I already have the keys though, so I can start moving things. I more or less have everything boxed up; didn't get to bed til around 7 this morning. Was up again at 10"

"That's some mean dedication Messer"

"Things you do for love, and I'm a little excited anyway"

Chris smiled as Danny put his key in the door. He opened the door, and stood back letting Chris look at it.

"Danny, its-"

"Amazing isn't it. 3 bedrooms 2 bathrooms. Kitchen/diner, living room and playroom. And there's a yard out back big enough for a mini baseball field for me to play with the kids, and we'd still be able to have a swing-set and paddling pool in summer"

"You've covered everything"

"Well, this is gonna be our home. I wanted it to be perfect for her Chris"

"Danny, she's gonna love this- a spiral staircase"

"Yeah, she's always wanted one; just wait till you see the kitchen"

"It's never a country one"

"It is"

"Get out…"

"I know!"

"Dude, we sound like girls"

"Yeah, but Chris, I don't care."

"You seriously love her don't you?"

"With all I got, these 3 weeks have killed me; Hearing her go through the pain and everything, not being able to do a damn thing. Wait, that's my cell"

He unhooked his phone from his belt loop

"Messer-"

"_I never tire of hearing you say your name"_

"Hey baby- how you doing?"

"_I'm great Danny. Dad can come home tomorrow. They had him walking down the hall today, he's fine. We can arrange the wedding for next month"_

"Baby, that's great. I'll get on that"

"_Thanks sweetie. So, I mean, I should be home in like 2 days, in time for Valentines Day"_

"Alright, that's great. Hey, Linds, can I call you later. I'm kinda busy right now"

"_Why, what you doing?"_

"I'm just about to meet Flack"

"_Really?"_

"Yeah, He got off twenty minutes ago; he wants to go for a beer"

"_Oh, okay"_

"You don't sound convinced"

"_It's not that"_

"What then?"

"_I just got off the phone with him; he's working till 1am."_

"Linds, just stop asking questions, I gotta go, I love you Linds"

"_Bye Danny. I -"_

She took the phone away from her ear, listening to the dial tone of the phone _"Love you too"_

* * *

"So what, she suspects something?"

"Oh yeah. I wouldn't be surprised if she knew."

"So, Danny what did you need me to help you with so desperately that it needed me to come out to New York?"

"How are you with arranging church services Christopher?"

"Danny-"

"Yeah?"

"Never call me that again"


	54. WEDDING! Part one

**A/N: Yes. its here. Get the M&M's. **

"Lindsay, are you okay up there?"

She wiped the tears from her eyes and cleared her throat

"Yeah, fine Mom. I'll be down in a minute"

She looked on her calendar, February 14th - Valentines Day. And she was still in Montana, without Danny, no mattered how hard she'd tried, there were no flights back to New York for yesterday, today or tomorrow.

She picked up her cell and dialled their home phone, and paced the room.

"Pick up – pick up"

"_Hey, you've reached Danny and Lindsay. We aint home, leave a message"_

"Hey- Hey Danny, Happy Valentines Day, was hoping to speak to you. But I guess you're not home I'll uh- I'll speak to you later. I Love you"

She disconnected just as her Mom came in the room

"Aww Lindsay, what's the matter honey"

She sat on her bed, tapping next to her, indicating for her Mom to come and sit next to her.

"I miss him Mom. I haven't seen him for a month and a bit; I haven't spoken to him in the past week. And now I won't see or speak to him on Valentines Day."

"It won't be that bad Linds, you have me and Daddy"

"Yeah, I know Mom, but even so-"

"We can do what we used to do when you were younger, ice cream, the park. Then we could go to the church. They have a special service on today that we thought we could go to"

"Mom, we've never been to church."

"So, that's no excuse, I think it would be nice to go, as a family"

"Yeah, alright, I guess so. What time?"

"I'll come get you, take a shower"

"Mom, I just had one"

"Yeah, well take another one"

Lindsay cocked her eyebrows at her Mom, and she looked down, avoiding eye contact

"Do I want to know what you've planned Mom?"

"No"

Lindsay shook her head as her Mother as she slowly shut the door.

_Well, today was definitely going to be eventful!_

* * *

Danny was pacing in his hotel room. He couldn't understand why he was so nervous. He knew Emily would have everything sorted and dealt with. All he had to worry about was, well, nothing.

"Dude, seriously; sit the hell down. You're driving me crazy"

"Chris-"

"Yeah?"

"Do me a favour"

"What?"

"Shut up"

"What Danny? Why?"

"Because I'm freaking out right now"

* * *

Lindsay pulled on her jeans and padded out into the hallway, walking into her mom who was carrying her holiday line of Estee Lauder products.

"Mom, why – what – where are you going with them?"

"Never you mind Lindsay Monroe, there's some breakfast on the table for you"

"I'm not hungry Mom; I'll grab something later on in town"

"No. There's some breakfast for you on the table"

"Jeez, alright, alright, I'll eat some breakfast."

"Good"

Lindsay turned shaking her head. Apparently she'd fallen into an alternate universe where her Mother spoke no sense and acted like a crazy.

"Mom?"

"Yeah-"

"I sure as hell hope I'm gonna find out what you've planned later today, cause I can't deal with you acting like a crazy"

"Lindsay, just go open your present-"

"Present?"

"Kitchen table"

Lindsay smiled, kissed her Mom, and ran off down the hallway towards the stairs leading to the kitchen. She practically fell down the stairs. _Had Danny had sent her a present? _

She got to the kitchen table and sat down, taking in her surroundings. Her favourite room in their home was the kitchen. The centre of the laughter, the base where they could all sit as a family, even if it had been in for 10 minutes when she had somewhere she had to have been. When she and Danny eventually bought their own house, she wanted a kitchen just like hers, a country kitchen where the whole family could practically live in. She smiled and pulled the red box towards her. Slowly, taking the lid off, she smiled at the next box inside the box. _How old was he?_

Finally, after 6 boxes, she got to the last one.

"A key? He got me a freaking key? If I didn't already live with him it wouldn't be so bad… I'm gonna kick his ass"

"Lindsay, you know it's bad when you start talking to yourself."

"Hey stranger, when did you get back?"

"This morning"

"Remind me where you've been?"

"New Hampshire. Business"

"Business?"

"Yeah, the firm's expanding. What's in the box?"

"A key, valentines present from Danny"

"See Linds, I always told you the guy was whacked. You already live with him, if you weren't, I gotta admit, it'd be kinda sweet. But you know, whatever"

"No, that's what I thought Chris. Hey, you better go get changed, Mom's gonna drag us round Bozeman like she used to"

"Nah, I got out o' it, good luck with that one, have fun Sis" Smiling, he headed for the door

"Jeez Chris you sound like Danny"

His face dropped, quickly, he replaced it with a smile and turned

"Linds, you just have Danny on the brain"

"Yeah, I guess so; get Mom to hurry up would ya?"

"MOM, LINDS WANTS YOU TO HURRY UP-"

"Chris-"she smiled picking up one of the seat cushions "I could have freakin done that" she laughed as she launched it at him

* * *

Emily Monroe unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to Lindsay who was sat in the back of their family car

"I can't believe you're dressed to go to church in jeans Lindsay. I thought I'd taught you better."

"You said it was just a little service"

"Yeah, but even so, you could have at least made an effort"

"Mom, please, come on, I just wanna get through today. Please, just leave it okay?"

"She's right Emily. Leave her be"

"Thank you Daddy"

"But Lindsay, you should have come dressed a little better than jeans" he said whilst shutting his car door

She rolled her eyes and climbed out of the car herself "Dad- I thought-"

"Come on, they're opening the doors. We're probably the first ones here. We can get a good seat up front"

He was stood at the front of the alter, dressed in his tux and hyperventilating.

"They're here Danny. I can hear them"

"Shit, - crap, sorry God. Chris, what am I gonna do."

"Stand there and smile like an idiot. It works every time with Linds"

She pushed the doors open to the church, and she smiled at the choice of flowers. They were exactly like the kind she had picked out for hers and Danny's wedding.

She led the way into the church, and pushed through the second set of wooden doors, and just as Danny was about to shout out to her, she turned at the last minute to smile at her Mom.

"I'm sorry I've been so fussy today Mom, I just really miss Danny. I can't believe he wasn't at home when I called. I thought he would be-"

He listened to her talk on for a few minutes about him not being home, him being somewhere else. He had to make himself known.

"What if I had somewhere else I had to be Montana?"

She stared at her Mom, not daring to turn round. She knew that voice; she saw the smile form across her Mother and fathers face.

She whipped round to see Danny stood at the alter, in a tux, stood next to Chris. And as she had expected, Danny was there, smiling like an idiot.

She took off, running down the aisle towards them, and he met her half way, catching her, spinning her round and accepting her kisses.

"Happy Valentines Day Montana"

"Happy Valentines Day Danny"

He set her down and she turned round, so that she was facing her parents.

"You knew, _didn't you_?"

"Little bit"

She turned on her heel and pointed towards Chris

"And _you –_ you were in on this the whole time. You've been in New York, haven't you? That's why you sounded like Danny. New Hampshire my ass Chris."

"And you Mr. Messer," She turned and prodded his chest "well, I got a few choice words for you as well."

"Like, you love me?"

"That's one-"

"And you wanna marry me-"

"maybe- I haven't brought my dress it's back in New- You have it in the back don't you-"

Danny turned round and looked towards Chris

"Chris I told you we'd forgotten something-"He turned back around to face Lindsay "Do you think I'm really that stupid?"

"Well, I didn't expect to be getting married, so you have to cut me a little slack here."

She glanced round the room. "Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are all these chairs here, if it's just gonna be us?"

"All in good time Montana, all in good time"

Just then the church doors swung open to reveal both Mac and Flack on either side, in tuxes, holding the doors open

Lindsay turned to look at Danny, then back at Flack and Mac

"Welcome to the party Mac, Flack"

"Danny, do you know how lame you sound re-using old jokes- it aint even funny" Flack smirked

"Mac – Flack – Danny – how did you?"

She was cut of by the sounds of excited conversation of the NYPD crime lab's staff filling the church. Her town's dinky little church.

"Hey Linds, told you I'd sort everything didn't I?"

"Yeah, and apparently you weren't kidding either"

She smiled moving towards Danny until she heard a familiar voice

"Kiddo, you better get your ass down this aisle right now. We've got some serious dress up going on backstage"

"Stell?"

"You guessed it, come on, Jess is fixing Peyton's hair in the back"

"Peyton? What, she's here?"

"She said she wouldn't have missed it for the world, go on- get"

She looked back at Danny, who was still smiling at her. "I saw it on your to do list. Call Peyton. So I did. Her and Mac Linds, they talked. It's all good now. I know that's why you didn't want to call her. Now go on, get – hey Stell"

"Yeah"

"Look after her wont ya?"

The girls turned and laughed "Danny, we're just going into the back-"

"I know, but she's all I got"

"And I'll get her here. Don't you worry…"

Lindsay smiled as she walked up the aisle with Stella smiling at her guests.

"How on earth did you manage to pull a wedding off in a week Stell?"

"Umm Linds, - it was two days actually"

"Sorry, what?"

"Danny called me like two days ago, asking if I was busy. Stupidly I said I wasn't"

"You arranged all this?"

"No, he did. I just got everyone here."

"So, the guest list?"

"Him"

"The flowers?"

"Him"

"The dresses?"

"Him"

"The church?"

"Chris"

"I knew he was in on it – getting my parents keeping it a secret?"

"Okay, kid, I'm gonna save you some time. All him. Come on, before he does a runaway bride, lets get you cleaned up kid. Cause I mean seriously Linds, who the hell comes to church in jeans?"

"Don't start with me Stella Bonasera, just don't start with me."

**A/N: Okay, so I lied. Next chap is the actual wedding. Just wait before you throw your M&M's at me :P**


	55. WEDDING! part two

**A/N: Get your M&M's and hats at the ready people. It's wedding time. **

**Oh. and Twinkeyrocks, dont squee too much. :P **

**Enjoy guys. Its been a long time coming:)**

* * *

"I'd say you're done kid" 

"I haven't got my something new"

"Yeah ya do Linds-"

"Jess, no I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"No. I don't."

"Didn't you get Danny's present?"

"The key?"

"Yeah-"

"I have to hold that whilst I'm getting married, seriously Jess, that's my something new?"

"No, it's gonna go on the chain he bought you" Stella chipped in

"He did? Who's got it?"

"That'd be me," Jack Monroe smiled from the door. "They're ready for you girls"

"See you out there Linds- good luck. Don't trip over the dress"

"Yeah, thanks Angell" Lindsay smiled whilst rolling her eyes

"Good luck love, Remember don't take none of Danny's rubbish, show him who's boss"

"Thanks Peyton – I suppose I'm gonna get words of good luck from you too Stell"

"No. You don't need it Kiddo. I'll see you out there"

Lindsay watched Stella close the doors behind her, and she turned to face the mirror. She could see her Dad moving towards her smiling

"You know Lindsay, I'm dreamt about this day on and off, since the day you were born. What I'd say to you, how I'd feel, but you know, the only two things I feel override everything I ever thought I'd say"

"And what's that?"

"Love – how much I love you. You have no idea how proud of you I am; you've done good Linds. Just remember that, and Danny. He's – he's good for you Linds" A tear fell down his cheek

"I'm sorry honey – come here, turn around let me put this on you-"

"Dad, what's it a key for-?"

"You've always asked too many questions Lindsay. Just wait and see"

She looked at herself in the mirror, the last time she'd ever look at Lindsay Monroe. And damn that was a good feeling.

"You ready pumpkin?"

"Waiting on you" she smiled, taking his arm.

She couldn't contain the butterflies. She was light-headed, giddy, anxious, excited, and nervous, to name but a few. She stepped down the last step, and steadied herself taking in one last deep breath.

"No going back now Linds-"

"I wouldn't if you tried paying me"

She heard the congregation stand up, as the music started. The sounds of soft violins and a piano filled the small, cramped church. She turned the corner, and her eyes met Danny. Tears formed in her eyes, as he smiled down the aisle at her whilst mouthing "hurry your ass up" She couldn't help but laugh.

Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, she was there, the music had stopped, her dad was sat down and she was there at the altar, holding hands with Danny.

She turned to the Vicar, waiting for him to start, until he nodded at Danny.

"When you're ready Danny."

Lindsay cocked her eyebrows and stood back. There were only so many surprises she could take in one day.

He cleared his throat, smiled at her, and then turned his back towards her facing both Stella and Flack.

"Guys, I know you two originally helped me write my vows, over a dinner that robbed me $200 but, that's beyond the point. Well, I scrapped it."

"Thanks bud, no really _thanks_..." Flack smiled, slapping him on the back.

"Hey, it was nothing personal"

"Sure I-"

"Um - _GUYS_?" Lindsay was growing impatient

"Alright, alright; see what it was Linds, I hated the fact that they knew what my vows were before you did. You should be the one that heard them first. Well, after the mirror in our bedroom-"

The men in the congregation laughed, while the women awed.

Danny turned to look at his 'audience'

"Crap, I forgot you guys were here"

"Danny-"Lindsay punched him in the arm

"Sorry Linds- Anyway, the second reason why I re-wrote them was because I thought of a better idea. Something that'll only make sense to you baby"

He took her hands and looked into her tear filled eyes.

"Every time our eyes meet, this something inside me Linds, it's almost more than I can take. When you touch me, I can actually feel how much you love me. And that blows me away Linds. I can honestly say I've never been this close to anyone. I mean, I can hear your thoughts, I can see your dreams Montana; because they're the same as mine. I'm so in love with you Linds, and everyday, it gets better. You're everything I ever wanted, and everything I need, even before I knew it Linds.

As soon as you walked into my life, there was a new wind blowing like I'd never known, I was breathing deeper than I'd ever done. I went into work with a smile on my face, knowing your smiling, beautiful face was gonna be there, bugging the hell out of me and driving me crazy. Then, when you got called back to Montana, I was lost without you. I needed you, and missed you, every second that you were gone. Till that one night, after I'd worked the god only knows how long of a shift, and I travelled the two thousand or so miles, just so I could see you, so I could just hold you. Let you know I was there.

I was desperately waiting for you to smile and change your mind, and you did. That night at my place, you changed me for good. You gave me something to strive for; I knew I couldn't let you down. And I wasn't gonna let you down. And hopefully I won't start doing so now.

This bond we have is unbreakable. I'm yours forever, and you're my girl. You're my everything Linds. Don't you ever forget that.

At first, when I was looking at you Lindsay, I was scared to death. Scared of letting you in, scared you letting me in, and something going wrong. But, over time, you, somehow, you set up camp in my heart, and its safe you say you've been there ever since.

I never wanted love Linds, I was quite happy livin' the life, getting on with the job. Until that day at the zoo; something about you, made me wanna change. I wanted to know what love was, I wanted you to show me, make me know what it felt like to actually love someone other than my Ma. I knew you were the one.

It's like Flack over here said Montana, I aint the leaving kind, I'll never walk away from you. And, after all what we've been through, I'm glad we got here. All because you love me, just like I am Montana. You take the good with the bad when it comes to me. I'm always gonna be behind you, supporting you 110 with whatever happens. I love you Montana."

He took a breath, and smiled at her. She was mesmerized. As soon as he had said the first sentence she'd known what he'd done. He'd used most of the songs on the tape he'd made her in his vows.

"Let's give it up for Messer – the world record holder for the longest, soppiest vows ever" Flack grinned

The congregation whooped and cheered along with Flack, who was whistling.

Danny turned and smiled

"You're a dead man Don Flack-"

"See God-" He smiled, looking up to the ceiling "-Ya hear that?"

Stella nudged him "Don, I wouldn't get smart – both Danny and Lindsay are trained in hiding bodies-"

"Yeah – I uh – I kinda forgot about that"

The vicar coughed to gather up their attention.

"Well, they definitely do it different in New York. Lindsay, have you got anything to say?"

"Actually, I have a few songs to quote of my own"

"Copy cat-"Danny stuck his tongue out at her

"I could say the same to you. Seen as you can see my thoughts, you knew what I was doing-"

"Lindsay- I'm really sorry, but can we move this on a little?"

"Sorry father- sure thing."

She smiled, and took Danny's hand in hers

"You told me you'd wait patiently for me. If there was anything I needed to let you know? I think we both knew fine well that I needed you. I don't think I ever told you how sorry I was for taking so long, finding out how I was feeling, about you – about us. But over time, you broke through the barriers I'd put up, so even though I was trying to keep you out, it was no use. You've sung it to me a million times Danny, but without saying a word, you light up the dark for me. The smile on your face lets me know that you need me, there's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me, the touch of your hand says you'll catch me wherever I fall. And, although I'm totally quoting, unlike you, who were paraphrasing or whatever, it's true. I'm not gonna go on forever and a day, because you know how much you mean to me, you know that I can't describe what you mean to me in words, so hopefully over time, I'll show you. I love you cowboy"

The vicar looked up.

"Done?"

"Done" they both said in unison, smiling.

"Have we got the rings?" The vicar directed his question towards Flack, who was frantically patting his tux down

"Shit they aint here, Chris you got them man"

"No dude, you had them"

Danny looked at Lindsay, and they both turned to look at Don

"Please tell me you're joking. Right?"

"Ha- I got you then, didn't I? You should have seen the look on your face Dan"

"Just wait til you get married Donald Flack. I'm gonna get you for this"

"Danny- you can make threats later-"

"Sorry Stell"

The vicar cleared his throat "Danny, repeat after me. With this ring I do thee wed-"

Danny mimicked the vicar "With this ring I do thee wed"

"Lindsay Elizabeth Monroe"

"Montana"

"Danny" The whole team smiled, whilst letting out a groan at the same time.

"With this ring I do thee wed Montana – come on, next line father"

Lindsay shook her head at the vicar.

"Go ahead, it's the best you're gonna get out of him"

The exchanged the rest of their vows; and placed the wedding bands on each others fingers.

"Now, I guess there's just one thing left to do – Danny, you can kiss your bride"

Danny cupped Lindsay's face and kissed her lightly, before turning and smiling at the congregation, who were applauding. They walked towards the entrance of the church to take photos outside

Flack threw his arms up in the air

"You gotta be jokin' me; we get more of a show in the damn lab. They have an excuse to kiss, and they- ow – Jess, what you do that for?"

"Cause Danny's gonna kick your ass otherwise Flack. Hush"

"Yeah, yeah, come on, where's this reception at. I hate damn plane food. I'm starved. Hey Messer-"

Both Danny and Lindsay stopped and turned, smiling at him

"Yes?" They smiled in unison

"Aw, come on now, you've started that crap already? "

"What crap?" Danny chuckled

"Where you both answer me when I say Messer"

They shook their heads and carried on walking, hand in hand down the aisle, whilst Flack stood there shaking his head

Angell sighed, and tapped him on the shoulder "Don, _what_ is it now?"

"Didn't you hear him?"

"Hear what?" she shrugged

"Him"

"Him who-"

"Him Messer" he said, as if it was plainly obvious

"What about him"

"He said Montana"

"And? Did you really, seriously think he was gonna say Lindsay"

"No, but still."

"Come, on, you lost the bet, twenty bucks Flack"

"Can't I come up with something better?"

She pushed passed him and smiled

"It might work for Lindsay, but you gotta try a bit more game with me Detective."

He sighed and looked around, he was the only one left in the small, dinky Bozeman church

"Hey, whoa Angell, wait up, you can't expect me to find my way round Bozeman can you?

"Well, that was the plan"

* * *

Lindsay smiled for the camera, and snuggled up to Danny, who had her protectively under his arm. 

"Danny?"

"Yeah" he said with a forced smile for the camera

"Why am I wearing a key around my neck?"

"Why do you think?"

She turned to face him pulling his face towards hers.

"I don't know, might be why I'm asking," she smiled and muttered "dumbass,"

"I think you should guess, and I heard that"

"You broke the door down because you lost your keys while I was out here so you had to get a new door fitted, and this is your way of telling me, and I didn't say it that quietly Mr Messer"

"Close"

"But-"

"But not close enough"

"You had the locks changed?"

"No-"he said, still smiling for the camera,

She turned his face towards hers with her finger

"What then, Danny?"

"You're gonna have to wait and see"

"Oh no, come on. What have you planned?"

"No. it's what I've done"

She pulled away from him "Danny – what _have_ you done?"

"You know with that change of name form you need from Mac"

"Yeah?"

"You might wanna get a change of address one as well"

"Why? Have you not changed your address since you moved into mine?"

"No, Montana, the change of address form. It's for you,"

"Why, where am I going?"

"Jesus, is it this country air that's made you slow?"

"No Danny, you're just talking in riddles."

He turned her head and told her to smile towards the camera. He wanted to make sure the photographer got her reaction.

"You know how you've been out here for a month and a half?"

"Yeah-"

"Well, I bought us a house."

There was silence other than the sounds of the frantic photographer clicking away.

Danny turned to face Lindsay who was staring at him

"You bought us a what?"

"A house, in the suburbs. 3 bedroom, 2 bath, Chris helped me move in 3 days ago."

She was speechless; she didn't know what to say. He turned back to smile towards the photographer, who was still frantically clicking away.

"And did I mention it was paid for, we're free and clear. It's our house, Mrs Messer"

He chuckled and turned to face her, with her mouth hanging open slightly.

"Happy Valentines Day Montana" he smiled while kissing her on the cheek, with her mouth still hanging open.

"And that, is going over the fireplace"

"There's a fireplace?"

"Yeah, well, I mean that one can go over the one in our living room - this however" He cupped her face, and kissed her lightly,

"-Can hang over the one in our bedroom"

"You know what Danny? I think I need to sit down"

"Go ahead Linds; I'll have some pictures taken with the boys. Hey guys– get your asses over here."

The group of men walked towards Danny who was stood on the church stairs.

"You get the reaction you wanted Danny?"

"She's sat down on the bench"

Chris laughed. "So you told her about the country kitchen then?"

"No, I thought I'd better wait"

"What? Why?"

"I didn't want her to kung-fu chop me on my wedding day"

"No, Danny, she flips you over, Flacks the one that kung-fu chops people, well he wishes he could."

"Oh, yeah my mistake." Danny smiled, sarcasm evident in his voice

"Danny?" Flack whined

"Yeah Flack"

"I'm hungry!"

"Smile for the camera, and then I'll take you for something to eat"

"Don't patronize me Messer; I'll shoot your ass down"

"I'd like to see you try Flack, like to see you try"

**A/N: I'd really like for you to let me know what you thought, and what was your favorite bit of the chapter :) **

**And, if you didnt get it, Danny's vows were quotes from the songs on the tape he made for Lindsay. Paraphrased at least:).**

**So yeah, i think thats all. **

**Oh, one last thing. You better get the joke Twinkeyrocks. I'm withdrawing M&M's otherwise. **


	56. Who the hell gave him a microphone?

**A/N: You know what, I dont even know what to say about all them absolutely wonderful reviews you left me last chap. I spent alot of time getting it perfect, so its the best feeling ever knowing that each and everyone of you loved it:)**

**If I could, i'd hug everyone of you. :)**

**Now, best man's speech anyone?**

* * *

Flack stood up from the table facing the rest of the guests, tapping his glass to get their attention. 

"Yo, Messer's; would you come and sit your asses down. The quicker I get this done, the quicker I can eat."

He turned and smiled to Stella.

"Honestly Stell, they're worse than you driving. I swear I never get to eat!"

"Flack, stop your bellyaching. You won't die"

"Yeah, and if I do, you'll know the cause of Death. Freakin' starvation"

"I swear to god, if we had departmental awards, you'd get the one for Drama queen" Stella smirked

"Yeah, after wise-ass, and attempted joker of the year"

"Hey, now come on Jess, that's unfair. I always have you laughing with my one-liners"

"Danny, if we run away now, do you think they'll notice we've gone?"

"Mrs Messer, with you in that beautiful dress, and me with my tux, I think we'll stand out like a sore thumb in little Bozeman."

"It's worth a damn try. Flack is doing you're best man's speech Danny. Flack. Both our parents are here- he'll"

"Yo – Monroe, _I haven't got all day_"

Lindsay rolled her eyes, walking from the bar to the table where they had been sitting. She jerked Danny's hand, to bring him closer to her

"Who the hell gave him a microphone?"

"Judging by the look on your brother's face Mrs Messer, I'd say Chris"

"Danny, just make sure you remind me to kill him later"

"Yes dear,"

She smiled as the tables around them applauded quietly, bring a blush to Lindsay's face.

They slowly manoeuvred around Angell, Stella and Peyton, who were all sat facing the guests, so that both Danny and Lindsay could reach their seats.

Danny went first, and held out Lindsay's chair for her, letting her sit down, and then tucked her chair in, before taking his seat

"So then Flack" he grinned stretching out so that his arm was draped over Lindsay's chair "what embarrassing stories you got to entertain us with?"

"Who said anything about embarrassing? I thought humiliating would be much better"

Danny shook his head. "Whatever; get a move on Flack. I want to start this honeymoon"

Mac coughed "Don't get too excited Danny, you're back at work Monday"

Flack cleared his throat over the microphone

"So, Messer; who'd have thought it, New York City's unofficial playboy married to a country girl"

"You better be going somewhere with this Flack. Don't make me take you outside"

"Calm down Danny. I'm going somewhere"

He reached down to the table to get his glass of water and he smiled as he watched Danny growing increasingly inpatient

"I knew that would piss him off" he smirked

"When you're ready Don-"Stella smiled

"Right, right; so best man's speech." He went rummaging through his pockets and pulled out the tiniest scrap of paper Lindsay had ever seen

"So, I thought I'd write out a meaningful speech about my best friend on a beautiful piece of paper, but he cancelled his wedding last week. So that went to pot. Instead I gotta stand here and talk about this jackass."

"Thanks man-"

"Just kidding. So, Monroe, you still owe me that coffee you promised me when you first started; know any good places out here in Montana? Nah, I'm just kidding. As soon as you walked onto that scene at the Zoo, I saw Dan fall hard for you. Although the jackass was stubborn and didn't wanna admit it"

Danny defended himself "I was pissed at her-"

"Yeah, keep that up Messer, you'll be sleeping with me on your wedding night." He grinned at the couple "So, what can I say about you two? I just can't believe how far you guys have come. You jumped over every hurdle, dodged all the crap, and got through the tunnel. I think it's safe to say there's nobody more perfect than you two. But, enough of that sentimental crap."

He rummaged through his pockets and dug out a crumpled picture.

"This –"he smiled pointed at the picture "this ladies and gentleman, is the 1st official picture of Danny Messer, feel free to pass it around."

Danny looked over to his Mom, who was now frantically waving at Flack. _So, she was obviously the culprit._

Lindsay, however was laughing hysterically, until Flack cut her off

"And Mrs Messer, I don't know what you're laughing at. This ladies and gentleman, is Lindsay Monroe. In – the - nude"

"Dude, that's my wife – where you get that from?"

"Danny, she's 2 hours old, calm down"

Lindsay cringed and took her head in her hands.

"I swear Danny; you better get him good when he gets married"

"Believe me Linds, I will"

"So then guys, when you're done plotting… I stayed up all last night-"

"Flack you were in an airport last night"

"If you would let me _finish_ Messer, I stayed up all last night _on the plane,_ thinking of stories I could tell you guys about both Danny and Lindsay. Embarrassing, sweet, humiliating. But, because there's so many, I didn't want to talk about just one. But I am gonna talk about the day of that warehouse and drug bust. Because that, well that's when it became clear, to me, how much you two actually cared for each other, because before, I though you were both just lusting after each other. I mean two hot-"

"Don-"Stella warned

"Alright, alright- When you turned up at that warehouse Linds, I knew that look. It's the look I'd seen on victims families. You were scared, but, you hid it well, stuck it out, and "rescued" him, not letting him know that you were terrified. Then, after that day, something had changed. There was a different chemistry, there was still the flirty banter, but it was like you were on a different level, you were on your way to the love train, jeez I feel like breaking out into song. I won't though. Don't worry. Back to my meaningful speech though, we all of course know what happened the night before the bust, and that pretty much took care of the sexual tension thing you had going on, and ruined my love for pool tables and Tequila"

Stella tugged on his pants leg. "Flack- their parents?"

"Crap sorry guys. I uh – I"

Jack Monroe smiled and called out, whilst waving his hand dismissing Flack's apology "Don't worry about it, we already knew."

"DADDY!"

"What, you think you're Mom doesn't tell me things?"

Lindsay, once again buried her head in her hands, before looking up at Flack. "Seriously Don, I'm gonna bury you in a wheat field"

Flack looked down the long table to Mac, and smiled "Mac, you know where to find me yeah?-"

"Draw me a map Flack and I'll find you."

"Yeah, when she's pounding my head with a baseball bat, I'll be sure to remember that. Anyways, basically, I'm just happy that my two best friends shacked up and are playing happy families. You gotta promise me something though guys"

They looked at each other "Depends" they smiled in unison, and then began laughing at how they both used the same word

"If I'm not married by the time I'm 37, let me have a Joey apartment."

Danny looked at him "A what, Flack?"

Lindsay chipped in "In friends, when Chandler and Monica move to the suburbs, they promise Joey a Joey apartment"

"Is it sad that you know that, or that I can remember that episode now?" Danny smiled

Flack laughed and shook his head "You know what, on second thoughts, I take it back. I'll move in with Adam, I wont be able to deal with your two's bantering crap"

Adam stood up from the table where he was sat with Kendall, and the other lab techs "YEAH DUDE! Parttayyy"

"You know what, on third thoughts, the street looks pretty good" Flack smiled as Adam slowly sat down after his little outburst, clearly embarrassed.

"So, basically, what I'm trying to say is congratulations guys, to my best friends, that even though I hide it with my sarcastic ass jokes, they mean the world to me. I Love you guys."

Lindsay let tears fall from her eyes, and glancing at Danny, she could see his eyes turning red, like they did whenever he cried

"And Messer? Fuck with her and I'll throw you in a cell for a night, and kung-fu chop your ass into next week"

"Had to ruin it didn't you Flack-"

"To the bride and groom" Flack smiled holding his wine glass up

"To the bride and groom" the room chorused.

"Now, I've been told that when I was done gassing, I had to get the two love birds onto the dance floor for their first dance, picked by the groom. So… when you're ready guys."

The guests stood up and made their way to the dance floor, circling it, so that everyone had their eyes on where Danny and Lindsay would be. They however stuck around at the table.

"Hey, Flack. Thanks man"

"No problem Danno, I'm flattered you wanted me to be the best man"

"Who the hell else would I have? You're my buddy Flack."

"Cute Messer, this mean I can hug Linds?"

"You got 30 seconds"

Flack embraced Lindsay for a quick hug, then let go.

"I won't keep you any longer; you got a dance to dance"

Danny took Lindsay's hand and led her to the dance floor. They stood in an embrace, ready for a slow song to slowly infiltrate the room.

Lindsay had expected Ronan Keating's "When You Say Nothing At All", or Rascall Flats, "He Aint the Leaving Kind" but judging by Danny's face, it was neither.

She stood in his embrace, until the music hit her

"You didn't,"

"I did"

"Paulo Nutini?"

"What else are we gonna have our first dance to- we first did it on the pool table to this-"

"I'm gonna stop you there cowboy"

"May I have this dance Lindsay Messer?"

"You may Danny Messer"

He took her hand and he twirled her out, then back in, and she wrapped his arms around his neck, as they smiled, danced and sung at the top of their voices to the song. Smiling they both had memories filling their minds of the jokes about marriage the song brought, Danny swinging round on his pool cue and Lindsay doing a cute dance before, well, before he lost the bet.

Soon guests started filling the dance floor, apart from one.

"Flack, get your ass here"

"Don't think so Linds,"

She smiled, dragging Danny over to him

"Why?" She shouted over the music

"Because-"

"Because?"

"Because I keep picturing what you guys did to that poor pool table when this song was on"

"Suit yourself Don, Come on Danny"

She sulked off into the middle of the dance floor and started dancing with Stella and Peyton with hands linked in a circle.. Flack cocked his eyebrows at Danny

"Hey, don't look at me, she's just my wife"

"How long you been waiting to say that?" Flack smirked

"About 2 hours"

"Hubby, get here. You're missing the song!!"

Danny looked at Flack.

"Hubby?"

They both looked at each other and shook their heads, as Danny walked towards her.

_Women_

* * *

**A/N: And, _NothatRose_, Thankyou so much for your review. You brought tears to my eyes, honestly. I really, really appreciate you letting me know how you felt about it, and i'm glad that you've been enojoying the fic. I had alot more to say in response, but its all gone now. But anyways, thankyou so much. **

**And, to everyone else I havent replied to, Sorry, I was getting this speech to how I wanted it. So, i'm gonna say it now and thank you all for your reviews. You all rock!**

**So yeah, I think that was all. **

**A/N2.. I tried to write Flack in character. but, well, seen as we havent seen him as a best man .. YET... I wasnt sure. so, I mean, I hope you like it :)**


	57. Welcome Home Montana

**A/N: Again, thank you all for all the wonderful reviews last chap. I'm glad you all found it as funny as what I wanted it to come across as. **

**And, Nothatrose, I hope you didnt hurt yourself too much when you fell off your chair:)**

* * *

"You know what Montana, just hush alright. I'll take the damn blindfold off when I'm ready thank you"

"Danny – I don't see-"

She heard the car door shutting; she folded her arms in a huff, waiting to hear the door re-open again

"I don't see why-"she felt his hand go over her mouth

"Do you ever stop talking Mrs Messer?"

"I just don't see why I have to be blindfolded"

"Because, it's romantic, now shut up and get the hell out of the car"

"Yeah, I love you too Montana" she mumbled sarcastically, swinging her legs so that she would hit the ground when she stumbled out of the SUV.

He smiled as the idea came to his head

"Alright, we're playing this game are we?" he bent down and put a arm around her back, and the other underneath her legs so that he was carrying her like he did over the rooftops what seemed like a million years ago.

"Danny, would you put me down?"

"Sorry Montana, tradition"

"Tradition my ass; put me down. I wanna see my house"

"Our house"

"Fine, _our_ house"

He positioned himself so that when he put her down, she had full view of the spectacular 2 story house that awaited their future.

"I'm setting you down now, alright?"

"Fine by me-"

"Jesus Lindsay, you're pissy after flying."

"I am not pissy, I'm just tired."

"And pissy"

"Alright, and pissy, now take the damn blindfold off"

"Not until you promise you're gonna be nicer to your husband"

"Fine, I promise"

"Uncross your fingers Lindsay."

"Danny-"she smiled with a warning tone.

"There we go, that's the smile I love. Alright, I'm taking it off in 3"

He stood behind her and slowly untied the knot. He lifted the blindfold away from her. As he was doing so, she shut her eyes. And tight.

"I thought you wanted the blindfold off-?"

"I want it back on now"

"Why?"

"Because, I'm scared."

"Open your eyes, wuss"

"Alright"

Slowly she opened her eyes, which were quickly filled with tears. She let out a sigh,

"Danny-"

She turned to embrace him, but, before she could, he once again had her in his arms,

"What are you doing?"

"Carrying you over the threshold"

"Can't I look at the outside of the house?"

"Later. I wanna show you the inside first"

She carried her towards the door and leant down a little

"Do the honours Mrs Messer?"

"Of course Mr Messer"

She smiled pulling the key from around her neck, and slowly unlocked the door, and turned the handle, so that he could kick the door so that they could get in.

She was speechless. It looked similar to how they had had their apartment set up, but now, it was… It was theirs.

"Danny-"

"It's alright. You don't have to say anything."

He set her down, and she glanced around for a minute. Whilst he stood there smiling at her reaction to their new home. Suddenly, she turned and jumped back into his arms, and he spun her around. He couldn't get over how soppy he had become. But now, nothing mattered. His wife was all he cared about now.

"Danny," she smiled at him between kisses "this, this is amazing. How did you know?"

"I listen to you, believe it or not!"

"No, I know that, it's just. It's perfect; it's everything I've ever dreamed of."

"I told you Montana, I can hear your thoughts, I can see your dreams"

"Cute Danny,"

"Thank you"

"I meant quoting your vows"

"Double thank you then"

"Don't you have a house to show me?"

"You bet I do. Kitchen first?"

"Sure."

"Through here-"he smiled taking her hand. "Close your eyes"

"Danny-"she smiled with a warning tone, yet again

"Come on, humor me Montana"

"Alright"

She closed her eyes lightly as he led her to the kitchen.

"Go on," he smiled positioning her "open them"

She glanced round at the amazing kitchen. Her amazing country kitchen.

"Danny-"

"I know baby. I know how much your kitchen means to you"

"Danny, are they?"

He smiled as he walked towards the wall, tracing his hand over the pictures.

"Yeah, I thought, for the time being, we could have all our art work our Mom's collected over the years, and then when we have kids, we can make room for theirs"

"Danny. You've thought of everything"

"Montana, baby, you aint seen nothing yet"

He led her into the living room, showing her the fireplace, and where they would hang their new wedding pictures. He had it all planned

"Bedroom?"

"Danny – I wanna see the house"

"No, I just wanna show you the bedroom"

"Oh. Okay," she laughed "sure, bedroom"

He took her hand and led her up the spiral staircase

"Have I ever mentioned-"

"How much you love spiral staircases? Yep,"

"I thought so"

"First door on the left Montana – open it"

"Okay,-"she went gingerly for the door handle

She stood back. The room was amazing.

"Danny how did you-"

"Have I mentioned we have an extremely nosey 80 year old woman next door that loves me to death already?"

"I have competition?"

"She's got nothing on you baby"

"How did you get her to do this?"

"Well, I left the candles in the place, and then she went to get the petals I ordered last week this morning, and I also promised her we'd be nosey and drop in. She's already signed herself up as our babysitter."

"Danny, the bedroom, the décor, it's beautiful. She sounds nice as well."

She sat on the bed, trying not to disturb the rose petals all over their brand new comforter. She took in a breath. It already smelled like them. His aftershave, her shampoo. It was already theirs.

She looked around the room, and smiled at the candles and low lighting.

"You're perfect"

Danny tilted his head and smiled "What?"

"You, you're perfect. I wouldn't change anything about you. I just – you're amazing"

"Well, I was just expecting a kiss, but an ego-boost's always nice"

"No, Danny, I'm being serious. This, nobody's ever done this for me"

"You've never had a husband like me"

"True"

"Come on, there's three more rooms I wanna show you, close your eyes will ya?"

"I'd say no, but I'm in no fit state to start arguing with you."

"Good, now." He smiled whilst opening the door across the hall, and nudged her in. "Open them"

She opened her eyes to an empty room painted blue.

"Danny?"

"It's our baby boy's room. I haven't got any furniture or anything yet. But, it's a start right?"

"Sure is- is the other-"

"Through this door,-"

He took her hand and led her through the adjoining door

"Here's our baby girl's room. Across the hall from our room, and next door to her brother. Might not be the best idea when they're crying, but well, I can't think of every thing now can I"

"Danny," she sniffed her tears back "You have though"

"I did good then?"

"Yeah, safe to say, you did good"

"Alright, well there's one more room left."

"Lead me to it"

"It's back downstairs and through the kitchen"

"Are you not coming?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I need to go to the bathroom"

"Okay-"

She headed down the stairs and stopped for a second at the bottom to gather her bearings.

She turned right, into the kitchen, and headed for the door at the other side of the kitchen.

She looked down as she walked into the room, not knowing what to expect, she looked up and got the scare of her life

"Crap Danny, you scared the life out of me"

"Gotcha"

"So what, there's a secret passage?"

"Yeah, there are two sets of stairs"

"So you thought you'd scare the crap out of me?"

"Yeah, pretty much"

"Danny, are you laid on-?"

"The one and only, I had to assemble this myself. Chris wouldn't help me"

She climbed onto the pool table and snuggled up to him and smiled "It's weird, I have no idea why he wouldn't wanna help you" she smiled as she leant into kiss him

"So what's this room?"

"Our room"

"What?"

"It's our room, there's a couch, for us to sit, a place for the baby monitor on that table, and a desk and a computer for paperwork when we have to bring it home. This is our space Lindsay, where we can go to escape from it all"

"With a desk for paperwork and a baby monitor?"

"Alright, so maybe it's not a total escape. But, when the time comes, it can be our space. No toys, no bottles, no strollers, and no laundry. Just ours."

"Danny, you're amazing. You know that? I can't think of anything you haven't already thought of."

"Well, there's something else yet."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Because I'm predictable?"

"No, because you're amazing"

He took her hand and led her out the door, then into a hall way type room, then out the backdoor.

"Welcome to your back-garden Mrs Messer"

"Danny is that?"

"Yeah, a mini baseball field"

"And is that-"

"A swing-set, sure is."

"How did you?"

"Afford it all? Well, I had some money saved for the venue in New York, but, because we moved it to Montana, they refunded me my money back, and the hotel wouldn't let Chris pay, saying that it was their wedding present to their little Monroe girl, so, I went ahead and did the stuff I wanted to do."

"So you build a baseball field in our back yard?"

"Actually it's a mini baseball field Messer"

"You do know that we'll have all the kids on the block in our back garden in summer Danny. And you can't start calling me Messer, what can i call you then?"

"I thought you called me Cowboy. I know- but Linds, I can teach the kids baseball while you sit on the grass right there on a blanket with our picnic."

"I think I'm gonna have to go lay down on my new bed"

"Do I get in on that?"

"Oh yeah, I've got some serious thank you's to say"

"I think Chris would be happy with a phone call and a muffin basket Linds"

"Spoil the moment Danny, just spoil the moment" she laughed as he whipped her up in his arms and carried her back towards the back door.

"Welcome home Montana, welcome home"


	58. Keep Holding On

**A/N: Huggles to Twinkeyrocks for reading through for me:) Catch the bag of M&M's:)**

**And needless to say, I dont own Avril Lavigne or her song. And, i think we've gathered i dont own Danny, Lindsay or Flack. Yet. **

* * *

"10 more minutes Danny"

"Montana, come on. Shower's on for you, the coffees on. You just need to get up"

"No-"flopped over as she turned on her other side.

"Fine,"

He marched round to her side of the bed facing the window, pulled the covers back, and picked her up out of bed

"In that case, we'll do it my way"

She snuggled into the crook of his neck, and wrapped her arms around him as he carried her to their en-suite and set her down

"But Danny-"

"No. Mac's called us in Linds; it takes us 25 minutes to get to the lab as it is now. So, come on. Shower,"

She rubbed her eyes and stretched, yawning "fine"

Danny shook his head. "No, Montana, don't pull that cute, tired crap on me, stretching and yawning and looking all, cute. I aint falling for it again"

"Ugh, fine then. Would you put me a waffle in the toaster?"

"Yeah, now; come on… shower. I'll set you an outfit out Linds"

"Thanks baby"

He shut the door to and smiled. She was such a kid sometimes.

He picked out some grey slacks and a nice pink top that was just enough to reveal something for him to notice, but she was nicely covered for work. He smiled to himself _"Maybe I should pick Stella's clothes out, more often"_

He laid everything out and closed the door to as he headed downstairs, he glanced at the calendar. It had a slight star in the corner of today's date, but why?! He couldn't put his finger on it. If he had needed to remember to do something he would have written it. But so would Lindsay. He sat down after he put the waffle for Lindsay in the toaster.

It wouldn't be anyone's birthday, because they'd write it... Then, he realised, it was today, 17 years ago that her friends died.

He sat eating his "Nuts and More" cereal, debating whether to say something, let her know that he figured it out. She walked into the room, smiling at him in the outfit he'd picked out. She hovered by the toaster and caught the waffle when it popped out.

"Nice catch Montana-"

She put it on the plate and smiled, picking up her coffee and she sat down at the table.

He opened his mouth, but the words wouldn't come out. He saw her look at him, and he looked down.

"Danny, its fine, I know you know, stop trying to think of something to say, I'm fine"

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"If you've noticed, it's not exactly something I talk about really"

"I know, I know, but still, you could have just said."

"Danny, what's the point? I'm fine, come on, we're gonna be late"

"Lindsay, shall I call Mac, get you the day off?"

"No"

"He'll understand Linds"

"Yeah, I know I don't want the day off; I haven't been to work in over a month, with being in Montana and the wedding... I miss it. Don't baby me Danny, I can deal with it"

"I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I am, and if I change my mind, and I want to come home, I'll tell you okay. Just let me forget about it okay?"

"Anything you say Mrs Messer"

They ate the rest of their breakfast in comfortable silence, and she loaded the dishwasher with Danny's plates while he was reading the paper

"I could have done that Montana"

"I know, I wanted to do it for you"

"Yeah. Okay, just don't make a habit of it. My mom always taught me to do my fair share"

"Yeah, and have I ever mentioned I'm glad she did?"

* * *

"Alright Danny, Lindsay?" Mac knocked as he walked into their shared office

"Hey Mac, we got a case?"

"Yeah, a shooting downtown; 16 year old Vic,"

"Flack already there?"

"No, he's at a scene uptown, he'll meet you there though"

Lindsay nodded and walked out of the office

"What's the matter with her Danny, everything okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine Mac."

"Your wife doesn't seem to agree Messer"

"No, honestly Mac, it's nothing; she's fine"

"Well, make sure you look after her Danny"

"When do I not look after her" he smiled heading in the direction of the locker room after Lindsay

* * *

Lindsay opened the car door and jumped down,

"Ahh, the resident newlyweds"

"Hey Flack, what do we have?"

"16 year old,"

"I'll canvas the area" Lindsay said before walking off

"Hey, Danny, she okay?" Flack asked motioning towards Lindsay

"She will be, you know her Flack, she deals with things on her own"

Danny walked off; he knew he should be more worried about Lindsay's behaviour. Pick up on how she was feeling, but he knew her. When she was ready, she would talk to him, but not a minute before.

They processed the scene in silence, only speaking to each other when they needed to. Finally after the ME had taken care of the body, Danny spoke up and smiled

"Ready?"

"Yeah, I think so,"

They were walking out of the scene, when they saw Flack restraining a distraught woman.

Danny felt Lindsay take in a sharp intake of breath. "Let me get this" he said to her before handing the keys to the truck to her "wait for me in the car Linds"

He walked off before she could answer him.

"Flack, whoa, it's alright. Mrs Johnson?"

"Yes?" She sniffled between sobs

"I'm Detective Messer from the crime lab, I'm sorry, but you can't go in there, it's a crime scene, we can't afford for you to contaminate the scene."

"Where's my baby? Why aren't they releasing any details, I want to know what's going on"

Danny took a deep breath before carrying on

"Right now? At the ME's office, waiting for identification. Has an officer spoken to you?"

"Yes, like I told them, I've been out of town this week"

"Wasn't Ashley 16?"

"I don't think you're at a position to judge my child-rearing skills detective, if I choose to go out of town, I will go out of town" the woman barked.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, well, if you like, we can have a police man escort you down there, and we can make a formal identification"

Danny said and turned to walk away, he'd saved Flack's ass. That's all he had set out to do.

He walked round to the passenger side of the car that Lindsay was in, and he smiled at her, letting her know everything was okay

"We good?" she smiled, setting the car into drive

"Yeah, we're good" he smiled, reclining in the chair.

* * *

They had finished processing the evidence and headed down to autopsy to meet the distraught mother.

"You sure you're okay, I'm more than happy dealing with this; you can finish up the paperwork baby"

"Danny, honestly, I'm fine,"

"I know- but"

"But, nothing; I'm fine, let's get this done"

She strode through into the morgue, forcing a smile on her face. "Hey Sid, is the mother outside?"

"Yeah, Flack's out there with her"

"Get her ready okay?" she tilted her head towards the teenage girl

Sid nodded, and she carried on walking to get the mother, with Danny following in pursuit.

"Mrs Johnson? I'm Detective Messer, are you ready?"

The woman nodded at Lindsay, who led her into the Morgue. They made the process as painless as they could, and Lindsay led the woman back out of the morgue into the family room. Danny decided to take a back-seat; he knew he could step in if Lindsay started struggling.

They sat down in the room, and Danny positioned himself so that he was touching Lindsay, subtly, so that the mother wouldn't notice the longing touches, indicating that he was there, supporting her.

"Mrs Johnson, we're sorry for your loss" Lindsay started

"No, don't give me that, you two don't care, you both probably have a husband and wife waiting for you at home, with the kids, living a happy life, I have nothing, you don't know what it's like" she started

"Mrs Johnson, in the whole of the NYPD, me and Detective Messer understand exactly what you're going through" Lindsay tried to console the woman

"What other speeches do you have written down there?!"

"Speeches?"

"Yeah, speeches, what the hell else do they tell you to say? To console grieving mothers?"

Danny looked at her; he could tell she was finding it hard to hold it together.

"Excuse me-"Lindsay said, getting up and walking out of the room

"What the hell's her problem?" the woman started as the door shut behind Lindsay "All I was saying was the truth"

"Yeah, and so was Lindsay, we know what it feels like, to lose someone that close to you. Because we have, that's what she was trying to say,"

"Again, another speech detective?"

"Actually, no, because the little boy I used to look after, and who I loved like my own kid died a little over 7 months ago, and Detective Messer's friends died right in front of her today, 17 years ago, so, actually, we do know what it's like, and believe me, I do hold my heart felt's sympathy, because no mother should lose their child, but you know what, you're not the first, and I suspect you won't be the last. Now, if you'll excuse me, Detective Flack will be in a few minutes to get your official statement, I'm going to find my wife"

He stood up and headed up to the crime lab, not holding a second thought for the woman

He glanced round the lab, not seeing her in Trace, DNA, AV or their office.

"Mac,-"he stopped the older man on the corridor "You seen Linds?"

"I saw her walking towards the locker room about 5 minutes ago"

Danny turned without saying a word and headed for the locker room, leaving a confused Mac.

"You're welcome" he shouted smiling as he turned back to his evidence.

* * *

Lindsay ran straight for the locker room, hiding her tears from passers-by. She had held it in all day, but everything had built up, finally she had to let go.

She pushed open the door to the locker room, and slid down the lockers, taking her head in her hands, and curling her knees into her chest; like she did back in the diner.

She looked up and heard someone getting into the shower.

She kept the sobs quiet and sat in the silence, just listening to the sounds of the water. Until she heard the radio start playing, she looked down, and set her head against her knees, and listened to the song

_You're not alone _

_Together we stand _

_I'll be by your side _

_You know I'll take your hand _

She felt someone take her hand and sit next to her. Someone she was quite familiar with. She looked up and smiled at him through her tears. He had taken her hand, and was slowly moving his thumb up and down her hand in a calming gesture. She let him wipe her tears away and she leant her head on his shoulder as they listened to the song, sat on the locker room floor

_When it gets cold _

_And it feels like the end _

_There's no place to go _

_You know I won't give in _

_No, I won't give in _

"What happened in there Linds? You were doing so well". She put her finger to his lips; she moved her hand to his chest, slightly gripping his shirt, resting her head on his shoulder, while he brought her closer into him, supporting her. They sat and listened to the song that was filling the locker room

_Keep holding on _

_Cause you know we'll make it through, _

_We'll make it through _

_Just stay strong _

_Cause you know I'm here for you, _

_I'm here for you _

_There's nothing you can say, _

_Nothing you can do _

_There's no other way when it comes to the truth _

_So, keep holding on_

_Cause you know we'll make it through _

_We'll make it through, _

He hesitated again, but spoke up, "You know Linds, I'm always here for you".

She nodded against his shoulder, all the while taking the song in.

_So far away _

_I wish you were here _

_Before it's too late _

_This could all disappear _

_Before the door's closed _

_And it comes to an end _

_With you by my side _

_I will fight and defend _

_I'll fight and defend, yeah, yeah _

He felt her open her mouth, and hesitate. He didn't want to scare her by moving quickly at the prospect of her speaking, but he couldn't help it. He sat up, and looked at her. Her face was stained with tears, made it all too painful for him, watching her go through the turmoil all over again, like she did, every year.

And just like every other year he was there, holding her, wiping her tears away.

She looked up at him through her tear filled eyes she smiled

"I will Danny"

"You will what?" he smiled whilst sitting himself on the bench

"I'll fight when you're by my side"

"I know, you will Lindsay, you always do. You always come out the other end"

She nodded and she reached out for him, and he pulled her onto his lap and she curled into him.

_Keep holding on _

_Cause you know we'll make it through _

_We'll make it through _

_Just stay strong _

_Cause you know I'm here for you _

_I'm here for you _

_There's nothing you can say _

_Nothing you can do _

_There's no other way when it comes to the truth _

_So, keep holding on _

_Cause you know we'll make it through _

_We'll make it through _

Danny brushed her hair out of her face and pulled her chin up, so that she was in line with his face. "I know nothing I say can bring them back Montana and what I say probably doesn't help, but, if I could-"

"I know you would Danny, and honestly the things you do say, they get me through days like today"

He smiled, and pulled her head back into his chest, rocking her slightly as the tears still rolled down her face.

_Hear me when I say _

_When I say I believe. _

_Nothing's gonna change _

_Nothing's gonna change destiny _

_Whatever's meant to be, _

_Will work out perfectly _

_Keep holding on _

_Cause you know we'll make it through _

"Everything will work out Linds, you know that"

"I know, it's just every year, I promise myself I won't get upset, but I do."

"You don't always have to be so strong you know Linds, you can cry every once in a while. I won't think any different of you. For better-"

"For worse" she smiled finishing his sentence "I know you won't think of me any different"

"Well then, it's okay to cry. I'll sit with you, hold you, and wipe your tears away. Hell, I might even cry with you. I'm here for you"

"I know"

_We'll make it through _

_Just stay strong _

_Cause you know I'm here for you _

_I'm here for you _

_There's nothing you can say _

_Nothing you can do _

_There's no other way when it comes to the truth _

_So, keep holding on _

_Cause you know we'll make it through _

_We'll make it through _

She wiped her tears away, as the music faded. She moved off Danny's lap and simply rested her head against his shoulder, waiting for the next song to come on.

Only, it didn't.

"_Now, I had a quick request from a Detective Messer, to another Detective Messer." _The DJ started

"_Montana, he wants you to hold on, everything will work out perfectly in the end, you'll be okay." _

She turned to him and he had a smile plastered across his face and a sparkle in his eyes.

"You never cease to amaze me Danny"

"I got a problem-"he smiled

"A problem?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna need that tape back"

"Why?"

"Cause I'm gonna have to add this to the end aren't I?"

"Maybe you can teach me how to play it, and you can sing"

"It sounds like something I could do. You okay now baby?"

"I will be, so long as you're here for me"

"Always, always"

"We gonna get back to that evidence Danny?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll meet you out there"

Lindsay smiled and brushed her trousers off and wiped her tears away and headed back into the lab

Watching her go, Danny smiled, "You can come out now Don"

"Man, I swear, I'm gonna kick your ass."

"Don-"

"No, Danny, no, my pants are soaked from having to turn that shower on. That was one soppy song Messer, and me pretending to be a DJ? Do you know how lame that was?"

"You could have just said no when I asked you if you were in the locker room"

"I know, the one time Adam spills crap over me, you manage to rope me into your plans-"

* * *

Lindsay was sat in trace, still smiling to herself.

"You look happy Mrs Messer"

"Hey Stell, it's nothing, just Danny and Don cheering me up."

"Don?"

"Yeah, did you know he has incredible DJ-ing skills?"

"I better tell Mac, I don't think that was on his resume."

The two girls laughed as Danny and Don walked into trace. Stella winked at Lindsay and smiled

"Hey Don, what time you get off?"

"Me, I get off at 6, what about you Stell?"

"Same, fancy doing something tonight?"

"Sure, Dinner?"

"No, there's a DJ course I want to go to downtown, I heard somewhere you were a pro."

Flack looked at Danny, who was looking at Lindsay

"Linds, you knew?"

"Don't worry Danny, it was sweet." She smiled as her results came through

"Brilliant" she jumped off her seat, kissed Danny's cheek and headed off in search for Mac.

"Well," Don started "Montana's back" he smiled as he walked away leaving Danny shaking his head.


	59. Lindsay, Go home

**A/N: No, i havent forgotten this fic :) Just have a slight writers block atm, and them prompts are fun to play around with...**

**Any input for the future chapters would be hugely appreciated guys :) **

* * *

Lindsay sat in her office blinking at the clock as it ticked away seconds. 

"Messer, what are you still doing here?"

"Hey Mac," she yawned, straightening up from her office chair, "Just waiting for trace"

"When did your shift finish Lindsay?"

Lindsay glanced back at the clock, "erm, 6 hours ago"

"What are you still doing here then?"

"I- I don't know Mac"

"Come on Lindsay, what's the problem?" he said, whilst sitting on the couple's couch in their shared office

"It's nothing, really." She smiled politely and turned back to her CODIS search

"Lindsay,"

"Yeah Mac," she said, not turning around

"It's okay not to want to go home without Danny being there"

She slowly closed her eyes and sighed. She had forgotten how well Mac actually knew her.

"Can't fool you can I" she smiled

"Lindsay, hate to break it to you, but, I'm a trained investigator, plus I saw the look on your face when he told you he was taking off into Manhattan for a night out with the 'boys' "

"I haven't been home without him yet, and it's such a big house to be there all on my own,"

"Lindsay, its fine, but, you need to go home sometime." Mac smiled whilst slowly standing up.

"If I need to crash I'll just-"

"Your office couch does not count as a decent night's sleep Lindsay. If you don't want to go home that bad, call Danny, see where he is. Ask if you can meet him somewhere."

"I don't know Mac, I aint sure whether I just want to-"

"Lindsay, I don't care what you do, just get out of my lab." He smiled. "I don't want to see you until Tuesday morning for your next shift"

"But Mac, the Johnson case-"

"Stella has no assigned case, I'll brief her tomorrow morning. Go Lindsay, find your husband, and make sure he isn't drinking New York dry with Flack-"

"Mac!" Lindsay smiled, "Never thought I would hear that coming from you, ever-"

"Yeah, well, I'm off the clock" he smiled, undoing his top button.

"What are you doing here still then?"

"Paperwork"

"Well, I'll make you a deal, you go home, and I'll call Danny and meet him somewhere"

"Alright, deal. But it's just because I don't want you sleeping on a leather couch,-"

Lindsay smiled and reached for the office phone as he turned for the door

"G'night Mac-"

"Night Lindsay-"He smiled, as she turned and began to dial Danny's number. He contemplated walking away, but, the smile plastered across the young CSI's face drew him in. He watched the smile slowly grow across her face, when Danny obviously answered. Slowly shutting the door too, he glanced around the lab, he headed back to his office, but, when he heard the sounds of Lindsay's laughter, he turned, and headed for the locker room to get his stuff.

His paperwork would still be there in the morning.


	60. Night Out

**A/N: I had temporary writer's block with this fic. But, i have a few ideas now :) Anything you guys would like to see, drop me a line. I'm in desperate need of inspriation:)**

**_FYI: Italics are Danny and Flack on the phone,_**

**Enjoy:)**

* * *

She smiled inwardly, sensing that Mac was still stood at the office door. 

She was focusing on the ring of the phone, willing herself not to laugh, until he answered…

"_Lindsaaaayyy baby, how you doin'"_

"I'm fine Danny, how are you?" she laughed, humouring him.

"_I'm a little drunk Montana"_ he hiccupped.

"Really?" she smiled down the phone "I'd have never of guessed"

"_Yeah, me and Flack are playing pool. Don't worry though Montana, I aint betting that he'll win me. I don't think he has Benjamin's to bet me anyway"_

"Danny, the whole reason that night happened was because you didn't have a Benjamin-"

"Yeah, well Flack's something better would be a beer and a slice Montana"

She giggled, even in his drunken state; he could hold his own in a bantering session.

"_Montana, I think you should come out. Flack's boring when he's drunk. When you're drunk I get-"_

"Danny, if you love me, don't finish that sentence, where are you?"

"_FLACK, FLACK-"_he screamed into the receiver causing her to pull the phone from her ear, laughing. She heard him ask where they were, and carefully she moved the phone back to her ear.

"_Hey Monroe"_ Flack slurred

"Hey Flack," she smiled "Where are you guys?"

"_Somewhere on Broadway"_

"Longest street in the world Flack, I'm gonna need a little direction"

"_I don't know,"_ he whined _"Ask Danny"_

She rolled her eyes, "Fine, could you put Danny on then?"

"_Yeah"_

She waited for a few seconds, but she just heard music

"Flack?"

"_Yeah,"_

"Danny, give Danny the phone!"

"_Crap, yeah, sorry Linds"_

She laughed as he and Danny tried to pass the phone from one another in their drunken states

"_Montana?" _

"Yes Danny?

"_Yeah, we don't know where we are"_

"Alright, well, stay where you are, and I'll find you."

"_Okay, sounds good Montana"_

He must have either hung up, or dropped the phone after that, causing it to disconnect, and, judging by the loud thud, she heard, she was thinking it was the latter.

She quickly tidied the office, switched the light off, and headed for the locker room.

Opening her locker where she kept her spare clothes she groaned, apparently she had forgotten to bring some new clothes in. She did however, have a nice, short denim skirt she had once brought in last summer. She grinned as she slid into it, even in Danny's intoxicated state, he'd love it.

She went for the locker next to hers and typed in the combination. Luckily, he kept his stocked with shirts. She went through them until she found a khaki green, button up one.

"Perfect"

She quickly buttoned it up, and took out her belt she had brought weeks ago, and fixed it just around her waist, so the shirt didn't look too manly.

She reached into the bottom of her locker and pulled out a pair of heeled boots, she kept in there in case of emergencies. Applying the final touches to the outfit, she smiled and headed towards the AV lab.

"Adam" she smiled, knocking on the glass lightly.

"Hey Linds-ay, you uh, you going anywhere, uh, nice?"

"Just meeting Danny, you couldn't do me a favour could you?" she smiled

"I'm a- uh- yeah sure, what do you want?"

"Track Danny's GPS for me will ya? He and Flack couldn't figure out between them where they were"

"Yeah, sure"

Quickly, he typed in Danny's number and pulled up where they were.

"Liquid" he smiled "It's a new club. Apparently it's really nice. Have a good night Linds"

She grinned excitedly and kissed him on the cheek, before smiling "Thanks Adam you're a star" and, with that she ran out the room and headed for the elevator.

"Its how I roll" he smiled to himself.

* * *

She quickly hailed a cab and asked for the new club 

"So, meeting anyone nice?"

"Yeah," she smiled at the taxi driver's attempt of making conversation "I'm meeting my husband and our best friend"

"Sounds nice-"he trailed off

She sat in a comfortable silence until he pulled up outside the busy nightclub.

"How much?" she asked

The taxi driver turned his attention to the violent knocking on the window

"That should cover it" Danny threw a $20 at him "Keep the change"

He staggered and opened the door for Lindsay, and gave her his hand to help her out.

Not noticing what she was wearing, he pulled her into a hug, and then pulled away again. Flack however _did_ notice the attire Lindsay had acquired since they had left the crime lab at 6.

Danny glanced at Flack, who was now oogling Lindsay, Danny turned his attention to Lindsay, and his own mouth dropped.

"Damn" Flack started, regaining coherent thoughts. "Messer, you have yourself an extremely hot wide"

"Hey," he punched Flack's shoulder "she's mine. Get your eyes off her"

Lindsay laughed at their drunken states

"Come on boys, let's get you inside-"

She smiled as they both took her arm, and led her inside, all the while stumbling.

Once they were in the bar, Danny took her hand and pulled her into him as they headed towards the dance floor

"Aren't you going to buy me a drink Danny?" she yelled over the music

"Flack's on it Montana, White wine am I right?"

"Sure are"

"I see you raided my locker" he grinned, tugging on her shirt.

"Yeah, I thought it looked better on me" she grinned her very own Messer grin right back at him

"Yeah, well, I think it looks even better on the floor." he wiggled his eyebrows at her...

"You would" she laughed hitting him on his arm

"You uh, fancy going home Linds? I wanna show you where exactly it goes on the flo-"

"Danny, unless you sober up drastically, you aint getting nothing better than a goodnight kiss cowboy"

"Looks like I'd better go and splash some water on my face and get some fresh air" he grinned. "I'll be right back baby"

She nodded, and turned to glance around the bar for an empty booth where she could sit down in.

All of them had been taken up.

She headed to the other side of the bar, in the direction Danny had headed off in. Glancing at the booths, she saw a group of people that looked distinctly like the team, brushing it off; she turned and looked towards the bar to see where Flack was. But, she couldn't see him anywhere.

Suddenly, she was caught off guard, and a blindfold was forced around her.

For a second, she panicked. Until, she took in the familiar scent around her.

"Danny, get this thing off me jackass"

She felt him moving her and turning her around

"Just walk with me Montana"

She walked instep to him, and he positioned her, just right, before taking the blindfold off. A grin plastered itself across her face

"I _knew_ it was you guys" she exclaimed

"Really?" Mac grinned. "What gave us away?"

"Stella's hair" Lindsay laughed.

"Hey," Stella whined

"What, so we're having a night out then?" Lindsay smiled whilst she slid into the booth next to Danny and Flack.

"Actually, it's more of a housewarming party without the mess the day after." Adam smiled

"Oh right, so you were in on it as well?"

"Yeah, that's why I was shocked when I saw you in AV,"

"You were shocked? I thought you were just a bit embarrassed because of what I was wearing."

"Nah, I know Danny would kick my ass if I tried anything"

"You got that right Ross"

"So, you two, you're not drunk" Lindsay asked pointed at Flack and Danny

"Not had a drop yet Montana" Danny smiled.

"Well," she signalled the waitress over to their table "We have some drinking to get done don't we?"

Danny laughed at how Lindsay had become distracted with ordering the drinks.

"Didn't suspect a thing did she?" He asked the team

"Not a thing" they laughed in unison, attracting Lindsay's attention.

Danny looked over at Lindsay, who had now turned back to the conversation. She was smiling and laughing, and he couldn't help the beaming smile coming across his face.

The people that made up his life were all around him, joking, laughing and having a good time together.

_Now, where were them beers? _

**A/N: Throws bag of M&M's to Twinkeyrocks for making me write this chapter up :)**

**And all the reviewers get huggles and M&M's too :) you guys make my day! I hope I haven't missed anyone in my recentreplies. if i have, i'm sorry. and Thanks:) Every review means alot:)**


	61. Drunken Montana

"Montana, come on, you have work tomorrow"

"Just one more bar Danny, pleasseee" 

He picked her up, and carried her to the door.

"Danny,"

"No, Montana, come on."

She sighed and attempted to hit his chest, all the while failing miserably 

"I'm gonna kill Flack" his mumbled to himself.

"Where is Flack Danny?"

"Don Flack decided he'd get you fresh, and then leave me to deal with it. Stella's taking him home now. Apparently you two can't handle your drinks" he explained sarcastically.

"Don wanted to get me drunk?"

"No, Montana, I was just kidding. You two wandered off after your 6th beer, and decided it would be fun if you both raced drinking shots. I found you both 10 minutes later and you had managed to muster up at $90 tab. Which, by the way, I'm getting Flack to pay me back for."

"Danny," she hiccupped as he helped her into the SUV "tell me everything tomorrow, right now, I'm aint listening."

Danny laughed, "Yeah, yeah sure thing Montana. You go to sleep alright?"

He was just glad he had taken the initiative of not drinking, so that he could drive them both home, safely. He even dreaded to think about how on earth they would have gotten home if he would have been as drunk, as what his wife was. If she even fell into the category of drunk. 

He pulled up at the stop light, and glanced over to the passenger seat, and he laughed. Even in her drunken, make-up smudged, messy hair state, she looked beautiful. 

The beeping from the car behind pulled him out of his revere and he carried on, heading towards their apartment. 

He pulled up outside, and took the keys out, before heading around to get Lindsay out. Slowly, he unbuckled her belt, and picked her up, while she stirred slightly, and wrapped her arms around his neck. 

He stumbled slightly up the stairs, trying to support Lindsay's and his weight, as well as her purse, not to mention him, himself. 

He signalled for Jeff to open the door, and smiled at him. Only for Jeff to look at him in a way Danny couldn't describe

"What, you aint never seen someone carrying their wife before?" Danny grinned

"Yeah, plenty of times Messer, I just aint seen them carry them to their wrong house before."

"What you- shit,"

"Yeah, shit indeed Messer, aint it like a 30 minute drive to your new place?"

"35 actually, damn, talk about automatic pilot huh," Danny smiled, 

"Yeah, want some help with getting her to the SUV?" Jeff smiled

"Nah, it's alright Jeff, I got it. We'll stop by sometime, when the Mrs. Over here is well, conscious" Danny laughed; nudging his head to the drunken Lindsay he was still holding in his arms. 

"I'll hold you to that Messer." Jeff smiled as he opened the door again for Danny.

Eventually, after having to deal with minimal traffic, Danny had pulled up into the driveway and was unbuckling her out of the SUV. Luckily, she had stayed asleep for the whole ride, now he just had the task of getting her to bed. 

He managed to get the keys in the door, and carried her slowly upstairs, making sure she didn't stir. Nudging the bedroom door open slightly, he made his way through to the bed, and set her down, lightly on her side of the bed. Making sure she was comfortable, he dressed her in one of his shirts and he covered her up and headed for his side of the bed. 

"I won't tell the team" she mumbled into the pillow as he covered himself over with the comforter

"Wont tell the team what Montana?" he said, humouring her as he settled down

"That you took us to the wrong apartment" she smiled, before rolling over and going back to sleep.

Boy, he was looking forward to her hangover tomorrow morning. 

* * *

**A/N: Right, so I've done exactly what I didn't want to do and post all my chaps before I had any written. Hence why it's been a while since I updated. But… We have chapters now people, and I'm sure you'll love them… **


	62. The Impact

"Montana, you sure you don't want me to drive you?"

"Danny, I'm fine it's like 3.30, I'm over my hangover, and I'll see you at 6 when you get into work"

"Alright Linds, I love ya" he said, settling, knowing he wouldn't crack her

"Yeah Danny, I love you too" she smiled as she gave him a quick peck on the cheek as she headed out the door.

He watched her from the doorway as she climbed into the SUV, set her bag down and setting the radio to her station. Danny shook his head, every time she got drunk, he expected a hangover, and yet, through the 4 years that he'd known her, it'd never happened. He was just hoping Flack was suffering from an intense headache, or at least he would be, once Danny Messer had gotten his hands on him, and after he had paid him that 90 dollar tab he had mustered up.

He lifted his hand in the 'cool guy wave' as she pulled out of the drive, and drove away.

He chuckled and pulled his phone out, and clicked onto his text messaging, grinning at his message.

Miss you already, D x

He tucked his phone away and headed upstairs to start the list of jobs Lindsay had left him, starting with the bathroom.

* * *

The beeping from her phone was driving her crazy. Yes, she knew she had a message. It didn't need to beep every damn minute to remind her . Damn department issue phones.

She pulled up at the stop light, got her phone out and smiled at Danny's text, reminding herself to call him when she got to the lab.

She set her phone on her lap, as the light changed, and set the SUV into drive, but, she waited a minute, noticing the delivery van that was coming towards her was seemingly out of the driver's control. She braced herself, getting ready to spring into action to help the driver once he had crashed. She let her finger hover over the speed dial connecting her to their home phone, knowing that Danny he'd get there quickest to help her.

She took a sharp intake of breath, she had taken her eyes off the delivery van for around 20 seconds, and by the time she looked up again, she knew. She braced herself, ready for the van hitting her SUV. She felt the impact, and then, nothing.


	63. You Know Where I'll Be

**A/N:** Hey! Well, before twinkeyrocks reviewed, i had an even 400 reviews. so i just wanted to stop and thank eveyone who has taken the time to review the chaps. I never, ever thought i'd get 400 reviews. Baring in mind this was a two-shot :P So thankyou to everyone who not only reviews, but the people that read it too :)

And Nothatrose, dont worry, the title i guess is a little out of date now, its nothing to worry about :)

A big, special shout-out to Twinkeyrocks, without her, i wouldnt get half the chaps that i do done. Hugs babe! you're the best!:)

I was going to reply personally to everyone that reviewed, but, well, real life took over.

OT, a little, but, i was thinking that i wanted to change the fics name. Nobody has any suggestions do they? :)

so... anyway. here's your update. :) And, cue end of rant... :)

* * *

"_Come on guys, get a move on, we need to get her to a hospital"_

She tried to open her eyes, but she couldn't, the blinding pain she was feeling in her arms and legs was preventing her from breathing, never mind opening her eyes. She took a deep breath, trying to overcome the light-headedness that was slowly taking over her. Then, she felt a sharp prick in her arm, peeling her eyes open, to glance at her arm, she saw an IV.

An IV? Where the hell was she? And, why was it that she could hear Flack?

She reopened her eyes, but everything was distorted

"Danny?"

"No Linds, It's Flack, Dan's coming though Kid. You were in an accident, we're gonna get you to a hospital"

"Where's Danny, Flack?"

"He's coming Lindsay, you called him just before the crash. He heard it happen"

Lindsay could feel tears rimming her eyes, "I need Danny, Flack"

"I know kid, he's coming" he consoled her, all the while his voice and heart was breaking, watching her in the panicked state.

"No Don, you don't get it_, I need him now_ , I need to tell him I love him"

"Lindsay, stop it, you're gonna be fine, we're on our way to the hospital Linds, just hang on"

"_Blood pressure and heart rate dropping, she's going into shock"_

Lindsay's eyes slowly fluttered shut, and Flack's heart missed a beat.

"Do something, she's flat-lining" he screamed at the paramedic. He couldn't lose Lindsay; she was Danny's girl, and one of his best friends.

"Sir, sit back. 180-clear"

Flack stared at the monitor. _Nothing_

"210-stat"

_Nothing_

"220"

Flack felt tears fall down his face as the heart monitor filled the ambulance with beats.

"Get her, _to a hospital _ _**now** _ You have 5 minutes before I come up there and drive this piece of crap to the hospital my damn self" Flack barked

"Detective, I need you to calm down" the paramedic warned

"Look, buddy, when you've watched your best friend's girl lose her heartbeat, and you stay calm, then you can 'detective' me, until then, I suggest you get her through traffic a damn sight quicker" Flack caught his breath back and tried to smile a disorentated Lindsay

"I'm here Kiddo, i'm here"

4 minutes and 30 seconds later Flack was watching the paramedics wheel Lindsay out of the ambulance and into the ER, leaving Flack stood helpless, sobbing and almost lifeless.

He turned to see Danny sprinting from the car park to where he was stood by the entrance.

"Where is she Flack?" Danny yelled, as he got closer to the entrance.

"They just took her in" he motioned towards the entrance

"How is she, is it bad? She's okay right?"

Flack closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he answered him

"She flat lined on the way here, she'd gone into shock"

The tears that had been previously been rimmed in Danny's eyes were now falling freely down his face

"She's okay though?"

"Yeah, yeah, they brought her back" Flack reassured him.

Danny sniffed his tears up.

"I'm going to find her Flack, She needs me, you know where I am"

And with that, he turned and ran straight for reception in a hospital Danny Messer knew all too well.


	64. At The Hospital

**A/N: I know i havent replied back to you guys, and im sorry.**

**Thanks to twinkeyrocks for reading the early preview. :)**

**Enjoy!:)**

Danny halted at reception "I'm looking for A Lindsay Messer, I'm her husband, Danny" he sniffed, wiping his tears away

The nurse leisurely looked down at her records "Sorry, who are you looking for?"

"Lindsay Messer" Danny barked, growing impatient

"Ah, car accident, just been admitted. Yeah, what did you say your name was?"

"Danny Messer, her husband?" he looked at her, surely she could have put the two and two together.

"Yeah, I can't give out any information yet Mr Messer"

Danny narrowed his eyes. Was this girl for real? He pulled his badge out and flashed it at her

"What about now? Either you tell me where she is, or I'm looking myself, either way, I'm finding out" Sure, it was a cheap shot, but this was Lindsay, and he wasn't gonna just stand around.

"They're currently running some tests, if you go to family room 210, I'll send a doctor to let you know when they know anything"

"See, that wasn't so hard" he mumbled, noticing her look of annoyance he groaned "thanks" half-heartedly and headed towards room 210. He didn't want to face the team yet, he couldn't face the team yet. He wanted to be alone.

He glanced into a patient's room and saw what he thought was a crying mother and a father comforting her. Her parents, Lindsay's parents. He needed to call them, but, what would he say? What could he say?

He sat down in the uncomfortable hospital room, and tapped his feet anxiously. He glanced around the small, blue room and realised what room it was. The room the Messer's had, had when Louie had been admitted here. He put his head in his hands, and let the tears release, he breathed out the regret he had for not taking Lindsay to work, for not holding her for that extra minute in bed, that would have consequently made her a minute later.

He heard movement at the doorway and glanced up to see the whole team stood there, all with tear stained cheeks.

"Still nothing?" Stella stated more than asked as she moved to sit down next to Danny, as the others followed her lead.

"No, apparently husbands don't need to know what their wife's condition is" he huffed

"Danny," Mac warned

"Yeah, yeah, I know, they're just doing their jobs, but Mac, this is Lindsay. She's one of our own Mac, my own. My Lindsay".

"I know" Mac said, sitting down, patting him on the back. "I know Danny"

"Danny, Flack said her injuries weren't that extensive, I'm sure she's fine" Hawkes smiled, trying to lessen the tension

"Look, I aint no doctor. How the hell am I supposed to know?"

As soon as Flack had said it, he wished he could have taken it back

"Dan, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Flack its fine"

"No but-"

"Don, seriously, I don't wanna talk about it"

Flack nodded and sat down opposite Danny

"You called her parents yet?"

"Not yet, I have nothing to tell them, I don't know how she is. I don't wanna worry them, I'll call them when I have something, let them know whether they need to fly out or not"

The team nodded at his rational explanation, and sat with their thoughts for about 30 minutes, trying to comprehend what had actually happened.

Danny, for the best part of the half hour, had sat with his head in his hands, letting the tears flow. He didn't care that the team would hear him, he didn't care that he was crying in front of his best friends and boss. He just wanted Lindsay, he needed Lindsay.

He wiped his tears away, and glanced up, only to see a Doctor entering the waiting room

"Are you here for, a Detective Lindsay Messer?" he read off the chart

"How is she?" Danny asked before anyone else could

"She's been stabilised. We found no internal injuries, but she had some extensive blood loss from her cuts, but, we're dealing with that. She also had some extensive bruising when I examined her on her arms, from the crash, she sprained her left wrist, and needed stitches just above her right eye, but she's okay, she was extremely lucky, and will most definitely make a full recovery"

Danny nodded, and thanked the Doctor, and resumed his original position with his head in his hands.

Obviously he had someone up there looking out for him. He again, let the tears fall; he began to seriously think about how close he actually was to losing Lindsay. The thought of that, killed him.

"Danny" Stella said, slightly shaking him

"Huh? What?"

"The Doctor wants to talk to you"

Danny glanced up and nodded, silently, he stood up and followed the doctor into the hallway

"If you'd just like to follow me Detective Messer"

Danny nodded slowly and walked side by side with the doctor

"Your wife, Lindsay, she really loves you" the doctor smiled

"Really, what makes you say that?" Danny couldn't help it, but he could feel the grin breaking the cracks of his exterior

"From the way she was talking about you, the way she was asking for you. With some, well, actually most of my patients, it seems like they ask for their other half because it's the expected thing to do, in this type of situation. With Lindsay, it was genuine. She really, really wanted you. A few nurses had to restrain her one time. Quite a character is your wife; she's not from round here, is she?"

"No, Montana" he smiled at having to use Montana, in its actual reference.

"Well, anyways I'll leave you to it" the doctor smiled

"Um, leave me to what" Danny laughed, looking up and down the hallway for some indication of where the doctor had taken him

"Your wife, in there" the doctor nodded his head towards the door.

"Oh, right, I see" Danny smiled

"She said she wanted to see you before the rest of the team, I'm guessing 'the team', is your colleagues?"

"Yeah, we're a pretty close knit group" Danny smiled

"Yeah, I could see that" the doctor smiled, "well, I won't keep you any longer"

"Thanks doctor" Danny smiled, offering his hand for him to shake

"It's my pleasure detective"

Danny turned and reached for the door after the doctor had walked down the hallway, only for it to open from the other side

"Lindsay?"

"Hey Danny" she smiled casually

"Don't you, "hey Danny" me, what the hell are you doing out of that bed?"

"Coming to find you" she said simply, as if they were back in the lab

"Get your cute country ass back into that damn hospital bed Montana"

She turned and giggled as she made her way back to the bed

"What took you so long anyway?" she smiled climbing back into bed, as he helped her

"You knew he was coming to get me?" he laughed

"Yeah, it was either me coming to get you, or him bringing you here"

"Linds please, can't we tone down the crazy, just a little?" he laughed

"Danny," she started

"Seriously though Linds, you scared me to death"

"I know, I'm sorry, but"

"And I don't know what I'd do if I lost you"

"I know Danny, but"

"And, I really want to make sure your-"

"Danny, would you listen to me?" she practically yelled at him

"What, Lindsay, what is it?"

She took a deep breath "Danny, they ran some tests"

"Lindsay, you're okay aren't you?" Danny had tears filling up in his eyes

"There's nothing wrong with you right, you're not sick are you?"

"Danny, listen to me" she said calmly

"Okay." He sniffed, even in the moment; he was astounded at how calm she was

"They did some tests for internal injuries"

"I know, the-"

"Danny," she warned

"Alright, go on"

"They found something"

"No, Lindsay, no, you're alright, aren't you?"

"Danny, for the love of god, listen to me. Would you just listen before jumping to conclusions? They took me for a sonogram"

"Why? What for?" He gasped, absolutely clueless

"Danny" she smiled, again, taking a breath "We're having a baby, I'm pregnant"

* * *

**A/N: so, how many of you saw that one coming? Kill off Lindsay? What kind of show do you think i'm running here people :P **

* * *


	65. Home From The Hospital

**A/N: I know it's been a while, and you'll probably have to go and re-read last chapter... But, i had to get out the angst attacking me before i posted/wrote this. And, in light of last nights ep, i have a little glimmer of hope :) so.. here's to a new chap! :)**

**And also, i'll give you guys a heads up, but i'm editing chapter 63, TatianaMik, has been amazing with her help and pointers that shes given me, and all the credit, when i edit it, goes to her. **

**And, usual big hugs to twinkeyrocks... You make me smile girl :)**

* * *

"Ready to go Linds?" Danny smiled, whilst letting himself into her hospital room

"Today?" she squealed with excitement, resembling a little girl,

"Yeah" he laughed "Mac managed to pull some strings, and as long as I am there to look after ya for 'bout a week, you're good to go today"

"Danny, you're scheduled to work tomorrow"

"Montana, I'll think of something, come on, let's get you home huh?"

She smiled as she helped her into the wheelchair and walked her out of the hospital.

"Screw this" he grinned as he got to the exit. He bent down and scooped her up into his arms "Not conventional Montana, I know"

"Well, I have to admit, I'm surprised you didn't do it in the hospital."

"Hospital policy- out patients gotta be wheeled out. I looked into it."

"Funny" she smiled, slugging him, with her good arm, in his arm as he feigned hurt.

"Where's the SUV Danny," she smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck

"I bought a new one Linds"

"I'm sorry, you did what?"

"Montana, the SUV, it was pretty beat up. I went ahead and bought a new one, the guys at the automobile shop said it'd cost more to fix it with all of the damage than to go all out and replace it"

"I uh, I kinda forgot about that, I didn't even think about the SUV Danny. I'm sorry"

"Hey, hey, what you sorry for, I can buy a new SUV, I can't buy a new Montana, Linds, its fine, you're fine, everything's good... I hated the damn thing anyway"

"But Danny, we can't afford to buy a new car, what with the baby now. Car payments? Was that wise Dan?"

"My mom paid, I didn't ask her to. I just told her, when I went to her's for dinner last night, she wanted to know why you hadn't come with me, and I kinda broke down, and told her, everything"

"So, she knows about the baby then?"

"Yeah, that's not a problem is it?"

"No, no, of course not, I just – I wanted to be there when you told her. What did she say?"

"Well, it was more screeches than anything else. After she and Pop had recovered, she practically frog marched me down to the car dealership and made me pick one out."

"So they were happy then?"

"Over the moon" he smiled

"That's nice" she smiled politely

"You just wish that you could tell your parents face-to-face right?"

"Am I that see through?" she laughed sarcastically

He held her with one arm, as he rummaged around in his pocket for the keys and unlocked the car

"When you spend the amount of time with a person, you start understand the looks in their eyes Linds, you know what they're feeling" he almost whispered as he set her down in the passenger seat

"It's just with things as big as this; I wish they were here, with me"

"I know baby, I know" he whispered into her hair as he kissed her forehead "we'll call them when we get home, alright?"

"Yeah, sure" she smiled, as she swung her legs round, letting him shut the door.

She waited for him to climb into the driver's seat, before she started talking again

"You do know my legs are working fine right?" she laughed as she realised that he had carried her across the parking lot

"Yeah, but I don't want you to have to walk around with pumpkin for 9 months" he smiled

"Um, Danny, kinda impossible for me not to" she laughed

"Alright, wise ass. What I meant was that I want to do as much as I can to help you. I wanna make this easier on ya Montana"

"Danny-"

"No, Linds, you were just in an accident, Let me help you get better, you're not wonder woman alright, it's gonna take some time. You were lucky, we were both lucky. Let me do this, alright?"

"Okay, alright, fine, you win" she smiled, knowing this was a battle she was just gonna have to deal with losing

He set the car into drive and headed home.

He wanted to take his eyes off the road for 10 seconds, to check and make sure she was okay, but he couldn't. Not with her in the car. Not now, he nearly lost her once, there was no way that was happening again. He waited to the first red stoplight and turned.

"You okay? You're quiet"

"Just thinking" she smiled, and resumed her previous position of looking out the window

_That's what I was afraid of _ he thought to himself.

He waited till the next stoplight, when he saw her pulling out her, slightly broken, cell phone

"Lindsay, what ya doing?"

"Calling my Mom Danny,"

"Linds, come on, we will when we get home, 5 minutes alright, just hang in there Montana,"

"Danny, she doesn't even know yet. She doesn't even know I was in an accident."

"Linds, just wait alright, please, just wait till we get home."

"Fine," she slumped back in the chair.

Like Danny had said, 5 minutes later, he was pulling up into their drive, and she sighed

"Please don't tell me you left the lights on for 5 days. Please?"

"Lindsay, I heard you get into an accident. Do you honestly expect me to have gone round and made sure I turned the damn lights off?"

"At least tell me you locked the door"

"As far as I know"

"I'm gonna have nothing left in my house am I?"

"Lindsay, where do you think we live?"

"I'm just used to locking my door Danny"

"Montana, trust me, in this neighborhood, nothing's gonna go walk about. Trust me."

"What you did your research?" she laughed

"Hell yeah, I looked up the elementary schools and everything"

"Oh yeah, go on then"

"Well, I can't remember right now, but I know that Liza Minnelli graduated from the high school"

"And?"

"And, that's cool right? I mean Liza Minnelli, everyone knows who she-"

"Danny-"

"Right, yeah, let's get you inside" he laughed at his Adam like mannerism of mumbling

She let him get out, before opening the door herself, and as she turned, to get out of the car, he was there, arms open, ready to carry her in

"Danny, seriously, my wrist's sprained, that's all. I can walk, my legs aren't broken"

"So?"

"So, just let me walk from the car to the house. Please?"

He sighed in defeat "fine"

She reached for the front door, after walking up the drive

"Good boy" she smiled patting him on the head as he set her bad down "the door's locked"

"I'm impulsive Montana, not stupid"

She laughed and reached into her purse for her keys

"My keys Danny, where are they?"

"We're gonna go ahead and get you another set," he smiled warmly as he unlocked the door with his

"Why, what's wrong with mine?"

"They couldn't get them out of the ignition Linds," he hesitated in telling her at first, but, she needed to know

"Oh," she nodded as tears brewed in her eyes.

"Come on Linds" he signalled to the door, hinting for her to open it

She took a deep breath before opening the door but was greeted by the soundtrack of Enchanted.

"Aw, Dan, did you plan this? Like you did with the petals when we got home from Montana?"

"No, I just left the TV on," he laughed as she slugged him, once again in the arm

"Aunt Lindsay?"

"Amy?" Lindsay looked at Danny in shock

The pitter-patter of feet, heading towards the hallway gave her butterflies

"You're back" Amy screamed as she launched herself at Lindsay

"Amy, what're you doing here?" she smiled, catching the little girl, forgetting about her wrists for a minute.

"Grammy and Grandpa brought me"

"Mom and Daddy, Danny, did you know-"she smiled rubbing her wrists where her bandages were

"In the kitchen Linds" Danny smiled "Amy, how's about you go back to watching Enchanted huh?"

"Alright Uncle Danny, Hey, Aunt Lindsay, guess what Danny did. Danny bought me some popcorn, like he promised. Didn't you Uncle Danny"

"Sure did. Uncle Danny keeps his promises" he smiled, messing up Amy's hair

"Uncle Danny" she giggled, whilst running back to the living room

"Careful Aimes, slippery floors, remember" Danny shouted after her

Lindsay blinked back her tears at watching Danny with Amy

"You called her Aimes" she said finally

"What? Girl needs a nick-name right?" he smiled, knowing exactly what she was getting at, him acting daddy-like.

"_Lindsay Messer, get your butt into your kitchen right now" _

"Coming Mama," She smiled while she let Danny lead her into the kitchen,

"Mom, Daddy, guys, what are you doing here?" she smiled, pulling them into a hug, making sure not to whack them with her support bandage

"Don't give us that crap Linds, you scared us to death, didn't she Emily"

"Oh yes you did Lindsay, I'm telling you girl, you better not scare us like that again, now sit down"

"Mom, are you telling me to sit down in my own kitchen?" she laughed

"Lindsay, I'm your mother, I'll tell you to sit wherever the hell I want. Now come on, Danny said you had something to tell us that you couldn't tell us over the phone"

"Oh, he did now?" Lindsay turned to look at Danny, who had settled in the chair next to her, smiling at her

"Yeah, come on pumpkin, out with it"

She took a deep breath "Well, Danny and I – we – I'm" Lindsay couldn't understand why she stuttering, why the words wouldn't come to her, she looked to Danny for some help.

"Me and Lindsay are having a baby guys, Lindsay's pregnant" Danny smiled


	66. Start of Things to Come

_Okay. So first off, i apologise for my recent AWOL status. Me and the muse lost sight of the story, and with the recent events, i felt a little lost with this fic. Didnt know where to take it. Still dont actually, but we're going with the flow. _

_Also, i've changed the layout of the story. For the time being, we'll be see Lindsay's pregnancy through Danny's memories, and flashbacks, hopefully it'll make sense... _

_The usual hugs and M&M's to Twinkeyrocks for being the star that she is, and letting me bounce ideas of her, and helping me pick out a name. I love ya girl!_

_And, so, the long awaited return of **Why'd you have to go** . _

_enjoy, and R&R. :)_

* * *

_He settled in his seat next to her and reached for a case file helping her sieve through the latest batch of possible suspects. _

_Sighing, she flicked the page over "You don't have to do that," she smiled, turning in his direction._

"_I know. I don't have to" _

"_You just want to" she finished, turning her attention back to the case file she was scanning. _

_They sat for a few minutes in comfortable silence, before she could feel him grinning next to her._

"_I know what you're thinking Danny"_

"_Oh yeah, like what?"_

"_You're gloating because I got stuck with a murder case on my first day back, where you got a good, old, open and shut case."_

"_I aint gloating. I'm just glad I can get home tonight, and be waiting for you when you finish at 5"_

"_How'd you know I want have to do overtime?" she laughed lightly_

"_Because I'm on the case with you," Hawkes smiled from the doorway. _

"_Hey" both Danny and Lindsay smiled in unison._

"_See, I missed that" Hawkes grinned, sitting down opposite them, pulling a case file from the top of the unread pile towards him_

"_Missed what," Danny asked, closing his finished file, and reaching for the next one. _

"_You guys both answering me at the same time. And, Danny acting his normal wiseass self. He's stopped moping now." _

_Danny feigned hurt, while Lindsay braced herself against the break room table in hysterics_

"_Take it he was moping while I was off then?" _

"_My vocabulary's extensive Linds, but even I can't justify with words what he's been like." Hawkes grinned, before focusing back on the case file. _

_Lindsay smile slightly in Hawkes' direction, before turning her attention back to the piece of text she had been scanning on a potential suspect. _

_They sat in comfortable silence, reading through case file upon case file searching for leads, similarities between convicted killers, and links between MO's. But, they came up with nothing. _

_Lindsay let out an exasperated sigh, and reached for the next case file, brushing Danny's hand slightly as she did so. He looked and ran a finger across her fingertips, before taking hold of her hand completely. Giggling, she tightened her grip, and rested their hands on the table, as he played with her wedding ring. She let her head fall to the crook of his neck, taking in the closeness that they were sharing, still, all the while, scanning files. _

"_I forget you guys are married sometimes" Hawkes started. "Then he pulls romantic stuff like that, that puts even me to shame." He pushed back from the table, and turned to follow up on his DNA he had dropped off about 6 hours ago. "You keep hold of her Danny. Don't let her go" he smiled, before walking out of the break room._

_Danny smiled, and turned his head to place a kiss on her forehead. "I'm not letting you go anywhere."_

--

--

"Danny. Danny, will you wake the hell up?" Danny moved his hand up to his head, and rubbed a newly forming bump.

"Montana? What the hell?"

"It's Flack Danny, wake the hell up"

"Was I asleep?"

"Yeah, you need to go Dan."

"What, why? I still have 3 hours on the clock left"

"Lindsay called."

"Oh yeah, she okay?"

"Danny, Lindsay called. As in _called._ " Flack

"Called, as in" Danny realized what Flack was meaning "She called?"

"It's time."

"Time? Don, I aint ready for this. I – she – we."

"I'll drive. Get your coat."

"Don, I'm gonna be a Daddy." Danny gasped in realization

"I know. My caseload just got a lot heavier, I got a godchild to look after, and tail for his or her Dad 24/7" he grinned, as they ran towards the elevator.

Stepping inside together, Danny punched the parking garage button numerous times, willing for the elevator to go faster. Realizing that it wouldn't, he settled for bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, trying to stay calm.

"So," Flack smiled, breaking the silence "Monroe often hit you with newspapers Messer?"

"Flack, don't even go there, alright."

"Noted. But even so, that must'a been a weird dream. You had a crazed smile on your face"

"I must'a been resting my eyes, I was remembering Lindsay's first day back at work after the accident."

"Sheesh, that's like, a lifetime ago."

"7 months, 8 days and 4 hours ago"

"What, you not kept a count on the seconds"

"Do I look that sad?"

The elevator chimed, indicating they were at the parking garage level. And meaning Flack didn't have to answer that question.

"Lights?" Flack answered

"Lights" Danny agreed as they jogged to Flack's parked car.

Closing the passenger side door, realization hit him.

"Flack,"

"Yeah buddy" Flack asked, reversing the car out of the parking space

"Lindsay's having my baby. Now."

"Yeah." Flack half laughed.

"Should I be freaking out this bad"

"Probably." He sped off, lights and sirens blaring.

"You do know if she hears that we used the sirens, she'll kill us," Danny laughed.

"Oh, and if I get you there late, she won't shoot my ass into next week?" Flack countered.

"Lights and sirens it is."


	67. Yes, Dear

_Alright, so it's official i totally suck. You guys all stuck to this fic, and reviewed, I havent got back to your reviews guys, i'm sorry... Have a chapter to make up for it though :).. And we're back on the straight and narrow now :) Promise... _

_Usual huggles to Twinkeyrocks. _

_Enjoy, R&R? :)_

* * *

_There were 3 things Danny Messer hated about being a CSI in New York City. One, being woken up at stupid early hours of the morning, and seen as it was 3.30 am, he figured this qualified. Two, he hated running and take downs, especially leaping from buildings, which of course he had just had to do, whilst his wonderful wife stood there and smiled. And three, when his said, wonderful wife, was hit on by the stupid ass that had one, gotten him out of bed, when he was otherwise engaged and two, decided to do some crazy Spiderman stunt and jump from building to building. _

"_Okay, now we've finished with that, Detective Messer and I, have a few questions for you" Danny barked_

"_But I thought you were called Messer" the guy asked, pointing at Danny_

"_That's right, I am" he grinned_

_Here it comes… Danny knew that tone of voice and wonder in the eyes._

"_So does that mean there are two Messer's?"_

"_Yeah, Detective Messer and Detective Messer" Lindsay quipped_

"_What so like two?"_

"_Yeah, you heard right, Detectives' Messer. Meaning there would be two Detectives called Messer. Seen as normally a 's' on the end of a word indicated a plural, or did you miss that, last week in pre-k?" Danny laughed, sarcastically._

_As much as he loved sticking up for Lindsay, he sure as hell was getting sick of junkies hitting on his wife. _

_One of these days, one smart ass criminal might actually figure it out for themselves, and I wont get that dumbass look as if to say 'wait, are you two married?'_

"_Aww, that's cute. Brother and sister" the suspect laughed _

_Well that's new…wait…What the fuck, brother and sister? I'll show you brother and sister jackass, if we weren't working, and on the clock, I would so…_

_Looking up from his train of thought, he saw Lindsay look at him and wink... _

"_Jesus Danny, I hope not. Otherwise what we were doing 30 minutes ago in bed is kind of illegal, well I think it was anyway, but if we were brother and sister, then hell..." she smiled, resting her hands on her slowly forming baby bump._

_Danny looked on at the jackass's facial expressions and smiled…_

_God I love her _

"_So then, Mr Watkins, Now we've cleared mine and my husband's marital status up… Where was it that you said you were last night around 3 am?"_

"_I was erm, at home, with my erm, mom." _

"_Right, do you have your mommy's number we can call?"_

_Danny smiled. This was one of the many, many reasons why he married Lindsay. _

_--_

_--_

"Daniel Messer, I hate you."

"Yes, dear" he smiled, moving the hair from her forehead

"I'm going to kill you" she threatened

"Yes, dear"

"Stop saying yes dear."

"Yes, dear"

"Danny" she barked, grabbing his shirt in her fists, tightly. "Just try me one more time. One more time Messer and I'll…"

"Mrs Messer, you need to breathe" The doctor laughed. "Could you kill your husband later?"

She let go of his shirt, and he draped his arm around the back of her, supporting her, keeping her upright.

"Danny, it hurts" she cried into his shirt.

"I know baby, I know. You're doing fantastic. Just keep going"

"I can't Danny. I can't. You do it for me" she flopped onto the bed

"Move over then" he laughed, earning him a punch in his arm.

"You're pregnant and giving birth, yet you still have time to slug me, you have to be kidding" Danny laughed along with the other nurses in the room.

"After this, it's going to be one more push okay Lindsay, get ready"

Danny took her hand, and bit down on his lip to take the attention away from the pain growing in his hand. He edged towards her, and kissed her forehead, and rested his head against hers, looking into her eyes.

"This is it Lindsay, one more push okay?" the nurse smiled

"You can do this Lindsay." Danny whispered, still looking straight into her eyes

"I can't" she cried, flumping back on the bed.

"No, Lindsay." He said, pulling her back up. "You can."

"On 3," the midwife smiled.

Both he and Lindsay took a deep breath, and while Lindsay was letting her breath out, Danny was holding his. Stroking her hand, and kissing her forehead, he willed her to carry on.

"That's it Montana, that's it."

The room was filled with silence, and Danny's heart rate increased more than what it already had been. He knew it shouldn't be silent. He knew he should be hearing his child crying for him and Lindsay. But, he couldn't.

"Danny," Lindsay cried, tearfully, her eyes silently begging him to do something.

She was cut off by the shrill screams of a newborn baby.

Danny dropped to Lindsay's side, and kissed her temple, and whispered against her hair, thanking the gods.

"She had a little bit of a delayed reaction there." The nurse smiled, handing the baby to Lindsay.

"She?" Lindsay gasped, tearfully.

"She," the nurse smiled "Say hello to your new baby girl, Mommy and Daddy"

"Hey there sweetie, hey." Lindsay half sobbed, half smiled.

"Montana, we have a baby girl" Danny mirrored Lindsay, half crying, half smiling reaction to the bundle, now held protectively in her arms.

"Do we have a name yet, or are we just going to call her baby girl Messer for the time being?"

"Oh, no. we have a name. Montana, shall I go get them?"

"Go get the team." Lindsay smiled, turning her attention back to their new baby girl.

Danny stood at the doorway taking in the sight. He had gone from husband to Daddy in less than 4 hours.

And there was no going back.


	68. Meet

__

A/N: Thanks to Twinkeyrocks for helping me with the name, and the bits that didnt make a whole lot of sense. I owe you babe! :)

Huggles to the reviewers, i think i got you all. And a huge thankyou to my anon reviewer from last chapter, i think i replied, but, wasnt sure whether it went through, either way, thankyou very much! :)

Anyway, on with the chapter! :)

Enjoy, R&R?

_What she used to hate, she'd become to love. It was an indication that everything was okay, or with the lack of it, she knew that there was probably something wrong._

* * *

_And there was something definitely wrong._

_When she had first started at the crime lab, his continuous teasing, she thought was just something that he did to annoy her, make her feel unsettled in her first few days in the new job. He was the schoolyard bully, and she was the brunt of his jokes. However, throughout her first few months, the teasing banter became something customary for them two. It was something they did. It was how they communicated, back and forth. _

_How she called him Messer emphasis, on the way she pronounced as 'sir' because of how he humiliated her. Within 50 seconds of meeting him, he had told her to call Mac sir. Luckily it didn't catch on, otherwise that could have been more embarrassing. _

_But now, they didn't have the chemistry. It had simply disappeared. Sure, they had it when they were at home, but when they were at work, it was just gone. Was he trying to play it cool with her? She knew deep down it was stupidity and insecurities talking, after all; she was Mrs Messer. Mrs Lindsay Messer. Mrs Lindsay Messer, who was having his baby._

_She looked up from her lunch and took a deep breath_

"_Are you bored of me?"_

_Evidentially she didn't chose her timing very well, as Danny had just put in a spoonful of his mom's lasagne, which had been re-introduced to the Tupperware he had been storing it in.._

"_Bored of you? Are you crazy? Is it them pre-natal Vitamins Hawkes keeps giving you? It is aint it…"_

"_Danny, we don't have fun like we used to do, like at work, when you used to tease me. You don't anymore"_

"_Lindsay, it was so that you would notice me. I couldn't think of anything else to do, other than to pull on your pigtails, so you'd take notice and argue back with me. Which, apparently worked, so now, I mean sure, I don't tease you as much, but that's only because I didn't have to anymore, I didn't realise you liked me doing it. I thought you hated it."_

"_I did. But now I know it's how you show you care"_

"_Well, looks like I'm gonna have to start teasing ya, don't want my wife thinking I'm bored of her now do we?"_

"_God Danny, sometimes you make me sound so stupid."_

"_Well, you know Montana, sometimes, you kind of are."_

_--_

_--_

Danny grinned watching the rest of their family and friends fill into the small hospital room Lindsay had been moved to. Settling himself on the bed by Lindsay, he wrapped his arms around her as she held their baby.

Gazing down for a minute, he smiled taking in the moment. Until he felt Flack kick his shin.

"Earth to Messer, I aint stood here for the good of my health, come on, what's my god-daughters name?"

Danny and Lindsay glanced around the hospital room at the eager faces of their colleagues and family members, desperately wanting to know the little girls name.

Danny looked towards Lindsay and nodded, indicating Lindsay could do the honours.

"Well, we wanted a name that meant something. But, we couldn't narrow something down that meant not leaving anyone out. And, I highly doubt my little girl would appreciate having 60 middle names to accommodate everyone" she smiled, waiting for people to laugh, but they didn't. Looking towards Danny for reassurance, and he smiled brightly at her.

"They don't understand our humor baby" he laughed, rubbing her arm soothingly, willing her to carry on.

"Well, in the end, we decided on Amanda."

Stella squeaked, and pushed her way through the small crowd. "Amanda? Aw guys that's an adorable name. Does she have a middle name" Stella gushed, hugging Lindsay then turning her attention to Amanda.

"See that was the easy part" Danny smiled, taking the lead. "We knew that we had one person in mind that we wanted to have honoured in Maddie's name, but we went through anyway and asked ourselves why we would want to name Maddie after you. No offence guys" he laughed slightly, before carrying on. "And, after a while, we narrowed it down to one person. This one person is the reason, why we are both as happy as we are. This person is the reason why we are together, and why we have this beautiful little girl."

Glancing at Lindsay, Danny nodded his head again. Lindsay shifted slightly, and turned towards the door.

"That person is you, Mac."

Mac closed his eyes for a moment, and a smile crept across his face. When he re-opened them, a single tear ran down his face.

"Me?"

"You," Lindsay smiled. "You hired me. You brought me and Danny together. You supported us, and let our relationship blossom. You gave us freedom to transition our relationship from a friendship to more than that. Without you Mac, I would still be in Montana,"

"And I would still be that hot-headed kid you constantly had to reprimand" Danny added

"And we wouldn't have our baby girl. So, on that note," Lindsay smiled, "Meet, Amanda Mackenzie Messer"


	69. Watercoolers

_Okay, so this is a personal fave chapter, not sure why exactly, but me and the muse liked it, and we agreed on something. For once. _

_Huggles to Twinkeyrocks for reading it through and squeeing along with me! :) _

_And, might be a while before the next update, nothing as long as before, but well, in between two houses at the minute, and the internets at the old house, unfortunately. So, here's one to tide you over. Hopefully, i can brainstorm some ideas, so we're back in business straight away! :) _

_Enjoy, and R&R? _

_thanks guys! :)_

* * *

_She heard him before she had seen him, which definitely wasn't a good sign. Glancing up, she saw his bobbing head as he stormed through the lab in order to reach his destination – her. _

_Quickly, she turned her attention back to her report she was writing by hand in the break room. _

"_Well, thank you." He spat sarcastically, pulling a seat up next to her._

"_Excuse me," she narrowed her brows, tapping her pen on the table. "For what exactly?"_

"_Thanks for wasting my freaking time, Montana!"_

"_Hold it right there, you wanna tell me what the hell you're talking about." _

"_You know Lindsay. You know exactly what I'm talking about." He said, throwing his chair back, and heading to the cupboard for a mug._

"_Clearly I don't, clearly I have no idea, hence me asking what the hell's the matter with you." She bit back resting her hands lightly on her 6 month bump._

"_Next time you change the freaking doctor's appointment; give me a heads up will ya. Instead o' letting me sit there like an ass"_

"_Danny, I haven't changed-"_

"_Lindsay, you did, it's on my calendar, the 17_ _th_ _. The 17_ _th_ _ is today."_

_She stifled a giggle. "Danny, you sure about that?"_

"_Positive."_

"_You might wanna check your calendar babe," _

"_You know what Lindsay, I aint in the mood for your humor right now, alright." He spat while heading towards the water cooler with his mug he had gotten from the cupboard._

"_Dan, where've you been," she asked, tentatively, trying to turn his attention away from the water cooler. _

"_Where've I been? Where have I been? I have been sat in your stupid doctor's office for the past 2 hours." He spoke slowly, emphasising every word for effect._

"_Two hours. You're kidding right."_

"_No, I was late, didn't get there till a quarter after nine, then, realized you were probably in there already, and the receptionist, was busy with Mr. Cuddlebum on the phone, again. So I didn't dare ask if you had gone in. So, instead I went and sat down. Read some Daddy magazines, got some tips and pointers, smiled at some couple, watched a mother and daughter argue about her having unprotected sex, and felt generally out of freaking place. Then, after I knew it, it'd been 2 hours, so I went over to the receptionist, and wait for it, only for her to tell me, you didn't have an appointment today. So that's why I was there for two freaking hours."_

_She didn't want to, and she was trying her hardest, but she couldn't help but laugh in his face. _

"_You wanna tell me what's so hilariously funny, Lindsay Messer?"_

"_The fact that you have your days totally messed up is kinda funny Messer."_

_He stood back, and pulled a face at her, in disgust that she'd actually suggest such a thing. "I do not."_

"_Oh yeah, really." She laughed sarcasm at its maximum in her voice. "That's why you're at work on your day off then"_

"_I'm working today. We planned the appointment around the doctor's appointment."_

"_Yeah, we did. Tomorrow."_

"_Lindsay,"_

"_Bubba, today's Wednesday. Tomorrow's the 17_ _th_ _, Thursday the 17_ _th_ _."_

"_You sure?"_

"_Positive, darling."_

"_Well then why am I here?"_

"_Exactly what I'm thinking, seen as I told you to enjoy your day off today when I was heading into work this morning."_

_Danny sighed heavily. "This is your fault." He mumbled, heading towards the water cooler. _

"_Danny – I"_

"_What!" he spat "What, now?"_

"_Nothing, go ahead honey," she smirked. _

_Shaking his head, he leant down ready to fill his cup, when he got the shock of his life. _

"_What the-"_

"_Oh yeah, sweetie, water coolers not working, Mac asked me to sit here while I write up a report making sure no-one uses it. Guess it slipped my mind." She smiled sweetly, before jumping off her seat and patted his ass._

"_But, now you're here, you can do me a favor, and take over. Might take a while for you to – to – to dry off" she sniggered, as she left him, fuming in the break room._

--

--

"What'cha thinking about honey?" she smiled into his chest, as the nurse reeled Amanda into their room.

"The day you pissed me off."

"I what?" she scalded, shifting her head towards Amanda.

"Sorry, you made me mad." He smiled kissing her forehead.

"That's better" she smiled, watching Danny take Amanda from the nurse. "I annoyed you, when?"

"Day you changed your doctor's appointment."

"Oh, you mean the day you _thought_ I had changed the doctor's appointment, but it was just you, getting ahead of yourself."

"Yeah, something like that." He sighed; half glad at the fact she hadn't brought up him getting soaked by the water cooler.

"Was that the same time you got soaked by the water cooler?" she grinned.

"Not funny Mrs Messer." He laughed.

"It's gonna be weird leaving." She admitted after the nurse had closed the door.

"What'cha mean?" he asked, rocking Amanda while he stood, contently, looking over the hospital gardens

Getting out of bed, she padded over to where he stood, and snaked her arms around him, and snuggled into the crook of his neck, sticking her tongue out at a content Amanda, lazily, but happily watching her parents banter away.

"Well, so far, I've had the nurses, you, Stell, Jess, and your Mom to help me. When we get home, it's just me you and Maddie. It's gonna, be – well, hard."

"Montana. You know damn right, it aint gonna be hard. Me and you, we make a good team. And my little M&M, well she's a good girl, especially for her Daddy, aint that right, princess." Danny cooed, giving Amanda an Eskimo kiss.

"I know, but when you're at work, it's just me and Maddie, Danny. I don't know whether I'm made out for it. To be a Mom"

"Lindsay, it's gonna take time to adjust being a Mommy. But, you're gonna be fine. You're gonna be the world's best Mom. You know that."

She smiled warmly and kissed him on his cheek.

"Sheesh, when was the last time you shaved Dan, that stubbles terrible." She scalded tracing a finger across his jaw line.

"No fair Montana, last time that happened, Maddie happened."

"And, that's a bad thing?" she smirked, taking Amanda from his arms.

"No, just saying, one baby at a time, alright?"

"I was just kidding anyway. But, still you're gonna have to shave a little, I don't want my little girl getting hurt from her Daddy's kisses, do I?" she smiled, ticking Amanda's belly.

"Alright, alright. I'm only doing it for her though. 'Cause I know you like my stubble deep down Linds."

"Damn right I do, now, take hold of my little M&M while I go shower, then we can see about heading home, how's that sound sweetie, You want to go home?"

"Damn right I do Montana"

"Danny, I wasn't talking to you." She smirked, handing Amanda to Danny, and walking into the shower room.


	70. Oops!

_A/N: Okay, so i suck. I totally 100percent suck. I cant remember the last time I posted, partially because i havent had internet, but well, yeah... Huggles to Twinkeyrocks for reading through :) and here's the usual M&M's... :) _

_Enjoy, and R&R? Thanks guys! :)_

* * *

_He lifted his feet off the coffee table so she could vacuum where his legs had been. _

_It had been 3 hours since she had thrown the duster and polish at him asking for a little help. And it had been 2 hours and 55 minutes since he had put it back under the sink in the kitchen. _

"_Danny, could you pass me that duster; you missed a bit on the wall unit. Wait. The whole unit's not been polished. Neither has the table. Danny have you actually done anything?" _

"_I went and put the duster and polish underneath the sink where it belongs." _

"_After you had finished cleaning?" she said slowly, trying to keep hold of any composure she had left in her. _

"_Well, not exactly."_

_He was saved by the bell, well the doorbell. Which technically meant he wasn't saved at all, it just meant that Lindsay had more ammunition when she was complaining about him to his mother... _

"_Could you get that?" she spat. _

_He stood up and dragged his feet towards the door. He loved his mother and he loved Lindsay. But the one thing he hated was his mother and Lindsay together._

_He clicked the door open, and was knocked over by his mother rushing towards Lindsay._

"_Linds!" _

"_Isabelle!"_

"_Yeah, Hi mommy." He shouted sarcasm clear in his voice while he was picking himself up off the floor. _

"_Hello Daniel" Isabelle mumbled before turning her attention back to Lindsay. _

"_Now Lindsay, I've brought you that recipe for the Lasagne that you tried last week. How is my grandbaby? Are you eating? You're having a balanced diet, right. No coffee." _

_Danny sat back down on the sofa, while the two women in his life were discussing the temperatures for cooking the Lasagne. Making enough room for both his mom and Lindsay, when they eventually sat down, he stayed quiet; he turned down the baseball commentary, and hoped that Flack could give him a run down of what had happened later on._

"_Daniel, why is Lindsay in an apron, is she – she's not cleaning the apartment is she?"_

_Danny looked at Lindsay for help. Conveniently she'd taken a sudden interest in the game, avoiding eye contact with Danny. He was on his own for this one. _

"_She uh- I – I was gonna-" _

_He stuttered in attempts of dodging the conversation, hoping that she would just shake her head, and turn her attention back to Lindsay's newly visible baby bump. Silently, he pleaded with the gods. _

_Please drop it, please drop it, and did I mention please drop it?_

"_You were saying, Daniel?" _

_Lindsay didn't like baseball this much. He could see the smile plastered across her face; she loved the 3_ _rd_ _ degree he was getting. He made a mental note to ask her what happened later. At least she might know. Seen as there was no chance he was gonna be able to watch the damn thing. _

--

--

He glanced at his watch as he slid the key into the lock, silently. He groaned at time his watch was telling him. 6. 30 AM. sighing, he let his burdens down, kicked his shoes off, shrugged his coat off, and hoped and prayed that Amanda was still asleep.

But, as soon as he thought it, he heard her. He smiled lightly to himself, and headed up the stairs, to see what exactly his girls were doing to make Amanda giggle as much as she was.

Turning into Amanda's room, he stopped for a minute, as the smile crept across his face. Lindsay had clearly fallen asleep hours ago, after Amanda's 2 AM feed, he figured, which now left Amanda entertaining herself in her crib.

Danny moved over towards the crib, and tickled her stomach, and gazed into her bright brown eyes. "I'll be back, alright?"

He then turned his attention to Lindsay. Gently taking the bottle from her loose grip, he moved it to the dresser, and then picked up the blanket she had draped over herself and tossed it into the laundry basket. As carefully as he could, he picked her up, and gave her a few seconds to adjust to her new position. He smiled as she wrapped her arms, tightly around him, and snuggled into his neck. He carefully tip-toed across the hall, into their room, and set her down on his side of the bed, that had already been clearly slept on.

"Dan?" she moaned, her voice sleep laced.

"Hey"

"What time is it?"

"It's real early"

"What time did you get back?"

"A while ago,"

"Did you wrap the case up?"

"No, not yet, Mac sent me home. Gave me the day. Go back to sleep, I'll wake ya up..."

"Yeah, you've said that before." She laughed lightly, "But, thanks Danny," she smiled, eyes closing as she hugged his pillow for comfort.

He quietly shut the door, and headed back to Amanda's room. Resting against the crib, he pinched the bridge of his nose, and closed his eyes for a minute. Doubles took a lot more out of him than what they had used to. He opened his eyes sighed at her content eyes, gazing up at him

"You're wide awake aint ya." He laughed as he picked her up.

"No way I can make you take a nap, while Daddy catches 20? No. I didn't think so."

He laid her on the changing table Flack and Angell had bought for them months previous. "Sweetie, you're gonna be good for Daddy today, aint ya? It's just me and Mommy, we're tired baby. So I'd really like for you to go all sleepy on me like you do with Uncle Don."

She giggled as he snapped her baby grow back together.

"Not gonna happen is it?"

She stared blankly at him, and then giggled.

"I thought not" he sighed, "You want some breakfast sweetie; see what Mommy's made for you?"

He padded downstairs, Amanda tucked protectively in his arms, as he headed into the kitchen. Opening the fridge he sighed at the emptiness.

"Well, angelface, it's looking like milk, milk, or, erm milk"

She simply stared at him.

"Well," he started kicking the fridge door shut as he kept hold of Amanda and unscrewing the bottle. "Your Mommy would have found that funny."

She started giggling uncontrollably.

"Oh, I get it, so whatever Mommy finds funny, Amanda finds funny. It's gonna be like that is it? You gonna be a Mommies girl?"

He settled at the kitchen table, and got himself comfy, while he fed Amanda her bottle, but instead of taking her bottle, she grabbed Danny's finger and sucked on it lightly.

"Amanda, I aint Mommy sweetie."

"Dan, she does it when she's being affectionate." Lindsay smiled, pushing herself up from where she had been resting against the doorframe.

"Lindsay, I told you-"

"I know, I know, but how many times a week do I get to have breakfast with my two favourite people in the whole wide world, huh?"

"Suppose I can't argue with that. And I was beginning to feel a little stupid having conversations with myself."

"It does get a little boring, doesn't it," she smiled, taking a seat next to Danny, at the circular table.

"We're kinda running low on food, Linds, I'll go later on. Get some food, grab a movie, get us a takeout maybe?"

"No, you won't you'll stay here, and get at least an hours sleep. I aint stupid Dan, I know full well, you just got home. I'll take her with me; give you some time to yourself."

"Linds, you always have her. Take the day, we'll be good. We can watch a Yankees game, take a nap. Play some poker." He smiled.

"Oh, you gonna encourage the poker playing,"

"What'cha mean?"

"Never mind" Lindsay laughed, shaking her head.

"No, Linds, what?"

"Just you wait till she's 16 and she's running out the door to Timmy 'down the road's' parent 'chaperoned' poker night. That you totally know will not be parent chaperoned, and most probably an alcohol fuelled-"

"Montana, don't remind me, alright."

She shook her head and pulled out a box of cereal from the empty food cupboard.

"Nuts and more huh?" Danny smiled

"What about it?" she asked, grabbing two bowls from the dishwasher.

"Nuts and more?"

"Yeah, what about it?" She grinned placing Danny's bowl in front of him.

"So it has no sentimental value. Doesn't pull on your heart strings?"

"Can't say it does, why would it?" she smiled, raising the spoon to her mouth.

"No reason."

"No, go on." She encouraged him to carry on.

"That's the cereal I left out for you the first time I took your shift."

"I know baby," she kissed him on the temple before getting up and putting her bowl in the sink. "I was just testing,"

"What's matter with it Montana?"

"Milk's stale."

"There's plenty in the fridge, Linds"

"Danny, that's breast milk."

"What, as in, breast milk. As in _your _ breast milk?"

She stared at him and shook her head. "Yes, as in my breast milk. Why?"

"I thought it was just milk. I've been drinking it"

She shook her head and clipped him on the back of his head, "Come on go get dressed, I'll finish feeding Amanda. We can go out to breakfast, then head to the grocery store. How's that sound?"

"Perfect," he smiled, handing Amanda to her as she sat down. "You know Linds, that milk-"

She threw the newspaper at him

"Make tracks cowboy."


	71. Eeek!

_A/N: So, apparently the muse decided against the flashbacks in this chap. so, guess that means we're back to normal for a while. _

_huggles to twinkeyrocks for the read over, and gwen24 for reminding me to post this up! :) _

* * *

He groaned inwardly as he saw the light shining into the hallway from the living room. Either she had waited up, or tried to wait up, and failed. As much as he loved to see her when he got back, he hated her waiting, thinking, wondering what time he was gonna be able to get off shift.

He padded quietly into the living room, ready to carry her upstairs, when she turned abruptly on the sofa.

"Shit Linds, you scared the crap outta me, didn't expect you to be awake. Everything's alright, Amanda's fine isn't she?"

"Yeah, fine." She spat.

"Really? Everything doesn't sound fine… you sure?"

"Rikki called."

"Rikki? As in Rikki Sandoval?"

"How many other Rikki's do we know Dan?"

"What did she want?"

"To have a nice cup of tea and a catch up. What do you think?" she laughed sarcastically.

"She wanted to talk to me?"

"Um, _Yeah_ "

"She say why?"

"Just that it was urgent."

"When did she call?"

"Few hours ago, I'll leave you to it. Wouldn't want to impose."

"No, Linds. Come on, what's the matter baby?"

"Nothing, I'm going to bed. G'night."

"Montana, wait." Danny moved towards her, touching her arm, willing her to stay.

"I said _goodnight_ , Danny."

He jumped slightly at the tone of her voice and the sound of the door slamming. He braced himself for Amanda's cries, but when he didn't hear any, he relaxed slightly. Until he saw the phone on the coffee table; what would he achieve in calling Rikki to see what was so urgent?

He didn't owe her anything. He had no links to her. Hell, he had no desire to even talk to her.

So why exactly was his instincts, insisting on him calling her.

He took a deep breath, and looked at the number Lindsay had neatly written across her note pad. Dialling the number, he waited for her to answer.

"Rikki, its Danny,"

"_Danny, Hey. I – I- I need your help."_

"Rikki, no, I can't help you, whatever you've gotten yourself into, whatever's happened, it's not my responsibility. I have my family. I have Lindsay and Amanda. I refuse to even risk losing them and jeopardise my marriage by-"

"_Danny, I'm in trouble"_

"Call 9-11 then. I aint a helpline Rikki. And I don't know who you think you are calling me and my wife at home."

"_Danny, Lucy Scott was released"_

"Yeah, and what would you like me to do about it?" he laughed sarcastically.

"_I shot her."_

"I'll be there in 30 minutes"

* * *

_A/N2: Dun-dun-dun!!_ :P

_You know i love curveballs people! :D_


	72. Closing

_Spur of the moment chapter now.. Twinkeyrocks, even you havent seen this'un.. Little surprise for ya i guess! :D_

_enjoy, and R&R?._

* * *

"_Danny, careful with her on the swings, she's only little" Lindsay mothered from the bench Danny had sat her on._

"_Read your damn book Montana. She's fine, she's a Messer. She's a tough little cookie." Danny smiled, pushing his daughter on the swings in Central Park._

"_Danny, her blanket's slipping. Danny- Danny- look alive will ya?"_

"_Sheesh Linds, I got it, alright." He laughed as he caught the blanket that had been falling to the ground. "Calm your ass down"_

_She shook her head, and positioned her book so that it looked like she was reading it, but she had a perfect view of Danny and Amanda._

_After 5 minutes of silent cringing, Lindsay watched Danny lift Amanda out of the swings, she sighed with relief until her set Amanda on her very wobbly 7 month old legs, while holding her body, crouching down in front of her, all the while, grinning at Lindsay's terror. _

"_Danny, Danny, you keep hold of her, she isn't steady yet. She's only 7 months. Danny," _

"_And, your point?" he grinned willing her to step towards him "Come on sweetie" he willed Amanda to step towards him._

"_Danny, please"_

"_Relax Montana. You gonna get this worked up over every milestone?"_

"_No" she spat, glancing down at her book, realising it was upside down. "I am not worked up" she defended turning it the right way round and re-reading the same line for the 18_ _th_ _ time to avoid eye contact with Danny's grinning face. "Not worked up one bit"_

"_Oh yeah, that right is it?" he laughed scooping Amanda up in his arms and heading over towards Lindsay._

"_Yes, that's right. I'm fine." Lindsay smiled weakly._

"_You can't lie for Wheatfield's Montana"_

_--_

_--_

She sighed as she turned the light back on and reached for her book. He was right. She couldn't lie for the life in her.

She wasn't mad with him, she was just mad with the whole situation. It was one thing dealing with what Rikki had put them through, no matter what period of time passed, it was hard... And even though Danny hadn't done anything willingly, she still felt cheated. He had turned to Rikki in his time of need. He hadn't cheated, but it still hurt like hell. And it always would, she figured. But, she loved him. He loved her. They had a beautiful baby girl, and they were happy. Rikki couldn't touch them anymore, in theory at least. Calling their home to ask for him? Did people not care about overstepping the mark anymore?

Through the hard times, when she had been mulling over the past a little too much, she reminded herself.

Danny Messer hadn't cheated on her. Never have, and never would. Period.

She could hear Danny padding around downstairs, and closing the living room door. Taking a deep breath, she shifted up the bed and rested against the headboard. She turned her attention to the door, waiting for him to start up the stairs to their bedroom.

But he didn't.

She set her book down on her lap, and listened.

She could hear the light go on in the kitchen. The fridge opening. And the sink running…

He was making tea?

She swung her legs over the side of the bed, and padded to the bedroom door, and opened it slowly.

Only for her heart to be ripped out of her chest – the sight of the front door closing.

He was going to Rikki's, and there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it.


	73. Rikki's account

_Taking a deep breath, he glanced towards Lindsay for support. Touching his arm lightly as she positioned her piece, he moved towards the door._

"_Open up, NYPD" _

"_He's running Danno." Flack barked, busting the door down._

"_Stay here Linds" Danny pleaded, hesitating before heading into the apartment_

"_Danny," she spat moving past him into roach invested apartment._

"_I said – stay outside Lindsay" he barked, trying to overtake her_

"_Danny, not here. Not now alright." she said, as she crept through the dark hallway leading to the rest of the apartment._

"_FLACK, to your left. Watch out" she screamed at the sight of their suspect heading towards Flack with a knife._

"_Danny, get her out of here" Flack barked as he fought with the suspect, trying to cuff him. _

_In the blink of an eye, Lindsay had whipped her handcuffs out, applied a little force on the back of the perp's legs, and was cuffing him on the floor before Danny and Flack could say Montana. _

"_Well Damn Messer. She aint no country girl anymore is she. Seriously, what do they feed you Monroe? Spinach?" Flack laughed, picking the suspect up off the floor. _

"_You'd be surprised" Danny laughed while helping Lindsay up off the floor as Flack kept a tight hold of their suspect. _

"_Nice collar Monroe" he grinned as she slugged him. _

"_It's Messer" she grinned catching up with Flack_

_--_

_-- _

"Danny" she gasped as she moved towards him, arms opening.

"NYPD" he showed her his badge before moving into the apartment.

"Danny, what are you doing?"

"Here to take your statement Rikki."

"Danny, I need a friend right now"

"Rikki, you just admitted to shooting someone."

"I called you as a friend Dan, not as a police officer."

"Yeah, well, I'm calling Flack; he knows the history on this. He can run with the case. I shouldn't even be here anyway." He said calmly, while pulling his phone out.

"No" she yelled, snatching the phone from him.

"Rikki, stop playing these games, alright? My wife and daughter are at home. I want to go back; I want to go be with them. I belong with them."

"Danny, I don't have anyone to go and be with. I don't have anywhere I belong. _You_ took that away from me."

"You know that's bullshit as much as what I do, Rikki. It was an accident. And you know how much I blamed myself over the whole thing. You _know _ that. Of all people, _you_ know that."

"I know, I'm sorry, it still hurts though. You can move on, you have Lindsay and Amanda. Ruben's gone Danny. He was my world, and now, he's not here anymore. Just hear me out, let me tell you what happened. Please? I can explain. It's not as bad as it sounds, honestly."

"You have 10 minutes Rikki."

"I heard knocking last night, at your old apartment, so I went out, wanted to see what was going on, nobody had moved in since you left, so I figured it was odd. Blonde woman was asking for Ruben's Dad, Danny Messer. Told me she knew he was a cop."

"She was looking for me? Lucy Scott thought I was Ruben's dad?"

"She didn't realise Ruben wasn't your son Danny, and she didn't know who I was either."

"Well, Rikki, you never met her. I thought it'd be too difficult for you, especially after Ollie Barnes. You had gone through enough."

"I know, I didn't make the connection until she said Ruben. But, I told her you weren't his dad, just a neighbour that helped me out."

"So she didn't realize you're Ruben's Mom?"

"Danny, he's not here anymore..."

"Just because he's not physically with us anymore, doesn't mean you've stopped being his Mom. He'll always be your little boy Rikki, nothin's gonna change that."

"It's just- I –"

"I know Rikki, it's hard. You don't know how to deal with the emotions, whether you should still mourn, whether you should let him go, whether you keep a tight hold of his memory. I do the same thing, even after the time that has passed. I won't say it gets easier, because we both know it most probably won't, but in time, you learn how to life with it, you adjust to what life throws at you..."

"She told me that she was sorry for my loss, but she wasn't sorry about the shot she fired. She said she would have done it again, if she had to. I thought prison was all about repenting your sins, Danny."

"It's supposed to be. It's a punishment, supposed to be a deterrent. A way to get the ones that take the innocent lives away off the streets"

"Then why did she get out Danny?"

"I don't know."

"She pulled out a gun"

"Rikki, wait, Lucy Scott pulled out a gun, when she was talking to you? Are you sure?"

"Danny, of course I'm sure. I told you it wasn't as bad as it sounded on the phone. I tried to calm her down Danny, I did, but she was shaking. She dropped the gun, and I picked it up, tried to put the safety catch on it, but before I could she went to grab it from my hands, and it went off. I swear, I didn't mean for it to happen. It just went off in my hands." She whispered, tears flowing freely down her face.

"What did you do afterwards?" Danny asked, trying to calm her down.

"I called the police, got an ambulance to come get her. Said I found her like how she was."

"Rikki," Danny warned, "You know that-"

"I know, I lied, I panicked Danny. I didn't know what to do."

"I'm passing this off to Flack, Rikki."

"Danny, what's gonna happen to me?"

"Dunno, I couldn't say Rikki, it depends."

Rikki nodded silently. "For the record Danny, I'm sorry. For everything"

"I know Rikki. It's okay, could I – could I use my phone?" Danny smiled weakly, hinting toward his phone, she was gripping.

"No, yeah sure." She handed it to him, hand shaking.

Danny speed dialled Flack, and looked around the apartment while he waited for him to pick up.

"Danny, do you- do you have a picture of Amanda?" Rikki asked quietly

Danny nodded, and rested the phone against his shoulder while he reached in his pocket for his wallet.

"Was taken last week at Sears." He nodded towards the picture he was holding of a family portrait, with Lindsay holding Amanda, sat in Danny's lap, while he was holding Lindsay, all in matching white tops. "Thought we'd get a professional one done, with her being 7 months old last week and everything. Took her to the park afterwards. Lindsay freaked out big style, I tried getting her to walk, but she's still a little wobbly" he smiled handing it over to Rikki, and retaking a firm hold of his cell phone.

"She's beautiful Danny, looks exactly like Lindsay" Rikki smiled weakly, handing the picture back.

"Yeah, she's all Lindsay. Has my fingers though, and my smile..."

"Ruben would have liked to play with her. He would have been an amazing big brother. He'd have protected her to no end. He really looked up to you, you know Danny. The Dad he never had. He loved you with all his heart."

"Yeah, he was an amazing kid Rikki, an amazing little boy. You did a good job. You should be proud of him"

"I am."

"Good." Danny smiled weakly. "That's good"

"I'm happy for you Danny. You deserve all the happiness in the world, you're a sweet man" she smiled, as she reached for his face.

He flinched away from her before she made contact with his face and turned to into the hallway.

"Flack, its Danny. I need a favor."


	74. Back from Rikki's

_Sorry about the long wait, my Mom thought she'd try and be a computer genius, and delete some files off the computer, and while she was in the process, went ahead and deleted Word. Mothers. ppff! _

_Usual thanks to the one and only **Twinkeyrocks**! :) _

_Enjoy, R&R? :)_

* * *

"_Danny, Danny, pay attention. Danny."_

"_Sorry kiddo," he smiled, turning his attention back to Ruben. "You know how girls get if you ignore them" Danny laughed tilting his head towards Lindsay on the picnic blanket._

"_Tell me about it, Erica in my class, she drives me crazy. She always wants me to talk to her. You know last week, she even asked to play baseball with me, a girl, play baseball?"_

"_It gets easier Buddy. You gonna throw that or what?" Danny grinned as Ruben threw the baseball at him._

"_Do you love her" Ruben asked quietly, nodding towards Lindsay, who was soaking up the early July heat._

"_With all my heart, why kiddo?"_

"_Just wondered, I always thought you would end up with someone like Lindsay"_

_Danny smiled warmly and moved towards him "You're the smartest 10 year old I know, you know that Rube?"_

"_Yeah" he grinned. _

_Turning his attention back to throwing and catching the ball, Danny smiled at Ruben's concentration._

"_Coach Jackson's gonna be impressed with you Bud."_

"_Danny, when you move away, will you still take me out on the weekends to practice?"_

_Danny dropped the ball he had just caught, "What makes you think I'm moving bud?"  
_

"_Lindsay's apartment's closer to the lab. It's natural for you to wanna move in with her, plus… It's more practical you move to hers, plus, it's probably a lot nicer than your place" Ruben grinned._

"_For a 10 year old, you're a smart ass, you know that" Danny laughed picking the ball up and throwing it back at Ruben_

"_I'm right though."_

_Danny pulled his glove off, and moved towards Ruben. "As long as you want me to play ball, I'll be there, I promise you alright. And even when you don't, I'll still be there, dragging your butt outta bed."_

"_Promise?" Ruben smiled widely_

"_Yeah, otherwise I got Lindsay and your Ma on my case" Danny smirked, ruffling Ruben's hair._

"_Good. Oh, Danny, there's a blessing of the bikes at the church in two weeks, I was wondering, if you're not working, could you maybe take me? I'd ask my Mom but-"_

"_Absolutely, I'd love to Ruben" Danny smiled_

"_And you won't forget?"_

"_Do I ever forget?"  
_

"_No" Ruben grinned. "No, you never forget."_

--

--

He crept up the stairs silently, as he saw the faint glimmer of light coming from their bedroom.

Knocking lightly on the door, he poked his head round the door and smiled broadly at Lindsay.

He just wasn't expecting tears to be streaming down her face.

"Linds, Lindsay, what's the matter baby. Amanda's okay isn't she. You're alright? What happened?" he said in one breath, leaping to the bed

"What did she want" Lindsay squeaked almost silently, indicating to Danny she was hurting. Hurting a lot.

"She shot Lucy Scott."

"The woman that shot Ruben?"

"Yeah, it was an accident though."

"Right," she nodded, "Like everything else she does" she chided sarcastically.

Danny just nodded. He had no idea what to do or say. All he could do was pray to the Gods that he didn't mess them up. That he didn't lose what he had with Lindsay by going to Rikki's. He didn't want to lose his girls- his world -over another stupid, stupid decision.

"You've been gone a while"

"Traffic was bad"

"You going back then?" Lindsay sniffed, turning away from him slightly.

"Linds, look at me" When she turned further away, he cupped her face and turned her to face him "Look at me Lindsay"

"I can't Danny."

He let go of her, and she flinched.

"Can't or won't Linds" Danny asked, shifting away from her on the bed.

"I can't deal with it Danny. I have to protect Amanda this time. I have to protect my baby girl, it was fine last time, I could get over you. Amanda, She needs her Daddy" Lindsay sobbed. "I can't stand here, and watch you go back and help the damsel in distress."

"Lindsay, I'm not goin' back. I passed the information onto Flack, and he's taken her to booking. My place is here, with you, with Amanda. We're a family Linds, always and forever."

"I want to believe you"

"Believe me then"

Lindsay just stared at him

"Do you trust me Linds?"

"With my life"

"Do you love me?"

"With all my heart" she sniffed.

"Then let this go. I love _you_. I married _you_. _You're_ the mother to _my_ baby girl. I'm not going anywhere, _ever_. You have _nothing_ to worry about. I love you. I'd _never_ hurt you Lindsay. Never"

"You left Danny" Lindsay whispered. "You left us"

"I came back Linds; it was only for a half an hour"

"I didn't know why you'd gone though." She shook her head and took his hand. "I'm sorry"

"Linds, you don't gotta be sorry."

"I'm feeling insecure right now. I'm scared something's going to happen. I'm too happy Danny. My life is perfect. Nothing's ever perfect."

"Lindsay, stop expecting things to happen. If they do, then they do. But we'll work together to get through them. It's you me and Amanda, Linds. I want you to know you don't got anything to feel insecure about. I'm here, and I aint leaving."

"Not even when I sob like a blubbering idiot?"

"Not even when you sob like a blubbering idiot." He grinned. He leant towards her and placed a soft kiss against her lips.

"We have about 4 hours before Amanda wakes up Linds, you wanna cuddle?"

"Don't you have work at 6?"

"I can sleep when I'm dead" he grinned,

"I thought you didn't cuddle?" she returned his grin, removing his shirt, and tracing her fingers against his visible skin between his wife beater and jeans.

Placing kisses against her jaw line, he traced his way down to her neck, when he was interrupted by the shrill screams of Amanda.

"She don't miss a thing does she?" Danny laughed, settling down on the bed, next to Lindsay

"You can say that again," Lindsay smiled reaching for her dressing gown at the bottom of the bed

"Stay. I'll get her. You go back to sleep Linds"

"I'm not so tired anymore Dan" she smiled at him,

"I'll bribe her to go back to sleep." He grinned, jumping off the bed, and heading towards Amanda's room.

"And Lindsay,"

"Yeah Danny," she called craning her neck, just so she could see into the hallway

"I love you honey"

She smiled warmly, and settled against the headrest. "And I love you"


	75. First Day Back

_Next update - enjoy :) R&R? _

"_About earlier Montana-"_

"_Hmm?"_

"_I just wanted to say I'm sorry for whatever I did"_

"'_Kay"_

"_Okay, that' it?"_

"_What would you like me to say Danny?"_

"_That I'm an asshole"_

"_You are an asshole"_

_Danny rested against the office door. "What I gotta do to make you yell at me? Why you always gotta be so cool about things, what did I do Linds?"_

"_Dunno" She sighed, as if he was distracting her from her paperwork._

"_Linds, you can just tell me, you're allowed to be mad with me…"_

"_Oh, I can, can I? Gee, thanks Danny. Thanks a lot" she spat, throwing her chair back and steadying herself._

"_And for the record Danny, I'm perfectly capable of constructing an interrogation on my own. I'm pregnant, not retarded. Humiliate me like that again, and I'll kick your ass, after I've divorced It." she spat as she headed off in the direction of the break room._

_Danny dragged his hand down his face. He was gonna kill Flack for selling him out. Following Lindsay, Danny picked up a steady jog through the lab._

"_No running in the lab Daniel," Stella laughed as she stuck her head out of the AV lab._

"_Seen Montana?"_

"_Have I seen Lindsay? Yeah…"_

"_Do you know where she went?"_

"_Yeah" Stella grinned,_

"_Where?" Danny sighed, losing his patience._

"_Break room"_

"_See, wasn't so hard was it," Danny sighed sarcastically as he made his way to the break room._

_He leaned against the doorframe and sighed. He was about to do some shameless grovelling._

"_Montana"_

"_Not interested Danny, leave me alone"_

"_Lindsay, I'm sorry. I just wanted to protect you and the little one"  
_

"_By jumping in on my interrogation? Danny you're working another damn case."_

"_Flack said he was dangerous."_

"_I'm perfectly capable of handling dangerous suspects Danny."_

"_I didn't say you weren't"_

"_No, you just took over my interrogation instead. God what are you gonna be like when I have our baby, you gonna freak out every time I pick up a test tube, in case I cut myself."_

"_I'm gonna put this down to your hormones Linds, I was just looking out for ya, I didn't know what would happen."_

"_Yeah, well you can put it down to my hormones when you're sleeping on the pool table tonight, alone. Jackass" She spat as she shuffled past him, tea in hand._

_He was going to kill Don Flack. Telling him his and Lindsay's damn suspect was violent. And now, he was sleeping solo tonight. _

"_Never get involved with a co-worker," Danny muttered to himself._

"_I was just about to come and apologise" Lindsay spat "But, seen as you put it like that" she said firmly, spinning on her heel out of the break room._

_Danny rolled his eyes at his timing. Taking a deep breath, he followed her, grovelling. "Montana, Montana, come on... wait up."_

_--_

_--_

"First day back Linds, you nervous?" Danny smiled, peering over the sports section at the breakfast table.

"Heck no, I've been going crazy." Lindsay laughed as she pottered around the kitchen, making breakfast.

"How you feeling about leaving our little M&M though?" Danny smiled, knowing that her 'pottering' around was most likely a ploy to take her mind off leaving Amanda in the care of somebody else for the first time.

"Danny, she'll be with your Mom, I'll be fine. We'll both be fine. Everything will be fine." Lindsay smiled, trying to convince him, unconvincingly.

"She calling you with updates every hour?" Danny teased.

"Half an hour" Lindsay corrected, going red.

"It's perfectly normal Montana. You haven't spent a moment away from her since she was born."

"I'm just scared I'm gonna miss her."

"You will." He sighed, setting the newspaper down and taking her hands "It'll get easier though. I managed, and let me tell you, it wasn't easy" he grinned, letting go of her and turning his attention back to the article on the Yankees. "That precious little smile, it's a killer."

"What time you in Dan?" she smiled grabbing her thermos from the counter

"11 Am. I'm gonna run Amanda over to my Mom's then heard to starbucks, get you that cinnamon swirl you love."

"Have I ever mentioned how much I love you?" Lindsay smiled against his lips,

"You talking to me, or the cinnamon swirl?"

"Both, I think. I'll see you in little while. Just gonna run and say g'bye to my baby girl"

"You wake her up, and I'll kick myself some ass"

"Empty threats Danny" she laughed, running up the stairs. "Empty threats"

--

--

--

"Is that Detective Lindsay Messer I see here in trace?"

"Hey Adam"

"Damn Lindsay, for a new Mommy, you're looking good." Adam smiled, ipod headphone sticking out of his ear.

"Thanks Adam." She laughed "Have you got my DNA back yet?"

"Oh yeah, came back to a Caucasian female. Running it in CODIS now. Should have the results in a couple 'a hours"

"Couldn't you have told me that over the phone?" she laughed, turning back to the microscope she had been analysing trace under.

"I could have, but Mac wanted me to finishing analysing your evidence."

"What? Why?"

"Said he wanted to have a word. Said it was urgent."

"Amanda." She gasped in a panicked state "Is everything okay? Where's Danny?"

"Lindsay, it's only 10.30am, as far as I know they're both fine. I have no idea what it's about."

"Oh, okay." She sighed, reassured slightly. "Th-Thanks Adam"

"No problem." He smiled, putting the ipod headphone securely back in his ear.

--

--

"You wanted to see me?"

"Take a seat, Lindsay"

"Mac, you're worrying me. What's going on?"

"Nothing Lindsay"

"Well, what's so important that it couldn't wait?"

"I got a call from the DA's office in Montana"

"Oh really? What did they want?" she asked, sitting down on the couch.

"They need you to go back and testify"

"Mac I can't, I can't go back and face Daniel Cadence, I can't do it again." Lindsay whispered, becoming increasingly emotional.

"No, No Lindsay," Mac sighed, moving to sit next to her on the couch in his office. "It's not Cadence, he's still in prison. Where he belongs. It's the McGunity killings Lindsay. They need you to present your findings again. He's up for parole, and the DA's hoping that if you re-present your findings to the jury, they'll quash his pleas."

"But Mac, I can't. I have my family. My job. I have responsibilities here, I have my life here. I can't just put that on hold."

"This is out of my hands, Lindsay"

"When?" She asked, quietly.

"They need you there first thing Friday morning."

"But Mac, today's Wednesday"

"I know Lindsay; I'm sorry, but I only got the order through this morning."

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay with me and Danny gone?"

Mac closed his eyes for a second, and sighed, "Lindsay"

Lindsay mirrored Mac and closed her eyes. "He can't come, can he?"

"I'm sorry Lindsay"

"Mac, what about Amanda?"

"He'll be on secondary call while you're gone, so he can look after Amanda. If I can help it, he won't be called in. But Lindsay I need him here in New York, just in case. I can't cope with the two of you in Montana"

"No, I understand"

"I am sorry Lindsay. If I could-"

"There's nothing you can do Mac, it's not in your hands, and it's not your fault" she smiled although tears were threatening to fall

"You and Danny take the day." Mac smiled, "Tell Danny I don't want to see him until 6pm Friday evening."

"What time does my plane leave on Friday?"

"3pm"

Lindsay smiled, stood up, and brushed down her slacks. "Thanks Mac" and pulled him into a hug.

"I'll do my best to get you home as soon as possible Lindsay."

"I know you will" she smiled, tears finally falling as she headed quickly towards hers and Danny's shared office.

--

--

"Cinnamon swirl, as promised" Danny smiled, leaning down to put the bag on her desk as he placed a lingering kiss on her neck.

After no response, he moved towards his desk that was situated in front of her "Montana?"

She sniffed lightly, and wiped her eyes. "Thanks sweetie."

"Linds, what's the matter. Is Amanda okay?"

She laughed slightly. "Amanda's fine"

"Well, what is it then?"

"I'm going back to Montana" Lindsay said quietly, tears falling down her face

"Lindsay, whatever I did, I'm sorry. Please, don't go – don't go – don't leave me – me and Amanda, we need you, I love you Lindsay, if this is-"

"Danny," she laughed, "You haven't done anything, I have to go back and testify."

"No, No Lindsay, You're not facing Cadence alone, I'm coming with you. I'm not letting you do it alone again Lindsay, whatever you do; I'm going through it with you"

"Danny, it's not him. It's a case I solved before I moved to New York."

"Oh yeah" Danny nodded, slightly embarrassed about his outburst...

"Yeah, I leave Friday."

"Friday?!"

"Yeah, Mac got the fax through this morning, short notice or what?"

"Lindsay that leaves us no time to pack; wait, you said _you_ were leaving Friday. I'm not – I can't-" he choked back the tears threatening to fall.

"You're on secondary call. Mac needs you here in New York."

"And you need me in Montana"

"I'll be fine Danny"

"Oh, that right now, is it? That's why you're clutching a picture of Amanda, and tears are falling freely down your face. Yeah, you look _fine_, Linds"

"I have no choice Danny."

"No, but you definitely get a say. I get a say as your husband, and as your husband, I'm not letting you go."

"Danny, you don't have any choice. It's just something I have to do"

"Lindsay, we need you. Me and Amanda, she needs her Mommy and I need my wife, I need my best friend Linds."

"Danny, the little girl that lost her Mommy and Daddy needs me more right now."

Danny understood, and choked back his tears. "Well, what now?"

"We're going home, and you're back in on Friday at 6pm"

"How long are you going for?"

"Just over a week"

"Well" he pushed away from the desk, sniffing his tears up, refusing to let them fall. "Let's go"

* * *


	76. Airport

_So, apparently ff updates haven't been working, so just in case you rely on the updates to read WYHTG, you might wanna go back a few chapters and catch up... Wouldn't want things not to make sense. :)_

_**D&L4ever -** thankyou for pointing that out to me. I guess it's a lack of research, and general time-keeping on my part :) Glad you enjoy it though :) _

_Thanks to those who reviewed aswell! :)_

* * *

"Linds, come on we gotta go" Danny called up the stairs as he shifted Amanda in his arms and picked up Lindsay suitcase.

"Danny, I'll be down in a minute. Go load up the truck" she called quietly down the stairs

"I have, we're waiting on you now honey"

She appeared at the top of the stairs, with puffy eyes and tear stained cheeks.

"Lindsay, it's only for a week sweetie."

"I know," she sighed, picking up her carry on bag as she started down the stairs. "It's just, I'm gonna miss you guys"

"I know baby." Danny sighed, meeting her half way. "But I'll call you. We both will, wont we M&M. We'll call Mommy right?"

Amanda giggled and reached for Lindsay, making the tears escape from Danny's eyes that he had been desperately trying to hold in.

Lindsay took Amanda and kissed her forehead lightly and gently moved a honey brown curl out of her face. "You're not gonna make this easy for Mommy are you baby?"

"Come on Linds," Danny sighed, pulling her into his side, "We gotta go, we're gonna be late" he sighed, placing a kiss on the top of her head, while secretly inhaling her vanilla scent, making the most before she left.

"Yeah, yeah, you're right. Midtown traffics a killer" she smiled, shifting Amanda slightly on her hip.

"You got your tickets and passport?"

"Check, they're in the carry on bag" Lindsay smiled

"Come on, we can go grab some lunch in one of the restaurants they have there in the airport now."

"I thought you said we were gonna be late as it is Dan?"

"Yeah, late for lunch, it's 11.30 nearly"

Lindsay laughed and slugged him in his arm. "The only thing you ever think of is food."

"No, it's the only thing I'm thinking about right now, to take my mind off the fact me and M&M are gonna be eating alone this week."

"Danny" she sighed as she closed her eyes

"It's just a week Lindsay. Just a week"

"Danny I haven't been away from you since, well, since I can remember. And I have _never_ been away from Amanda. I don't think I can do it. I can't do this."

"Remember what you said in the hospital room before we came home Linds?"

"That I was scared I wouldn't be a good Mom?"

"Exactly, you've proved you're the best Mommy out there, not that you had to. Now, you're gonna prove you're an even better cop than you ever expected. You're gonna do what you do best, and get this little girl's parents justice. And, you'll come home to me and M&M."

"But Danny, it's gonna feel like you're a million miles away."

"No Linds, I'm just a phone call away."

"That's what's scaring me Danny. You being a phone call away, you not being there."

"I will be. I'll be right there" Danny smiled, taking hold of her hand, and placing both of their hands together on top of where her heart laid.

"Right there, Montana"

* * *

**R&R?**


	77. Mommy's Daddy's and Goodbyes

_Thanks to all that reviewed. :) Sheesh, nearly at the 500 mark. I'm truely amazed... You guys are amazing!_

_**D&L4ever** - You're right, of course. I knew that - just automatic pilot i guess in the ticket and passport thing - thanks for keeping me in check :) _

_And Huge thanks to **Twinkeyrocks,** she's my rock when it comes to, well just about everything :)... _

_ETA: i just realised that my timeline with Amanda, and them getting married royally sucks. so i'm sorry about that, What can i say - i focus myself on getting the fluff out. So i know things will be totally out with all that - but well, ssshhh :) _

_And plus, the muse is a boy... that says something, doesnt it :) _

_--_

_--_

_--_

"That's why I hate check-in" Danny grumbled shifting Amanda further up his hip as he grabbed Lindsay's hand

"Danny, you need to calm down"

"No Linds, I hate that. Why do people have to be so rude with the damn trolleys? Pushing them in the back of your legs, that guy, he rammed it so far into my ass that-"

"You have 30 seconds to calm your butt down Danny. And don't say ass in front of my baby when you're mad alright. Now come on, you're just hungry. Let's get you something to eat" Lindsay said firmly, taking Amanda off him and handing him her carry on bag.

"You have me well trained Montana, don't'cha?"

"Well, I wouldn't be a good little housewife if you weren't now, would I?" she smirked in her best country accent.

"Does this have anything to do with you shooting pebbles at boys?"

"Just keep up Danny will ya?"

Danny shook his head and picked up his pace so that he was walking in step to Lindsay again.

"You know Linds, for a shorty, you got a quick walking pace."

"We dated for 4 years, and we've been married for nearly a year, and we managed to never bring up the fact I was short."

"Well, it's true."

Lindsay shook her head and stopped abruptly outside a restaurant.

"Here sound good?"

"Does it sell food?"

"Yes Danny, it sells food."

"Well then it sounds great" he smiled, taking Amanda from Lindsay. "I'm starved"

"Yes, because that makes a difference" she laughed, rolling her eyes as she followed him through the door.

--

--

"Danny, you always get that, please will you pick something different?"

"Lindsay I'm Italian. Nine times outta 10 I'm gonna get the pasta."

"But Danny, they sell just about everything you could imagine. I could have made you chicken parmesan at home, and saved 90 on a meal"

"Yeah, but its nice going out to eat, I don't think we've done it since Amanda was born… and it's a nice way to say goo-"

"Danny, if you love me, you won't finish that sentence" she sighed tearfully

"Or else what-" he smirked, edging towards her, tickling her, "What'cha gonna do huh?"

"Danny, we're in a restaurant"

"Yeah, and, so what if people are looking? Let them." Danny laughed loudly, still tickling Lindsay.

"You drive me crazy, you know that?" she laughed, wiggling out of his grasp further down the booth where they were sitting.

"See look" Danny smiled pointing towards Amanda "M&M finds it funny." Danny smiled shifting back towards Amanda's highchair, "You like it when Daddy teases Mommy, don't'cha princess?"

Amanda giggled and reached towards Lindsay. "Mama."

Danny's eyes widened, and Lindsay gasped

"Amanda, say that again baby" Danny urged

"Mama" she smiled proudly while moving a crayon to her mouth.

"Danny, did she just say-?" Lindsay smiled tearfully while moving the crayon away from Amanda's mouth.

"Our baby girl's a genius" Danny gushed, pulling Amanda out of her highchair.

"Danny, she's eating crayons still. She's not quite the genius yet, baby."

"Lindsay, she's talking. That's the sign of a genius."

"Whatever cowboy"

"Say Dada princess, Amanda Say Daddy" Danny smiled, "Daddy"

"Jeez, that's what you two are gonna be doing for a week, aint'cha?" Lindsay laughed, while placing a kiss on Amanda's forehead

Danny turned and glared in Lindsay's direction, then turned back to Amanda "Dada. Dada. See M&M it's real easy. Dada."

"Danny she's humouring you." Lindsay smiled, wiping up juice from Amanda's 7 month old smiling face.

"You always say that" Danny sighed, turning back to the menu

"Yeah, well because it's true."

--

--

"Well," Danny sighed "I guess this is it"

"Yeah," Lindsay sniffed, "I guess so"

"You gonna call me when you land, let us know you got there alright?"

"Yeah, I'll call your cell. You'll be half way through your shift"

"Oh yeah… right," Danny smiled weakly as he handed Amanda to Lindsay

"You be good for Daddy now, alright." Lindsay smiled tears falling from her face "And you tell me whether Daddy has a Yankees party with Uncle Don, alright. You keep them in check sweetie. Ya hear me? No funny business." Amanda giggled and placed a wet kiss on Lindsay's cheek.

"See, you do anything, and she'll sell you out. So be careful." Lindsay laughed nodding her head towards Amanda before, sticking her tongue out towards Danny.

Danny took Amanda from Lindsay and placed her in her stroller. Turning back to Lindsay, he took her hands and closed in towards her so that their foreheads were touching.

"You don't always have to be so brave you know, Linds"

"I do though." She sniffed.

"No, you don't." Danny shook his head

Lindsay closed her eyes, as a single tear fell down her cheek.

"Come here," Danny sighed, pulling her into a tight hug. "It's just a week Linds; you'll be back before you know it."

"I know, but I'm gonna miss you guys. You know I suck at goodbyes."

"Yeah, but your amazing at hello's. So when you're on the plane, now. Just think about the hello when you get back"

She laughed, and he shook his head

"That was a little cheesy wasn't it Montana?"

"A little? Danny that was terrible" she grinned, punching him lightly in the arm

"I love you Linds," he pulled her in gently placing a kiss on her jaw line as he moved to her lips

"And I love you" She smiled into his kiss. "But you Mr. Messer" she pulled away, and traced her index finger along his jaw line "Need to shave, this stubble. I'm telling you," she laughed as he pulled her back into a hug.

"No more tears Linds, alright. Promise?" he smiled, wiping the last tears from her cheek.

"Promise." She smiled "See you in a week then" she sighed, picking up her carry on bag.

"7 days." Danny nodded as he moved to pick Amanda back out of her stroller.

"I love you guys, alright." Lindsay smiled tearfully giving both Danny and Amanda one last kiss.

"Hey, I said no more tears"

"Yeah, and there aren't any tears." Lindsay smiled. "Now go before I do start crying."

"Be seeing ya" Danny smiled

"Bye" Lindsay sighed, still not moving.

"Linds," Danny laughed

"Yeah?"

"Go. We can't go anymore."

"Yeah, sorry, right. Okay, bye Baby, bye Dan" she smiled, before turning and placing her carry on, on the conveyor belt to go through security.

Blowing her a kiss, Danny smiled and kissed Amanda's forehead.

"How're we gonna get on without her eh? Think the house is gonna fall to pieces sweetie?"

Amanda chuckled. "Mama"

"You selling me out already? Well, just remember who's gonna give you your first credit card, alright?" Danny laughed only taking his eyes of Lindsay for a second, until she finally waved and headed out of their sight.

"Looks like it's me and you kiddo" Danny sighed, placing a loving kiss on Amanda's forehead as he made his way across the depature lounge to the exit

"Dada" She smiled proudly

Danny stopped and tears came to his eyes. "You do know that Mommy will never believe me that you said that"

"What if I heard it? Would I believe you then?"

Danny whipped round, "Montana?"

"I couldn't go. I needed one more kiss"

"Lindsay how did you get back through security?"

"Flashed my badge" she grinned cheekily dropping her bag by her side

Danny shook his head, smiled and jogged over to her, pulling her into an embrace. "You're a trip, ya know that?"

"Dada" Amanda smiled

"Sorry princess we're overlooking your genius-ness" Danny laughed.

"Well done baby" Lindsay smiled, placing a kiss on Amanda's temple.

"Linds, you're really gonna have to go now."

"I know. Just one more kiss Danny. Just one more"

Danny pulled her into his side, keeping hold of both his girls as he kissed Lindsay lightly.

"I love you Dan" she smiled warmly

"I love you. Now go Linds"

"I'm going" She smiled, picking her bag up again, and heading back towards security.

Danny shifted Amanda on his hip. "She's beautiful your Ma, aint she?" he smiled towards Lindsay's direction.

"I heard that" she yelled across the departure lounge, not even turning around

"I didn't say it quietly" he laughed back.

* * *


	78. Landing

_A/N: So, here's just a little filler chapter for you all! :)_

--

--

"_So you landed okay?"_

"Clearly" she laughed as she shifted away from her mother who was fussing over the return of her curly hair.

"_Your Mom fussing over your hair?"_

Emily laughed and took the phone off Lindsay

"I heard that Daniel"

"_Hey Em, you look after my wife now, ya'hear? Don't wanna have to come over there and-"_

"Yeah, well you look after my grandbaby, and I'll look after your wife, deal?"

"_Deal"_ he smiled, _"Linds there?"_

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sure you don't wanna speak to me, here, there ya are… Jack!! Jack! Just you wait a minute"

Danny held the phone away from his ear until he could hear Lindsay again.

"Sorry Dan"

"_I forgot how good she is at yelling" _Danny smirked

"Don't let her hear you say that. How's my baby girl? She okay? Was she alright in the ride home, was she upset? Has she been eating?"

"_She was out of control. So much so, I pulled over and left her at the side of the road. She was arranging house parties, and eating junk food, and crying, I couldn't deal with it..." _Danny chuckled to himself, as he shifted in his chair_ "Lindsay she's fine, stop worrying... We're fine, I'm fine. New York is fine. The lab hasn't been blown up, yet. Amanda's asleep at my Mom's."_

"I'm just making sure Dan, I miss her, and I'm used to taking care of her."

"_I know, I know. Hey, you know when you get back, I was thinking, we could have a 8 month birthday party for Amanda."_

"Danny, who does that?" Lindsay laughed, as she pointed violently at her bag, prompting her Dad to pick it up off the belt

"_My Mom does"_

"Say no more" she laughed, still pointing at the bag

"_Hey, I'll have you know- Lindsay what are you doing?"_

"One sec Danny, for the love of god Daddy, my bag. Pick it up. No that one. Yes that one, the one I was pointing at; the one that's just gone past us. Sorry Danny what were you saying?" she sighed, moving down the carrousel trying to chase her bag before it went round again.

Danny smirked, _"always get this stressed at the baggage carrousel Linds?"_

"Well when you're with incompetent Fathers, it gets frustrating." She spat back towards her father as she navigated in between the crowd

"_I'll make a note of that."_ He grinned.

"Stop grinning" she scolded as she balanced the phone by her ear with her shoulder

"_I'll let you go Linds, when does the trial start?"_

"I'm getting briefed when I get down to the station" she said, pulling her bag of the belt.

"_What the hell are you doing Linds,"_ Danny laughed at the sound of her puffing and panting.

"I never realised how much stuff I packed. This bag, it's damn heavy"

"_Oh yeah, ya don't say?"_ He laughed _"I should know, I carried it."_

"Yeah, sorry about that," she smiled dragging it back towards her parents.

"_I love ya Linds, I'll call ya later."_

"Alright Dan, give Amanda a kiss for me."

"_I will do baby. Bye,"_

"Bye" she smiled warmly as she disconnected the call.


	79. Boom!

_Guys, don't kill me :) _

_Huggles to **Twinkeyrocks**. :)_

_R&R?_

Danny sighed as he turned on the news in the break room. He always usually watched the news with Lindsay. He set the remote down, and headed to the counter for a cup of coffee. Inspiration. That's what he needed to crack this case. Or, well coffee.

"_Breaking news, bomb blast in Bozeman, Montana. Unsure of the casualties at present"_

Danny dropped the cup he was holding. He knew that building. He had been in that building.

"_Andrea, is there anything you can tell us about the building you are stood in front of?"_

"_Well, I've been told by investigators, that this building is rarely targeted, they expect it has been the target today because of the high profile parole trial of the McGunity trial."_

Danny's heart had stopped. Lindsay was in that building. His Lindsay, there in and amongst all the chaos he was seeing onscreen.

"_Do we have any idea as to who may be responsible?"_

"_I'm told we are currently looking into various possibilities. At the moment, we are just trying to make contact with those inside the building."_

"Danny, why is the TV on so damn loud- that's Bozeman county court." Hawkes gasped at the TV screen. "Lindsay-"

Danny hadn't acknowledged him. Instead he was frantically willing for his phone to connect with Lindsay's.

"Come on Linds, pick up. Pick up baby."

"_Danny" _

"Lindsay baby, where are you?"

"_Danny, there was a bomb. It went off." _

"I know; I'm watching it on the news. Where are you? Where are you, baby?" He knew the answer already.

"_I'm in the courtroom"_

Danny closed his eyes and waited for his heart to stop beating. "Are you okay?"

"_I'm cut in a few places, scared to death, but nothing terrible. Jake though, he's, he's not well Danny." _

"Jake, you're ex-partner?"

"_He's – there's – I don't think he's gonna be okay Danny."_

"Lindsay, you need to stay strong. I'm gonna catch the next flight out. I'm gonna be there within-"

"_No."_ He could hear her coughing and spluttering. _"Stay with my baby, stay with Amanda."_

"Lindsay, I'm coming out there. You need me."

"_Danny, stay with our little girl. If another bomb goes off, I'm not letting you come anywhere near here. I don't want my little girl growing up without both her Mommy and Daddy-"_

"Knock it off Lindsay, you're gonna be fine. I'm coming to get you."

"_Danny-"_

"Lindsay, this isn't up for discussion, Hawkes has gone to talk to Mac already"

"_Danny, I'm scared"_ He could almost hear the tears escaping her eyes.

"I'm on my way baby." He threw his chair back, and headed for the door. "Stay on the line Lindsay."

"_I can't Danny; I need to get the survivors out."_

"Lindsay, you're a survivor. You're not a cop right now. Get yourself out."

"_Danny, I need to process the scene."_

"Lindsay, you're not in New York. You're not at a scene. Keep yourself save. Me and Amanda need you Lindsay. Please Lindsay, just keep yourself save."

"_Ma'am, Ma'am you need to follow me." _

He already knew that he had lost his wife, Lindsay. Detective Lindsay Messer had taken over.

"_Danny, I need to go." _

After that, he heard the dial tone...

* * *


	80. Montana

_Update upon request of **iluvpeterpetrelli. **:) _

_Huggles to **Twinkeyrocks** :)_

* * *

"Mac" Danny gasped, bursting through his boss' office.

"I've got a chopper ready Danny. It'll be quicker than a plane, going through the airports."

"Mac, are you sure?"

"Danny, go be with your wife. Bring her back to us safe. Stella's on her way to your Mom's to get Amanda. She's gonna set up camp here in my office with her. Go and get Lindsay"

"Thank you, Mac"

"You can thank me later, it's on the roof."

Danny took off running down the hall. He turned, and felt a hand on his shoulder. "Danny, I'm coming with you."

"Flack no, you need to stay here. Mac's already down me and Linds, I have to go. I have to get her."

"No. Lindsay's like my baby sister, and you and me Dan, we're like brothers. I'm coming wit' you. I okayed it with Mac. You gotta look out for your family"

"Flack," Danny sighed, stopping. "Look after Amanda for me. I need you to look after her"

"Dan, I'm coming with ya…"

"Please Flack; she needs her uncle Don right now. I'll be fine."

"Call me if you need anything Dan. Anything, ya hear?"

"Thanks Flack," Danny smiled weakly as he took off towards the roof.

--

--

Danny shifted slightly in his seat, "How far away did you say we were"

"We're just 5 minutes away now Sir"

"Right, okay."

Danny rested his head against the very uncomfortable seat rest, and went over his and Mac's previous update about Lindsay in his head.

"_Danny, how far away?"_

"_An hour now Mac, Has she called. Have you spoken to her?"_

"_Stella got a hold of her. She started talking about a makeshift kit, that wasn't properly stocked up. She said Jake always was incompetent."_

_Danny smiled at Lindsay's perfectionist attitude_

"_So she's okay then?"_

"_Yeah, apparently she's been getting people on the other side of the wall to get themselves out. Where she is, they're stuck. Can't seem to get them out. Rescue's still trying."_

"_Yeah, well they need to try a damnsight harder" Danny spat_

"_You know that. I know that… But, you know how it is."_

"_Has anyone called Emily and Jack?"_

"_Her parents? Flack called them. He told them what was going on… They're gonna be watching from the ranch on the news. They said for you to call when you get there, and if you need them down there."_

"_Right,"_

Danny shook himself out of his revere as he felt them touch the floor.

"Thanks guys." He smiled as he practically threw himself out of the chopper.

He looked across the road to where the chaos was going on and his heart sunk.

"Lindsay, where are you?"


	81. Lindsay!

_Upon the request of **gwen24 **:)... gosh, im dishing them out left, right and center tonight! :)_

* * *

"Detective Messer?"

Danny turned away from the chaos and came face to face with the Bozeman county sheriff.

"John?" Danny smiled weakly, shaking his hand.

"We have a Montana PD bunker with a live feed we can base you in."

"Any word on Lindsay?" Danny asked tentatively walking in step to John.

"Not yet. We've infiltrated the security tapes. Managed to get the one up where Lindsay's in. They were hit the worst. From what we can see, Lindsay's fine. One of the few survivors in that part of the building. She's doing everything she can on the inside to get people out. Rescue is doing everything they can on the outside"

"Well, they aren't doing enough" Danny spat, firmly.

"I know that, Lin's one of our own. They don't seem understand that"

"Have we had anymore threats, any other indication of another bomb?"

"Not as of yet, but there's still time."

"How many casualties?" Danny asked.

"16, so far; Most in the courtroom where Lin was. She's processing the evidence, and tending to the few survivors. She's really taken to motherhood." John smiled

"Oh yeah, how's ya mean?"

"I can just see it in her. It's what's pushing her to stay strong. For you and Mandy."

Danny laughed "Mandy?"

"Yeah, don'tcha call the little'un Mandy?"

"Can't say we do," Danny smirked.

"Well, I'll see if you can make contact with her. I'll leave you to it." John smiled as he nudged Danny into the Bozeman county PD bunker.

Glancing round, Danny's eyes fell on Lindsay bagging and tagging evidence through flashlight. He touched the screen and traced the contours of her face. He picked up the headset, and punched in her number into the phone.

He could see her rummaging around to find her phone _"Messer."_

"Lindsay, it's me"

"_Danny, What're you- where're you - how're you calling me on a Bozeman PD line?"_

"I'm sat in the bunker outside baby, I can see you."

"_How, where?"_ she glanced around.

"They tapped into the security. They managed to get your room's security camera."

He saw her glance up and smile broadly at the camera that he was looking at.

"What've you got Linds?"

"_Detonated by a cell phone, still looking for the pieces, it's really hard."_

"I know baby. Hang in there, rescues working on getting you out"

"_They need to hurry up. Jake's not well Danny, he needs medical attention."_

"Then go tend to him. Leave the evidence Lindsay, go help Jake."

He could see her nod, as she crawled over to where Jake was laid on the floor.

"_Danny, he's - I can't find a pulse. He's not breathing. EMS needs to get in here now" _

He could hear the tone in her voice break. "Lindsay, you hang on, alright. I'm gonna go see what I can-"

He saw the screen blow up in front of him. He had lost the feed.

"LINDSAY?!"

He threw the headset on the desk, and pushed away from it. He was helpless. Just like when she had gone to do the drop in the Hollies case.

"Come on Kiddo." He cried, punching her number into the phone again.

Just then, John came bursting through the door.

"Another hit." He panted, getting Danny's attention.

"In the courtroom?" Danny gasped, tears falling down his face.

John nodded "In the courtroom" confirming Danny's worst fears.


	82. Where is she?

Danny was running faster than John. Although, it hardly surprised him, from what it seemed, John had probably had one to many doughnuts in his time as sheriff. And, well John didn't have his beloved wife, and the mother to his child trapped inside a stupid, courtroom where bombs were going off.

"Danny, you need to slow down."

Danny completely ignored him and carried on running. He could see the entrance and he could see people stumbling out.

10, 20 – 30 people all running from the entrance. He glanced around for a second and saw families being reunited.

But with every 5 people that came out, Lindsay didn't.

_Where was she? _

He turned around once more, in despair, _had he missed her_?

He turned towards the entrance one more time, and took a deep breath, and just as he was about to set off running. Something dislodged. There was smoke everywhere and he had now lost all vision of the entrance. He couldn't see whether Lindsay had come out or not.

He let a single tear fall down his face as he took a deep breath. Smoke or no smoke, he was going in to get Lindsay.

Glancing up one last time, to make sure he hadn't missed her coming out, he waited for a second. He could see something coming through the smoke. He could hear someone coughing and spluttering.

He didn't _need_ to see her. He _knew_ it was her.

He took off running, full speed towards her. Tears streaming down both their faces. He could see her pulling on her sleeve, sobbing, walking steadily away from the building. He picked up his pace, and finally reached her.

She fell into his arms, still sobbing.

"I have you Lindsay, you're safe. I've gotcha." He soothed, supporting both of them, in the middle of the chaos, gently moving curls from her face.

"I'm not letting you go. You're safe baby. I have you. Just let it out Linds, let it out."

**R&R? :)**


	83. Case part 1

_Okay, so first ever attempt at writing in a case. So, i ask you readers to spare me and suspend your disbelief for a little while - no doubt i've slipped up on a few occasions here and there with science and the law jargon- but let's put it down to a lack of research on my part :) _

_And also, i know - what about Montana, and the bomb you ask? All will make sense sooner or later. _

_And, on that note... _

* * *

_"It's not that he doesn't trust you Linds, he just pairs us up" Danny shrugged._

_"You run solo."_

_"But Linds, I"_

_"I know, I know Dan, you're higher ranked than me. It's stupid; forget I mentioned it, alright?"_

_"It's really bothering you, isn't it?" he asked, edging towards her, wrapping her securely in his arms._

_"No, I'm good; I'm just not sure why he had me do the test thing months ago. We gonna order take-out" she smiled, trying to diffuse the conversation._

_"Yeah, sure" Danny sighed as she broke out of the embrace and headed into the kitchen. Resting his head against the back of the couch, he let out a puff of air, and pushed himself up off the couch._

_"You want me to say something." He called as he headed into the kitchen._

_"No, No. No, it's fine... Honestly" she smiled, handing him two menus "Chinese or Italian" _

_"Chinese," Danny said, taking the menu. "I don't mind ya know Linds, let him know how you're feeling and all that."_

_"Danny. No. Drop it, seriously, forget I said anything. I'm just in one of them moods."_

_Nodding his head in defeat, knowing he wouldn't win this battle, he sighed. "Sure Montana, if you change your mind, I'm more than happy to, you know... Have a word with him, if you don't wanna."_

_"I think I'm gonna go for the sweet and sour today, for a change." She smiled._

_Sighing, he pulled a seat out from the dining room table. _

--

--

"Mac, are you sure, isn't Stella free?"

"It's her day off. You're gonna run with this one. Flack's there, but I'll need him back here in a while to help Danny on his case with Hawkes."

"So where am I going?" Lindsay walked in step to Mac heading towards the locker room.

"Upstate. Appears to be a murder - suicide, the details are a little sketchy as it stands now."

Lindsay nodded, and stopped outside the locker room, ready to grab her coat.

"I believe in you Lindsay, It's about time you did a little more field work solo."

"Look, I hope this isn't because of anything Danny's said, he-" Lindsay insisted,

"What did I do?" Danny smirked, snaking his arms around Lindsay's waist.

"Lindsay's working a case, solo" Mac smiled while swatting his arms. "Not in my lab"

"Right well, have fun" Danny smiled nonchalantly before heading towards the AV lab.

"I'm not gonna ask, should I even ask? No, don't Mac" Lindsay grinned cutting Mac off as he opened his mouth, "I don't wanna know." Lindsay laughed shaking her head, leaving Mac on his own…

--

--

"_Take the next left"_

Lindsay looked to her left and laughed sarcastically. "There is no left."

"_Take the next left"_

"THERE IS NO LEFT!" she screamed at the sat nav, before carrying down the road.

"_Make a U-turn, make a U-turn". _

Sighing dramatically, she pulled the sat nav from its base, switched it off and threw it in the back seat.

Take that, stupid Sat Nav - She'd do it on her own.

She carried on for about a quarter of a mile down the road, when she saw Flack's departmental issue Sedan parked by some trees.

See, she was perfectly capable on her own.

She smiled proudly as she sauntered across the dew soaked grass. There was a surprising spring in her step, considering it was 7.30AM in the morning.

"You look happy Monroe. The husband away this week?" Flack grinned.

Shaking her head, she met his grin and raised him a smile. "What we got Flack"

"Where's Danny?"

"I'm running solo" She smiled

"You? Rookie's on her own. Mac know about this?" Flack joked

"Funny. Flack I've been here near enough to five years, how long exactly does rookie status last?"

"Until we get a new rookie in"

Shaking her head, she sighed, "What do we have Don?"

"James Slater. 35, lives on his own. The other two DB's are his wife, Alyssa Slater, 29, and their Daughter Megan, 5."

"But he lives on his own?"

Flack shrugged. "Who knows?"

Lindsay nodded and fought back a yawn

"Amanda still keeping you guys up?"

"No, she's really good. Sleeps the whole way through usually, why?"

"Nothing, ya just look tired."

"Gee, thanks" she smiled, moving across the lawn in step to Flack, with her case swaying between them. "Who found them?"

"The maid"

"Maid? He lives on his own!" Lindsay laughed "Are guys completely incapable of cleaning up after themselves?"

"Look, I just relay the info" Flack grinned. "Not everyone has a little country housewife Linds"

"Danny does his fair share" Lindsay quipped, picking up her case as they walked towards the iron gates.

"Sure, he tells you that" Flack grinned.

--

--

"Whaddya got Montana?"

"Hey Adam" Lindsay laughed, looking up "You finally caught on the trend then?"

"Yeah, didn't feel right with Danny calling it you, but well, Hawkes has called you it since like forever, and Flack calls you Monroe still, and I thought it would be alright if… but if it isn't, then that's-"

"Adam! Its fine," Lindsay smiled, cutting Adam off before he lost his supply of oxygen. "The murder weapon's a sawed off shotgun, 12 gage. Killer was stupid enough to toss it in the trash outside."

Adam nodded "Found any prints?"

"Lifted two, no hits in AFIS."

"Tried running it through CODIS?"

"Waiting on the results, I did find some trace on Alyssa's left inner thigh, waiting for the results to come back though."

Adam nodded, and sighed heavily.

"Do you miss being in the lab?" Lindsay asked, while carrying on with lifting prints.

"Sometimes, I like the confinement and the security of being safe I guess. But I don't regret moving over into the field."

Lindsay nodded, and the printer spit out some results on the trace she had been waiting on from Alyssa Slater's left thigh.

"Boom" She grinned while hopping off her stool and headed out of trace.

"Alright well, let me know" Adam grinned after her as he took over analysing her evidence. "Damn couples, end up sounding the same" Adam grunted to himself.

"I heard that" Lindsay grinned popping her head back into the room.

--

--

"I have your DNA at the scene of a triple homicide, Mr Dunwright."

"Doesn't mean anything." He spat as he leaned back in his chair, confidently

"It means something, how well did you know the Slater's"

"Meh, seen them in the neighbourhood now and again. Why?"

"Well, the semen you left on Ms Slater's trousers suggests that you knew them a little more than just in passing."

"Alyssa's dead?" He gasped. "Really? Yeah - I - we, we had a thing, I loved her, but she wouldn't leave her jackass husband. I couldn't deal with her getting hurt any longer, so I broke up with her"

"You did? Wish to elaborate?"

"James, wasn't exactly the best husband, put it that way"

"What makes you say that?"

"I'd rather not say. I don't wish to speak ill of the dead"

Lindsay nodded, and then smiled. "No problem. Open up"

Eric Dunwright sat up abruptly. "Don't you need a warrant to get my DNA?"

"Yeah," Lindsay smiled as she saw Flack walking down the hallway, a warrant in his hand. "And here it is," she grinned as Flack burst into the room

"Open wide," Flack grinned, sliding the warrant across the table.

When Eric Dunwright refused, Lindsay moved closer towards him

"Detective Flack said open your mouth" she spoke, authority in her voice.

Slowly, the suspect opened his mouth.

"See wasn't so hard, was it" Lindsay quipped while she brushed the cotton bud against his cheek.

"Since when did they let chicks run the NYPD?" Dunwright laughed.

"Careful, Detective Messer here carries a rockin' country knife that you wouldn't wanna be introduced to."

"I can get you done for threatening me" the suspect spat

"He didn't threaten you; he simply stated I had a knife you wouldn't wanna see." Lindsay smiled snapping the cotton bud into the case and collecting the suspect's fingerprints.

"Smart ass"

Lindsay smiled sweetly before heading towards the door.

"Make sure he gets the house finest, Flack" Lindsay laughed as she closed the door too.

"House finest?" Dunwright asked, standing up.

"Today it's ham on stale white. Have fun with that" Flack grinned as Officer Brody led Dunwright to a holding cell.

* * *

_R&R?_


	84. Case part 2

_Part two to the case, thanks to the reviewers from the last chapter! :) _

_Huggles to **twinkeyrocks** as usual offers a daisy _

* * *

"UGH!"

"Ugh to you to," Danny smiled placing a kiss on Lindsay's temple.

"Danny, it's not funny."

Pulling up a stool, he sat close to Lindsay and glanced at the evidence spread across the table. "Where'd you want me to start?"

"Danny,"

"No come on Linds, where'd you want me to start"

"Well, I have semen on Alyssa Slater's trouser leg from a convicted felon, but the prints I took as a reference sample don't match the ones I found on the shot gun"

"Maybe he had an accomplice"

"It still doesn't make sense Danny, there's no evidence - hell there isn't even a motive. Not really, from what he's saying. He didn't even know she was dead judging by his reaction. It's not making sense."

"Things don't out of context" Danny stated while skimming through the case file.

"Mac send you to check up on me?"

"No"

"Flack?"

"No"

"Stella?"

"Before you name the whole of the NYPD crime lab, I'm gonna save ya some time. I missed ya. Wanted to spend some time with ya"

Lindsay smiled warmly. "You want prints or DNA?"

"Either, what you want me to do with them?"

"Go with your instincts," she grinned.

Swatting her on the arm, he picked up a print. "You were saying it doesn't match the shotgun then?"

"_Danny_!"

Both glancing up from their work, their brows furrowed at the sight of Mac fuming at the door.

"What's up Mac?" Danny inquired

"Lindsay's working solo. You have a case you should be working on."

"I'm waiting on results from tox and trace. There's nothing I can do until they come through, and thought Montana could do with a little help."

"Go do your paperwork."

"Mac, its fine, it's nice to have the company." Lindsay interrupted.

"Danny. Paperwork."

Quickly glancing at Lindsay, Danny placed the fingerprint back on the table, and lightly dragged his hand across the small of her back as a reassuring gesture.

"I said I wanted you to work alone Lindsay" Mac sighed, reaching for a lab coat.

"Danny was only trying to help Mac,"

Mac nodded. "What have you got so far?"

"It's complicated" She started "I have a semen sample taken from Alyssa's trouser leg, which was a match to Eric Dunwright, already in the system with priors. Breaking and entering and a case of rape last year he was eventually acquitted for."

"Well, what's the problem?"

"The fingerprints I took as reference samples don't match the ones I found on the murder weapon."

"That's impossible Lindsay"

"Well Mac, evidence doesn't lie."

"Lindsay, you need to test it again."

"Mac, it's not him. I don't know what's going on, but it's something bigger than a simple homicide."

"Lindsay, you have to follow the evidence"

"I am Mac"

"You're not. You're letting your heart lead you to a conclusion. Your evidence leads you to this Dunwright."

"It doesn't." she defended. "It isn't a match."

"Lindsay that's impossible"

"Mac, my instincts-"

"Lindsay, you need to follow the evidence first."

Biting her tongue, she nodded in agreement, even though she knew that she was right, and had a fair point. Mac was her boss, and this was her first solo case - really, she had to play by his rules.

"Of course, Mac" She smiled politely "I'll keep you in the loop" she added.

"What I like to hear," Mac smiled, slipping his lab coat off. "And Lindsay,"

"Yeah," she sighed, looking deflated

"You're doing good, kiddo"

She glanced down to her work and smiled. "Thanks Mac"

--

--

"So, I have a theory" she sighed, sitting in the booth opposite Flack.

"Shoot"

"It wasn't Dunwright."

"Monroe-" Flack sighed

"Don, hear me out alright?"

"Go on…"

"Well, his semen was on the leg in an awkward place. I did a reconstruction, there's no way that the semen could have ended up where it did. I tried it 100 different ways. The DNA sample he gave us doesn't match the epithelials I found that were foreign. The only link between Dunwright and this murder is his semen on the trouser leg. His prints don't match the ones I found on the weapon. There's no link between him and the murders Don."

"Lindsay, we have his DNA on one of the victims, with history of a relationship, there's some motive right there."

"But that's it Flack, there isn't anything else. He didn't even know she had been murdered. That look on his face, was pure shock. You can't act something like that, no matter how many times you rehearse it... "

"Lindsay, you're digging deeper than you need to" Flack sighed standing up and throwing a 10 on the table.

"Are you gonna back me up, or am I doing this on my own Flack?"

"I'm backing you up; I think you're just reading into it too much. He's guilty Linds; it says it all over his face. It's obvious"

Lindsay shook her head "There's something not right"

"Lindsay" Flack sighed sitting back down "Ya need to be careful Monroe, don't screw your first solo case up, alright?"

Shaking her head, Lindsay placed a 5 dollar bill on the table. "With or without you Flack, I'm doing this. I'm doing it my way"

He simply shook his head as she pushed through the diner doors leading out onto New York's streets.


	85. Case part 3

"Lindsay, can I have a word?"

"Yeah Mac," Lindsay smiled, stepping into his office, "What's up."

"I heard you and Flack had a disagreement."

Shaking her head, Lindsay puffed out some air, furious that he had said something. "Yeah, we did."

"About what, exactly?" Mac asked

"The case- He doesn't trust me; thinks I'm searching for something that isn't there."

"Lindsay-" Mac sighed in the same tone that Flack had.

"Mac, give me a chance to prove that I'm the CSI that you hired, alright."

Shaking his head Mac sighed "You're skating on thin ice, Lindsay"

"Just give me the chance I deserve Mac,"

"Fine, just don't make me regret it Lindsay"

--

--

"So the semen's a match, but the fingerprints aren't?" Stella asked, sipping her coffee

"No match on the finger prints." Lindsay confirmed

"Then he isn't your guy. Seems like he's being framed." Stella said simply.

"That's my theory."

"Tell Mac."

"I have, he told me I was skating on thin ice. I need to wrap this case up. Show them I do know what I'm talking about."

"Have you re-examined the crime scene?"

"A million times Stell. There's nothing jumping out at me, saying he did it."

"But, there's nothing saying he didn't do it."

"Exactly"

They were interrupted by the shrill ringing of Lindsay's phone.

"Messer"

_"Hello, I'm calling to report a missing person,"_

"Hey Danny" she sighed

_"Linds, when you coming home baby? You were off the clock hours ago."_

"I need to wrap this case up Danny. I have no leads and-"

_"We miss you Montana, M&M keeps asking for ya,"_

"Tell her I'll be home soon"

"_But will you?"_

"Yes Danny, I'll be home."

Snapping her phone shut, and slamming it on the table, Stella sat back shocked.

"Lindsay- I - Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, fine." Lindsay spat

"Really? It doesn't sound it."

"Ever since the trial in Montana, with the McGunity killings and the bomb, Danny's been - well, different."

"Lindsay, he nearly lost the mother of his child, his best friend. Give him some time to freak out, to let it process."

"I nearly died Stell, and I'm over it."

"Are you? Are you really? Because it seems to me, you're throwing yourself head first into this case so you don't have to deal with them feelings you're battling right now! Lindsay, you didn't even go to the hospital to get checked out"

"Look Stell, I don't need a lecture right now alright, I'm tired, I haven't seen my husband or daughter in days, and I want to prove myself. I want to show Mac that I'm-"

"Lindsay, he knows you're perfectly capable. Do you not think if he knew you hadn't been home he would freak?"

"He does it" Lindsay spat

"Yes, but he doesn't encourage his staff to"

"Monkey see, monkey do"

"Lindsay, I'm talking to you as a friend right now. Go home. Relax. Talk it over with Danny if you must; let him into what you're going through."

"Maybe" Lindsay sighed, reaching for her purse.

"No," Stella smiled, touching her arm from across the table "My treat Linds"

Smiling warmly, Lindsay rubbed Stella's hand that was on top of her's. "Thanks Stell."

--

--

"It'll all work out in the end kiddo" Stella smiled as she peered into the mirror

"I know," she sighed, opening the bathroom door, and heading to the sink "I just don't know how long I can wait for." She turned and it hit her.

"That's it. Stell, you're a genius" Lindsay smiled excitedly and kissed her on the cheek. "I'll call you later" Lindsay smiled as she ran out of the bathroom.

"Ookay" Stella smirked pulling out her cell.

--

"Lindsay, what in god's name are you doing here?"

"I'm onto something."

"Lindsay, its 11PM, You haven't been home in days. Go home"

"Mac," Lindsay protested.

"I don't want to see you here in an hour Lindsay. I mean it."

Lindsay nodded, and watched Mac leave the room. Sighing, she glanced around the empty lab and her heart sunk. Danny, Stella and Mac were right; running herself into the ground was definitely not going to solve the case. Taking a deep breath, she started packing her evidence, into the storage case, and decided on coming to work tomorrow with fresh eyes and a clear mind.

Switching the lights off in trace, she headed down the hallway to the elevator when the shrill ring of her cell broke the eerily silent surrounding lab.

"Hello Lindsay, sorry to be calling at such a late hour, but I wanted to catch you before you headed home, do you think you could pop down to autopsy?"

"Sid? What are you still doing in autopsy?"

"Come down, and I'll explain"

She disconnected the call, and pushed the call button for the elevator. As she stepped in, she felt her stomach rumble. Pressing the down button that would take her to the basement, she rested her head against the back of the elevator.

_When was the last time she ate? _

She honestly had no idea. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes for a minute, enjoying the slow ride down to the basement.

"_Detective Messer – how can you be so sure that after all this time, and with the progresses in technology, that my client was in fact the perpetrator"_

"_The advances in technology are irrelevant, sir. What convicted your client, is his fingerprints left at the scene, and the blood spatter found on his clothes"_

"_Yes, but Detective, with the new advances in technology-"_

_Lindsay cut him off "With the new advances in technology they would have proved your client was guilty."_

"_No further questions, your honour"_

Lindsay shook her head as she felt the elevator reach the basement. She hadn't even thought about the trial and the bomb explosion. She had simply told Danny she didn't want to talk about it, and he let it lie. They spent the night at her parents talking about Amanda, before she went to bed.

She knew Danny had stayed up a while longer, most probably expressing his concern for her not wanting to talk about it – but what was there to talk about, she was alright and alive – that's all that mattered wasn't it?

"Lindsay" Sid smiled, as she walked into autopsy, mind elsewhere.

"Hey Sid, so, what's going on?"

"I heard some lab techs talking earlier. Flack and Mac are giving you a tough time with this case aren't they?"

She smiled "Nothing a Montana girl can't handle"

Nodding, Sid smiled "See, I knew you were gonna say that."

"You know a lot of things" Lindsay smiled, subtly hinting to their shared conversation years previous when he had told her Danny had a crush on her.

"So you're probably wondering why I'm still here at silly o'clock"

"It would be one of the main things on my mind" she smiled, pulling on blue coveralls.

"Well, after I heard the lab techs talking, I came back down and had a look at the bodies."

"You did," Lindsay said, a hint of surprise in her voice "Can I ask why?"

Snapping his glasses on, he pointed down to James who was on his front. "That"

"Lividity?" Lindsay asked, trying to confirm what Sid meant.

"Yeah, look here-" Sid pointed, moving towards the next gurney over. "You see the wife"

"Sid, hang on a second. Does this mean?"

"The husband died, significantly after the wife and daughter, and you see this blood spatter on his hands" Sid said, showing Lindsay a photo of the initial examination of the body "It suggests he fought with an attacker, trying to get the gun when it went off"

"Well, yeah Sid, if he was about to be shot, he would fight an attacker."

"Yes, but you're only suspect is a male, correct."

"Yeah" Lindsay sighed. "And there's nothing solid there. Why, what are you thinking?"

"You see this pattern, on his index finger?" Sid indicated to the crime scene photo.

"Yeah, it looks like he had sliced his skin," Lindsay said.

"Yes, that's what I thought initially."

"But?" Lindsay prompted him to carry on.

"After I came back down to examine the body, I went back and looked at the index finger – look here. It's not a slice at all, it's an indentation."

"It's a bracelet" Lindsay said in realisation. "Sid, can you blow that image up."

Nodding, Sid turned to the computer "You know, when Mac suggested I go on that computer class, I never thought I would use it – but saying that, when I was in my senior year at college, I never thought I would-"

"Sid!"

"Creepy place?" he laughed edging his glasses further up his nose.

"Kinda" Lindsay smiled, moving to the other side of the gurney by the computer.

They both glanced up at the computer, and Lindsay zoomed in.

"It's a long shot" Sid said

"But it's all I have"

"Lindsay, after I re-examined the bodies, I did some research."

"And?"

"And, well to cut a long story short, the way in which Lividity had set in made me think that they deaths were in the same time period."

"But, they aren't, are they. The husband died a few hours later." Lindsay finished

"I estimate 6."

"That's a big jump Sid."

"It's a big jump, but it's not impossible. It's all in my final autopsy report. I hope that helps you, I could- Lindsay? You still with me?"

"No, Sid actually you've – you – I have to go." She smiled, practically running out of autopsy.

Smiling to himself, Sid pulled the cover of the Vic's heads. "I thought that would get that reaction."

"Dude" Marty Pino said, walking from his office, "Who you talking to?"

"Mr Slater here," Sid smiled, nodding down to the gurney

"Yeah, I thought so," Marty shook his head incredulously, "I'll uh- be in my office. Holler if you need anythin'" He said, half-heartedly, replacing the ear bud into his ear that was replaying the giant's game he had watched an hour previous.

--

--

"Linds, it's 12.30, you're just getting home now? What the hell" Danny spat switching the lamp on and rubbing his eyes.

"I'm so sorry Danny. Everything just – I – Can we-"She broke down into tears.

Instantly, Danny lost the tone in his voice "Montana, Baby, what happened?"

"Will you just hold me for a minute Dan?"

He pulled her into his arms, and kissed her forehead, as he removed her cardigan and set it on the floor. Letting the tears flow, she sniffed trying to calm herself down.

"I nearly died."

"What? Today, Lindsay what happened?" Danny gasped, pulling her close into his grasp, tightly.

"No- The bomb- Montana" she rasped out between breaths.

Nodding, he brushed her hair with his hands, "It's alright baby – you're safe. It's okay now- you're safe baby"

"Danny – I nearly –"

"Linds, baby. You didn't, you're a survivor. I got ya, you just let it out, and I'm ready to listen when you're ready to talk" he reassured her.

Nodding against his chest, she continued to sob, Danny holding her tightly while she did. When her sobs subsided, he released his grip a little, and removed her work clothes, and slipped on one of his shirts she slept in. Placing a kiss to her forehead, he covered her over with the blanket, and switched the light off.

R&R?

Hope you enjoyed :)


	86. Case, part 4

_Thanks to all of you guys that reviewed, i think i got you all! :)_

Lindsay sat with her head in her hands at her office desk gazing down at the picture her and Sid had blown up of the bracelet indentation around James Slater's index finger.

"He's gotta have known the attacker" Danny smiled, placing a kiss on the top of Lindsay's head before moving around to his side of the office.

"Makes you say that?"

"Where it is, it's intimate"

Lindsay shook her head incredulously, "Danny, If you're about to get shot, you don't care where you grab, so long as it diverts the shooters attention."

"Nah Montana, come here, look, put this on." Danny smiled, pulling her out of her seat and sliding one of his chains around her wrist. "Now point the gun at me"

"Déjà Vu" Lindsay smiled as she held up a makeshift gun in his direction.

Moving forwards her, Danny went to grab the "gun" with one hand, and he went for Lindsay's wrist with the other.

"See where my index finger's gone – straight to the bracelet. It's somethin' to hold on to –"

"But, that doesn't suggest he knew his attacker intimately"

"Look how we're stood Montana. Close – touching -it's intimate,"

"I dunno Danny, I'm not buying it." Lindsay sighed, while quickly kissing him on the cheek, before backing away.

"Lindsay, what other leads do you got?"

"This bracelet impression" she sighed, sitting on the edge of her desk "I've seen it before. I just don't know where."

"Ask Flack – he might know"

"Yeah, I might just do that" she smiled, "Thank you darlin'"

"See," he grinned, "New York's comin' out in ya, you ain't putting the g at the end o' darlin'"

He could see her shaking her head as she bounced through the lab

--

--

"The maid"

"Are you sure?" Lindsay grinned widely, shifting in her seat.

"Positive, Jen has the same bracelet from Macy's. She broke it last week, and I remembered thinking I needed to get her something. I'll send some of my guys to bring her in, and book her. You think we can get a warrant?"

"The evidence is circumstantial, but it's worth a try," she sighed, "it's the only lead we have."

Flack glanced down at his desk. "Linds, I owe you an apology - I've treated you like shit these past few days, arguing wit' ya, not backing ya up. I'm sorry, I should have been there, supported you."

Lindsay smiled "Don't worry about it Don. You were looking out for me, in a roundabout way"

Flack feigned hurt, but then grinned. "Shall we go raid Mrs. Maid's apartment?"

"That we shall" Lindsay smiled as he offered her his hand

--

--

"Lydia, your clothing is being tested for gunshot residue" Lindsay spat, slamming the warrant down on the table.

"And, my guys, they found that bracelet Mr. Slater bought you, Mrs. Slater know about that by any chance?" Flack laughed sarcastically.

"Like she'd give a rat's ass" Lydia Verdeyen spat.

"Nice" Lindsay smiled sarcastically.

"No really, she didn't care what James did. She and that little brat was always with that fancy man of hers, live down the road. Why it was so easy"

"Easy, what do you mean, easy?"

Lydia gasped in shock. "I want to speak to my lawyer"

"Yeah," Lindsay smiled "Maybe that's a good idea"

--

--

"Miss Verdeyen, please."

"Look, I'm telling you, not until my lawyer gets here."

"He's stuck in midtown traffic. If you tell us your story now, we can get to the DA before he puts this in front of a court – get you a deal or something." Lindsay encouraged, remembering Mac's words of how a perp always wanted to share their story.

"She wanted him dead, you know. It wasn't me."

"Who wanted who dead?"

"Alyssa, she wanted James dead. Said she would pay me half a million dollars to kill him."

"And you did?"

"Well, no. Because he wanted to kill her. So, I figured I'd get her money, and then kill them. It's what he said he wanted. He wanted to be with me"

"Who wanted to be with you, Lydia" Lindsay asked, her tone gentle.

"James, James wanted to be with me. He didn't want them in his life anymore."

"So you took care of it?"

"I did. She gave me the money, and I killed them"

Lindsay nodded. "Then what happened?"

"I waited for James to get home. He usually gets home from the airport around 5AM when he's coming home from Chicago on business"

"And what happened when he got home?" Flack asked.

"He was shocked. Said he had changed his mind. Said that he wanted to make his marriage work."

"Then what happened?" Lindsay asked

"I pulled out the gun. It was only supposed to scare him, but he lunged forward, and grabbed my wrist, he tried to take it off me, but it just went off in my hands. It was an accident"

"And then you make it look like a murder-suicide?"

Lydia just nodded silently.

"Why did you place the semen from Eric Dunwright on Alyssa's body, Lydia?"

"He had just as much of a part to play in this as what I did. I'm not saying anything else." Lydia said simply as she folded her arms.

"That's fine" Lindsay said, "We have all we need. Lydia Verdeyen, I'm arresting you for the murders of James, Alyssa and Megan Slater. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you do say will be given in evidence against you. You have the right to an attorney, but if you cannot afford one, one will be provided by the state. "

"He loved me, James. He did you know" Lydia insisted as she was cuffed.

"I'm sure he did," Lindsay nodded solemnly, knowing that this girl had thrown her life away.


	87. Who What?

Mac shifted in his seat as he heard Lindsay and Flack through the hallways of the NYPD crime lab. The infectious laugh of Lindsay Messer always made him smile. She was a real asset to the team. Not only did she bring a different way of life to the New York Crime Lab... She brought with her a new Danny Messer – a new and improved one.

Moving towards the door, he took a deep breath. "Lindsay, could I have a word?"

Turning back, he could see her take a sharp intake of breath. "Sure" she smiled, "Don, I'll catch up with you. Tell Danny I'll be a little late"

Flack nodded and headed off towards the elevator.

"Come in, Lindsay... I wanted to talk to you about earlier." Mac said; no emotion whatsoever displayed across his face or in his voice.

Mac heard her take a deep breath. "Mac, I'm sorry about earlier. I know I should have listened to you, and I know that you've always told me to follow the evidence, but Mac, my instincts were telling me that Dunwright wasn't our perp. Something was telling me to go with what my head was telling me. I was always told to go with what I felt and let the evidence back up my findings"

"Yes, I know Lindsay. That's what's brought you here."

She slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath "Mac- I'm sorry - I"

"I've been thinking about this for a while" he said, as he cut her off "but today – today confirmed what I had been thinking. What I knew deep down was the right decision. You went with your instincts Lindsay, while still following the evidence. You asked for an opportunity to prove to me you were capable, and even though I knew you were more than capable, you needed that confirmation yourself. I actually respect the fact that you went your own way about things instead of doing what I said. You knew there was something else, and you were right. Even when myself and Flack were questioning you. You brought the case to a close, and found the killer. Lindsay, you did a great job."

"Thanks Mac." Lindsay smiled warmly. "I'll see you on Monday" she said politely as she turned towards the office door.

"And that's why I'm promoting you to 2nd grade detective Lindsay" Mac said with a broad smile across his face.

Lindsay used the door to brace herself as she turned around to face him

"Mac, are you – are you – who– what??"

"I'm promoting you to 2nd grade detective" He repeated, smiling as he stood up, a badge in his hand

She moved towards him and flung her arms around his neck. "Mac I – I don't even know what to say" she cried tearfully

"Don't say anything; your hug says it all. Now go on" Mac smiled, breaking away from the hug and handing her, her new badge "Go celebrate with your husband"

She smiled at him, and turned towards the door to let herself out.

"Oh. And Lindsay?"

"Yeah Mac" she rasped out,

"Congratulations" Mac smiled proudly.

Flashing him a grin, she turned and pushed the door open, trying to fix her new badge on her belt.

* * *

_Giggles... so how many saw that one coming? I don't know whether they give out new badges when they promote you to 2nd grade, but for the sake of the story, lets say they do :) _


	88. 2nd grade, what?

_**PLEASE READ:**_

_**Okay, so the news from Ausceillo has hit me really, really, hard. I understand that some people are jumping ship, but i'm willing, and wanting to carry on writing, and keep my faith in this story - and this ship if all of you are... Would you let me know, please? Shall we call it a day, or carry on with the fluff through the hard times?**_

* * *

"Hey baby" Danny smiled as Lindsay slid in the booth next to him "What did Mac want?"

"Nothing really" She smiled, as she reached forward for her beer Danny had pre-bought for her.

Nodding, he wrapped his arm around her. "My mom has Amanda, so she's gonna go ahead and stay the night. We can have some -us -time then" He smiled as she placed a kiss on his jaw-line.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa" Flack interrupted. "Too much information Danno" He grinned.

Lindsay stretched, "I'll be right back guys" she smiled, "heading to the ladies room."

And with that, she walked across the bar, with a certain air of confidence and authority in her step.

"What you put in her tea, Flack?" Danny grinned.

"Nothing, she was real nervous when Mac wanted to talk to her, maybe it's something he said?"

"Yeah, maybe" Danny nodded. "So that empires game last night, you see it?"

"Yeah, they can't shoot for shit though."

"Tell me about it, I still can't believe we used to go" Danny laughed picking up his glass

"What can I say, we were young and naive."

--

--

Lindsay pushed through the bathroom doors and squealed in excitement. She didn't think it would be this hard to keep her promotion quiet. She desperately wanted to tell Danny, but wanted it to be a surprise. She wanted him to figure it out.

Adjusting the badge on her belt, she fluffed her curls, and washed her hands. Taking a deep breath, she pushed through the restroom doors, and headed back to the booth, with her badge shown proudly on her waist.

--

--

"I'm telling you Dan, there's something different" Flack mumbled as Lindsay sauntered across the bar towards their table.

"Nah, she's just happy to have closed the case." Danny smiled, taking a sip of his beer.

"Nah, I ain't buying it; there's something different."

Danny put his glass down scanned his wife up and down for any differences in her usual attire.

Boots, slacks, 2nd grade detective badge, shirt, curly hair.

His eyes widened. _2__nd__ grade detective badge?!_

He scooted himself out of the booth, and ran over to where she had stopped with a smile across her face. He picked her up and spun her round, before placing her back down on the ground.

"Well Damn, I thought I was gonna have to spell that one out for you. Quite the observer aren't you Messer" She teased as he kissed her forehead.

"Lindsay – Montana – how the– what?"

"That's what Mac wanted to see me about. He said he'd been thinking about it for a while"

Danny picked Lindsay up and squeezed her tight in a hug.

"Danny, put me down, people are staring,"

"No Montana, let 'em."

Giggling, she reached for his love handles, and prodded him. "Put me down"

Complying, he smiled, and slung his arm over her shoulder and walked back to the booth, where Flack was sat staring as they both sat down.

"Wanna fill me in? Or is it secret couple code?"

Lindsay looked down to her belt loop and unhooked her badge and placed in on the table.

"I made 2nd grade detective" She grinned widely.

"Monroe" Flack smiled warmly, "I – aw come here" Flack smiled standing up, and pulling her out of the booth into a hug. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," Lindsay smiled.

"Drinks on you then?" Flack grinned.

"No, they're on me"

Danny, Lindsay and Flack turned to see Mac, Stella, Hawkes, Adam, Sid and Angell stood with jubilant looks on their faces.

--

--

"That's it" Lindsay half screamed, slamming her drunken fist on the table.

"What's it?" Mac laughed pouring himself another glass of beer from their pitcher placed in the middle of the table.

"Tag Jones" she grinned, snuggling into Danny's side with a pleased grin on her face.

"I don't look like Tag Jones... Who's Tag Jones" Flack asked, puzzled.

"Friends- He went out with Rachel, he was her assistant." Danny quipped

"Oh my god, Lindsay you're totally right." Stella laughed, cupping Flack's face, and pulling it towards her "It's in the eyes"

"It's been driving me crazy" Lindsay laughed.

"Whatever" Flack laughed "You look like that Eva Rossi from Medical Investigations"

"She does not. Lindsay's beautiful compared to that Rossi girl." Danny spat across the table.

"Whatever Mess, just 'cause you don't look like a friends character."

"Dude, what you talking about, _you_ don't even think you look like him"

"I could look like him" Flack countered.

"More drinks?" Mac laughed edging towards the end of the seat.

--

--

"Angell, make sure Flack gets home, alright" Stella smiled as she watched Hawkes and Mac throw Flack into the back of a cab.

"I'm gonna throw him on my couch, and leave him to fend for himself" She grinned. "Like he did to me, after those two's wedding," Angell laughed nodding towards Danny and Lindsay who were sharing a drunken kiss outside of the 3rd bar they had stumbled to.

"G'night then," Stella smiled, rubbing Angell's back as she got into the cab, and gave him her address.

Taking a deep breath, Stella moved towards the rest of the group.

"Danny – Lindsay." She cleared her throat to get their attention. "Danny. Lindsay" She repeated. Still with no luck, she pulled them apart dramatically, and laughed at their disgruntled faces. "Oh, sorry, did I interrupt something," she grinned sarcastically.

"No" Danny replied flatly, before cupping Lindsay's face again.

"No? Good," Stella interrupted, pulling Lindsay towards her. "We gonna get you home kiddo?"

"Danny will. Danny's good at that" Lindsay smiled, wrapping her arms around Stella. "I love you, you know Stella."

"And I love you too Kiddo."

"No, I really love you Stella. You're like my bestest friend."

"Yeah, okay Lindsay. I love you too. Danny take Lindsay home will ya? You have aspirin at home don't you?"

Danny nodded "Think so"

"Well, take her home. No funny business. I'll call round tomorrow, see how she's doing."

Danny nodded again. "Think so"

"Danny, are you listening."

"Think so" he grinned.

"Stop bullshitting. Get in the cab. Call me when you get home" Stella mothered.

"Yeah okay" Danny nodded as he and Lindsay stumbled to the taxi sat at the side of the road.

Glancing over at Mac and Hawkes who were currently leaning on the wall Stella laughed.

"Maybe it's time you two lightweights made your way home too"

"No, we're just gonna hit another bar or 3, aren't we Mac" Hawkes laughed

"No, you are not. Come on, you're coming with me" Stella said, shaking her head as she hailed a cab.

"Never again" she mumbled to herself. "Never, ever again"

--

--

"Danny, you told Stella we'd go straight home" Lindsay whined as Danny pulled her into an all night diner.

"Linds, I'm hungry, she'll be fine. She'll probably be asleep now anyway."

Shaking her head, Lindsay led Danny into a booth in the back and sat down opposite him.

"I'm a little drunk" she laughed as Danny took her hands over the table.

"I can see that," he laughed as he signalled the waitress over. "Two coffees please" he smiled politely, as the woman slammed down two very old, chipped coffee cups. After thanking her Danny and Lindsay looked at each other and grinned,

"Straws?" Danny laughed, nodding his head down to the cup.

"Straws" Lindsay nodded as she reached across the table and placed one straw in each of their cups. "What you wanting to eat Danny?"

"Dunno, just felt like doing something crazy. We never do anything crazy anymore Linds"

"We do. We rent movies"

"Lindsay, I said crazy. Not domesticated."

"We get take-out"

"No Linds, I meant crazy – like going out, and staying out till like 3AM"

"Danny, we have a baby. It's not that easy anymore. You know, ever heard of a thing called responsibility?" Lindsay smirked taking a sip through her straw of the coffee "That tastes like tar" she shuddered as Danny laughed.

"Doesn't take you much to sober up, does it Montana"

"From all my nights going to wild sorority parties in college and having class at 9AM the next morning"

Danny's eyes narrowed. "You were in a sorority? You never told me that"

"I haven't told you a lot of things" she smirked

"Should I be worried?"

"No, no... It's nothing like that" she smiled reassuringly.

"Like what then?"

"Oh, you know... the usual, lacrosse team – swim team – Hopscotch expert, tennis champion"

"Tennis champion" Danny laughed "Who, you?"

"Why? Is that so hard to believe?"

"No, it's just dangerous"

"Why, you might ask me to marry?" she grinned across the table. "Too late"

"Linds, I'm sorry to ruin the night, but sometime you're gonna have to open up to me about what happened"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm not ready yet Dan."

"I know," he said honestly, moving his hand across the table, took hold of hers, and kissed them. "Whenever you're ready, but Linds, you have to tell me. You can't keep it inside much longer. I hear you at night. I can feel you tossing and turning. Let me be there for you, don't push me away."

She rubbed his rough hands in her smaller ones. "We're not that couple anymore that pushes each other away. I promise"

He turned her hands over and traced the scars on her hands from the summer afternoons of herding cattle.

"Shall we go my little detective?"

"2nd grade detective" she grinned

"My little 2nd grade detective. M&M's gonna be so proud of you Linds"

"She is?" Lindsay laughed taking hold of Danny's hand as they headed out onto the New York street.

"Yeah she will, when I tell the story to her and her brother and sister."

"Brother and sister, husband say what now?" she drawled in a country accent.

Danny laughed and cocked his eyebrows. "What did you just say?"

Lindsay blushed and pulled him further down the street "Me and Amanda was watching Hannah Montana the other day"

Shaking his head, he put his hand in the air to hail a cab. "Country girl"


	89. Christmas shopping

**_A/N: Thankyou all so much for your encouragement with last chapter - Us shippers have to stick together, right?_**

**_So... with the story, as you all know i've royally messed up the timeline - and if you didnt, you do now... So here's the first attempts of me fixing it... Bare with me, i've got something up this CEESAU sleeve of mine :) _**

**_And, I just want to thank _**Twinkeyrocks**_ for being my fluffy buddy, and kicking my butt into place when it's needed, and to _**KTmac**_ for letting me vent to her about the damn PTB! :) I wub you, guys :) _**

* * *

She stretched but didn't open her eyes – she just simply lay for a few minutes, trying to sense her surroundings.

But she couldn't.

Slowly, she opened one eye, closed it again, and smiled. Grinning, for a moment, she re-lived last night's memories that were filling her mind.

She opened her eyes slowly as the light from outside was creeping through the blinds. Giggling, she shifted slightly, and poked Danny in the nose.

He stirred lightly, and scrunched his nose up, but didn't wake. Giggling, she did it again, a little harder this time to make sure it woke him up. His eyes slowly opened, and he flashed a toothy grin towards her.

"Hey" she smiled as he kissed her forehead.

"Hey" he whispered back, while his eyes adjusted to the light.

"Old times huh?" she laughed glancing around the room

He nodded and smiled "What happened last night Montana?"

"I believe we decided it was time for a re-match"

He flicked her arm, as he shifted slightly on the pillow he had grabbed from the couch.

"Come on Montana, what really happened?"

"We decided to be crazy, remember?"

--

_Stumbling through the front door, Lindsay laughed. "You're right Dan. We never do anything crazy"_

_Nodding his head wildly in agreement, he gestured between them both "You and me, need to do more crazy stuff more often"_

"_Me and you need tequila" she giggled heading for the kitchen._

"_Nah-ah Linds" Danny smirked heading after her in pursuit after he had locked the front door "I believe we've had sufficient alcohol for tonight"_

"_Let's do something crazy Danny"_

"_Like what?" he laughed, while sitting down at the kitchen table_

"_I bet you can't win back that Benjamin" she smirked_

"_What Benjamin?" he asked, before realisation hit him" Oh" he smiled "that Benjamin, You're on"_

_--_

"Did we actually play pool Linds?"

"Well, I think your guess would be as good as mine" she laughed

Danny blinked "What time is it?" Mimicking her voice from the pool table the morning after their first night together

"It's real early" she smirked, waiting for him to laugh

But he didn't.

"Go back to sleep Linds, I'll wake ya up"

She pulled his chin down so that their foreheads were touching "Danny" she whined "That was my line this time"

"Nah babe" shaking his head, he moved closer to her so that there lips were inches apart "S'always gonna be my line"

They laid for a few minutes in comfortable silence enjoying each other's company before Lindsay's head darted up. "Danny, remind me why we were out last night celebrating?"

He pulled her head back down so that she was resting on his chest again. "I'm not sure 2nd grade, Detective Messer." He grinned

"I didn't dream it?"

"Nope, your badge is somewhere in the kitchen"

"Somewhere in the kitchen?"

"Yeah, it seems to escape me where we decided to lose them slacks of yours. Your badge was still attached to your slacks I think"

Shaking her head, she pulled Danny's hand across his chest to look at his watch, much to Danny's dismay

"Crap" she gasped, darting up and off the table

"What's the matter Montana, late for a date or somethin'?"

"Dan! "she spat, pulling his shirt on so she could run upstairs, "It's 11.30"

"And?!" He sighed, nonchalantly swinging his legs over the side of the pool table

"Ouch, Montana" he whined, rubbing the back of his head "What'cha throw my phone at me for?"

"Just look at your missed calls Daniel"

Danny rubbed his eyes as he flipped his phone open "Crap! Linds!"

"Amanda" they both said together while throwing each other's clothes at the other.

"My Mom's gonna kill me" Danny groaned pulling on his jeans.

"She's gonna know we got drunk" Lindsay sighed as she pulled on Danny's NYPD jersey after he had pulled his button down shirt off of Lindsay.

"Montana, she's like damn radar – she probably already knows we had sex. I think she micro chipped me when I was younger or somethin'" he laughed as he buttoned his shirt up

"Danny!" She scolded, "I'll be in the car"

Danny scrambled around the room dodging the desk he had put in there for work, but had never actually used. Now it was just good for stacking laundry on top of it. He jumped around, attempting to balance on one leg as he tied his shoe in mid air. Until he heard giggling from the doorway

"Danny, just sit down to tie them"

"Shuddup Linds, I thought you were waiting in the car"

"We had some visitors on the front porch when I was heading out."

"Dan-iel" he heard his name in a singsong type of voice.

Danny groaned and mouthed "Daniel, where are you" to Lindsay, who was still smiling

"Daniel, where are you"

Danny cocked his eyebrows, and sighed, "In the pool room, Mom"

"Daniel, what time exactly might you call this?" Isabelle Messer laughed as she stood next to Lindsay in the doorway.

"I might call this," he grinned, checking his watch "11:35."

"You are you're father's boy," she sighed as she sulked off into the kitchen.

"Get dressed" Lindsay spat heading after Isabelle Messer

"I am" he laughed, following her one shoe still in his hand.

--

--

"Are you sure, Isabelle?"

"Honestly honey – we don't mind at all, do we Pete – I know what it's like, having to go Christmas shopping. You two go, take your time. We'll be here when you get back" Isabelle smiled, while swatting Danny's father, Pete's legs from resting on her son and daughter in law's coffee table.

"You know where everything is, don'tcha Ma?"

"I sure do, and if not, I know your cell phone number. You two go, have fun. Be a couple."

Lindsay smiled warmly and headed over to where Amanda sat, playing on the floor with her toys.

"You be good for Grammy and Pop-pop, now sweetie, you hear me"

Amanda nodded, and held her arms out "Mommy"

Picking her up, Lindsay smiled "We won't be long, alright munchkin."

Amanda reached over to Danny and placed a wet open-mouthed kiss on his cheek.

"Dada"

"See ya M&M, be good,"

"She always is, Daniel" Isabelle smiled, taking Amanda from Danny.

"Yeah, for you maybe. She can be a terror,"

"Really," Isabelle laughed sarcastically "We know who she takes after then, don't we Lindsay,"

Lindsay giggled as she picked up her bag, "Come on, cowboy. Let's at least try and beat the lunch time traffic"

"You're never gonna get this, traffic is busy all day, concept are ya Linds?" he smirked as they headed to the door.

--

--

"Montana" he whined "we've been at this for-"he glanced down at his watch "6 hours now, please can we go home. I'm tired"

"Danny, its Amanda's first Christmas. At least _pretend_ you care." She moaned, shifting through her 8th rack of pink dresses in Macy's.

"Montana – look" he sighed, taking her hand, and pulling her towards him "I do care, honestly I do. But there are only so many pink dresses I can look at, and pretend to think they're different, before I get whiney"

"And bitchy" she added

"And bitchy" he nodded "I promise you, I will make sure we can go shopping again, just please, take me home."

Taking one last look at the dress she had in her hand, she looked up in the direction of the tills, where the line was to the door almost.

"I guess I could order it online" she sighed.

"There, that'a girl, come on" he grinned, excitedly, pulling her towards the exit.

"Where's the fire?" she laughed, trying to keep up with him.

"Would you kill me if I said in my pants?"

"I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that" she called after him, as she followed him out of Macy's.

**A/N: In the upcoming chapters there's gonna be alot more of little M&M :)**

**R&R?**


	90. Girl talk

**_A/N: thanks to all those who are reading/reviewing. :)_**

**_Last minute addition to this chapter, Twinkeyrocks. Think of it as a present for you. :)_**

"Linds!" Lindsay stopped half way down the hallway and smiled at the voice.

"Hey Stel, everything good?"

"Yeah, fine. I was just wondering, how is it as Second grade detective."

Lindsay laughed, "you stopped me for that?"

"Clearly," Stella laughed, "Where's the fire?" she asked, walking with Lindsay towards the elevator.

"Lead on the case. Danny's meeting me downstairs."

Stella nodded, "Which case did you get?"

"Domestic. Husband cheated, wife got even, apparently. According to Flack's voicemail I got."

"Voicemail?" Stella asked,

"Yeah, I tried calling him afterwards to ask him more, but it was switched off. Guess he's with Angell"

"Yeah" Stella coughed. "Yeah, he'll be with Angell, when did you try?"

"About 5 minutes ago" Lindsay pressed the down button on the elevator and smiled to herself. "So, Anything new?"

"Nope, no. Not really, you?"

"Nope" Lindsay said, with a knowing look displayed across her face that made Stella quite nervous.

The elevator arrived on the 35th floor and Lindsay stepped in. "See ya later, Stell"

"Yeah, I'll see you later, Lindsay"

The doors started closing, and Stella turned around, ready to walk away, until she felt a hand on her shoulder. "You, Miss Bonasera, you owe me a good explanation"

Stella's cheeks blushed slightly, "There's no fooling you."

"Nope, coffee later?"

Stella nodded, "Yeah, I'll call you. You can let me know what's on Amanda's Christmas list."

"Stell, it'd be easier me telling you what isn't on her list." Lindsay chuckled as she headed back towards the elevator.

--

--

"Ugh" Stella sighed as she practically threw herself into the chair across from Lindsay

"Um, Hi" Lindsay smiled as she nudged a caramel latte towards Stella. Stella glanced down at the deviation from their usual orders, and Lindsay shrugged, "thought we could have a change"

Stella smiled and set her purse down next to her, and sighed again.

For a minute, Lindsay just watched the older CSI as she let whatever was bothering her surface.

"So then Stell, you seem stressed" Lindsay stated.

"I am" she said simply.

"Oh" Lindsay grinned as she took a sip of her drink. "Wanna share it with the class"

"When I drive Lindsay, do we eat?"

Lindsay nearly spat out the caramel latte she had just taken another sip of. After setting the drink down, and wiping her mouth with a napkin she smiled, "Um, what?"

"When I drive, do I stop for food?"

"Well, we stop for coffee. I live off protein bars at work" Lindsay smiled "But yeah, I guess we do. Can I ask why?"

"Well, Flack used to say that we never ate,"

"Ookay," Lindsay smiled "And that's annoyed you, because..?"

"It hasn't, I was just thinking"

"Oh, okay" Lindsay smiled "That's what this is"

"What?"

"Nothing" Lindsay said quickly trying to diffuse the conversation "So, just over a week till Christmas" Lindsay smiled

"Yeah" Stella agreed nonchalantly, as if she wasn't paying attention.

"Yeah, Danny's just gone to see his Mom and Amanda. Think he met them at McDonalds"

"That's nice" Stella smiled as she looked over Lindsay's shoulder towards the door

"Yeah, the case is going pretty slow, so we thought we'd have a long lunch, I mean the Vic ain't going anywhere, really. Unless Sid as perfected resurrecting the dead"

Stella nodded, and carried on looking towards the door.

Smirking, Lindsay picked up her drink again, and took a sip. "Stell, I'm cheating on Danny"

Stella nodded, still looking over at the door.

"With Flack" she added

"Flack, you see him? Where?" Stella asked excitedly

Lindsay picked up the napkin and threw it at Stella. "Stella what is going on? You don't bat an eyelid when I joke and say I'm cheating on Danny. What's got your panties in a twist?"

"Nothing," Stella barked defensively.

"Alright, alright" Lindsay said, throwing her arms in surrender. She picked her drink up, "So, have you heard about Flack and Jess"

Stella's eyes widened "What about them? Have you heard something?"

Lindsay couldn't help but laugh "No, but clearly you know something. Come on Stell, I know you. What's going on?"

"They broke up"

Lindsay nodded- she had already seen it coming. Angell seemed to be extra busy recently.

"And?" Lindsay smiled.

"And, nothing"

"Stell, you don't act like a crazy schoolgirl with a crush on the school's heart throb for no reason, usually at least. Something happened. When did they break up?"

"Last week"

"Last week?" Lindsay exclaimed, "I worked with Flack last week, on the Slater case, he was talking about getting her a bracelet."

"He didn't want you to know."

"Oh," Lindsay sighed, "I – I thought-"

"Well, let me re-phrase that, he didn't want anyone knowing, not specifically just you."

Lindsay nodded.

"He said he didn't care too much. They got on well, but it didn't feel right, apparently."

"Some work out, some don't."

Stella nodded,

"Wait a minute," Lindsay said, moving closer to the table. "When we went out to celebrate my promotion, Flack and Angell went back to hers."

"Yeah, they did" Stella grinned sheepishly.

"And Mac and Hawkes went back to yours" Lindsay added.

"How can you remember all this, you were dead to the world, you and Danny."

"You'd be surprised," Lindsay smiled "So, tell me what actually happened, not the bullcrap you've been feeding me, Missy"

"Well, if Flack and Angell hadn't of gone home together, people might have started to ask questions, and Flack had told me they wanted to keep it quiet, and not want to make a big deal out of it. Sinclair wasn't that impressed about it anyway, so if they were quiet about it, and kept it under wraps, people just wouldn't notice"

Lindsay nodded, "and?"

"So, the taxi dropped him off at his, then hers."

"Right, and you?"

"I dropped Hawkes and Mac off at mine, then went over to Flack's to talk"

"Talk?" Lindsay smiled "Is that what you kids are calling it these days?"

"Funny" Stella smiled as she threw the scrunched up napkin at Lindsay. "No, we talked about how we felt. We thought we couldn't ignore it anymore. I felt like crap when they started dating, and thought I had missed my chance. And he told me that he always liked me,"

Lindsay nodded "Yeah, I know"

Stella cocked her eyebrow, "You know what?"

"Well, both me and Danny knew how Flack felt about you"

"And you didn't think to tell me?" Stella spat.

"Not my place" Lindsay shrugged. "You're both stubborn, I knew you two would fall together eventually. You needed a wake up call, or something"

"Wiseass" Stella chirped

"So, what's the status, what are you guys doing?"

"We're seeing how it goes" She smiled

"I'm happy for you, chickie"

"Chickie?" Stella laughed, "Practicing new pet names for Danny?"

"No," Lindsay smiled "Poor Amanda will be confused, Daddy, Danny, Cowboy, wiseass, the poor girl wont know what the heck to call him"

"Oh god," Stella smirked, "My god-daughter's first word is gonna be Wiseass, ain't it"

"She's already talking." Lindsay laughed

"Whatever" Stella smiled as she relaxed in her seat. "So, what is Auntie Stella assigned to buy for Amanda's first Christmas?"

--

--

"Well," Danny started "that was, challenging" he sighed falling backwards onto the bed.

"To say the least" Lindsay sighed, dropping next to him, and snuggling into his side.

"I don't think I'll ever understand people."

"Me neither" Lindsay sighed, while nestling her head on his chest.

"Why did they stay married? Neither of them was happy."

"I know" Lindsay sighed.

"Linds," Danny started. "Maybe it was about time we had that talk"

"Talk?"

"Yeah, you know… talk, about Montana."

"Oh, yeah…" she sighed "That talk, well, what do you want to know?"

He sat up, and rested against the headboard before pulling her into his side. "I want to know what's going through the head of yours. You haven't said two words about it, I'm worried baby, you broke down last week, then after that, nothing. Tell me what's going on, let me in"

"It's hard for me to let people in, Danny. You of all people should know that"

"So do I, I struggle, but I try. It's what makes us so good together,"

Lindsay laughed, "What, the fact that we are two emotionally challenged CSI's, that can't function without the other?"

"No, silly" he laughed while he kissed her temple. "How similar we are. Come on, Linds. I've waited long enough. You woke up again last night, didn't you?"

Lindsay looked down. "It could have been a lot worse, Danny."

"I know – but it wasn't."

"I don't know whether I would have been able to deal with it, if I had been in your shoes."

"Lindsay, you're strong, you would have coped better than what I did"

"Would I though, Danny? You had to deal with me nearly getting shot, me leaving, me getting in the crash, and now me in the bomb. What have I had to deal with when it comes to you being in danger"

Danny sat silent for a few minutes, not knowing what to say.

"That's what I thought" she said.

"Linds, come on"

"I'm gonna go sit with Amanda for a while Danny, give me a little time, alright. I want to be on my own."

Nodding silently, he let go of her, and she shut the bedroom door.

He pondered over how long he should give her. Figuring that 5, maybe 10 minutes was too short, he sighed, and picked up his book on parenting that Lindsay had pestered him to read months before Amanda was born. He couldn't see a point reading about what he should do, just get stuck in, learn from his mistakes, that how he did things. Learned and moved on.

Shutting the book, and stretched out on the bed, and began to feel a little cruel on how he spoke to Lindsay; she had, had a tough time recently – she didn't deserve having to come home to that as well.

He took a deep breath and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Heading towards the door, he stopped as his hand touched the handle. Taking one last deep breath, he turned the handle.

**Alot more Amanda coming up, next chapter. **

**Hope you enjoyed, would love to know what you thought. :)**

**Thanks for reading**


	91. Talk about the bomb

He felt his heart sink a little when he saw her look up from her position on the floor, opposite the bedroom door. She was sat, knees tucked into her chest, with tears running down her face. He was next to her within seconds, and mimicked the way she was sat; apart from he had his arm wrapped tightly around her, bringing her close to his side. He considered picking them both up for the moment, but thought against it, and instead just held her until she had calmed down.

"You didn't make it very far, did you?" he smiled warmly at her

"Shuddup" she laughed through her tears, then, her face became more serious. "You were right, Danny. I do need to talk about it. It's eating me up inside,"

"Go on then, I'm listening. You have my full attention"

She sighed, and pulled out of his strong hold he had on her. "I had sat where we sat during the trial"

"You were in the same courtroom, Linds. Seriously?"

"Yeah, I thought that if I sat where we sat, I would have you with me. Have your support, like how you supported me that day. I know it sounds silly, but it was reassuring, knowing that you had been there. And I wasn't completely alone"

"You're never alone, you know that Linds, right?"

"Yeah, but – I was still a little – anyway" she sighed, flustered. "There had been this guy that looked shady. He came in after we had all sat down and grabbed a seat in the back. I gave my testimony, and we had gone for a recess while the jury had a break for lunch, and when we came back in, he was already there."

Danny nodded, willing her to carry on. "So, what happened next?"

"Well, they were about to call McGunity up for his last plea before the jury went into recess. I figured I'd be there for another 10 – 15 minutes, before I could head back home, and start packing. But the guy, he well, I don't know what happened, everything went black."

"Well, I don't know – but isn't that good?"

"I guess" she sighed, "I don't know, how am I supposed to feel?"

Danny took a deep breath, how was he supposed to answer that?

"Why did I ask you that, how are you supposed to know when I don't even know?" she mused to herself.

"I don't know how you should be feeling Linds, I really don't. But, I do know that you are safe, here with me, and M&M. we wont let anything happen to you anymore, you got that. And second, I'm here for you, no matter what, I know everything is a little confusing for you right now, but whenever you need to talk to me, just need me to listen, all you have to do is say, okay." He pulled her close, and kissed her forehead, "I love you, Montana"

She melted into his embrace and rested her head against his shoulder, "I love you, too."

They sat for a few minutes, enjoying each other's comfort before Lindsay stood up and offered a hand to help Danny up. Giving her a puzzled look, Lindsay smiled.

"I gotta get Dinner on, Amanda's probably starving,"

"She was with my Mom all day Linds, she probably hasn't stopped eating."

"Silly me," she laughed sarcastically, as she headed towards Amanda's room where they had set her down for a nap.

"Hey Linds," Danny called after her down the hall "you know, I've been thinking"

Lindsay smirked "That's what the noise was, your clocks turning"

"Funny," Danny sighed, "No, I have, maybe we should think about getting a babysitter or something, you know like a nanny"

"Danny, a nanny? Why?"

"Well, Amanda doesn't really have any routine, sure, she's with my mom, but she just plonks her down in front of the TV watching that mindless children crap, maybe we should get someone to interact with Amanda, stimulate her brain and all that"

Lindsay looked wide-eyed at Danny, "I don't know, Dan"

"Why not Linds, we can afford it."

"No, I know that"

"Well, what is it?"

"Nothing, I was just – I dunno, can we think about it?"

"Sure, it was just a suggestion."

Lindsay nodded, and turned into Amanda's room

--

--

"Come on M&M, one last bite, alright"

Amanda shut her mouth and shook her head.

"She's got that from you," Lindsay laughed as she loaded the dishwasher,

"She hasn't even" Danny sighed, pushing away Amanda's plate. "I don't know what's gotten into her, she doesn't eat hardly anything we give her, Linds"

"Yeah, because your mom feeds her junk, then when she gets home, her system goes into shock with the vegetables we feed her"

"Goes into shock? Little dramatic there Montana, don't ya think"

"Maybe" Lindsay grinned sheepishly. "I dunno, Dan"

"About what," he asked, quickly grabbing his drink and taking it out of Amanda's small grip before she tipped it all over him and her high chair.

"Maybe we should look into getting a nanny or something, you know for when we're both working"

"I feel a but coming…" Danny mused

"'Cause there is one" Lindsay sighed, as she flung her dishcloth over her shoulder and sat down on the other side of Amanda.

Smiling and giggling, Amanda threw her hands down on the tray table of her high chair, before reaching for the plate of mashed carrots that Danny had been battling with Amanda to eat before. Lindsay grinned over at him, and began spoon-feeding Amanda, who happily accepted the carrots.

"She just wanted her mommy, didn't you, bug?"

"Bug?" Danny laughed, "Bug?"

"Yeah, she's like a little lady bug" Lindsay smiled, ticking Amanda's belly, making her giggle.

"So she's my M&M and your lady bug then?"

"Yup" Lindsay smiled

"I thought it was lady bird, Linds"

"Shuddup, Danny" Lindsay smiled, flicking a small spoon of carrots over in Danny's direction. Amanda's eyes widened in glee, and she picked up a stray green bean that had landed on her tray table, and threw it wildly at Danny.

Grabbing her hands, Danny pulled Amanda out of the high chair. "S'enough of that, girls. I swear I'm always out numbered with you two."

Danny handed Amanda to Lindsay across the table. Upon seeing the messy state Amanda Messer was in, Lindsay stood up, and made her way towards the sink, with Amanda held away from her body and placed her down by the sink, and ran the water, letting Amanda's feet play in the tepid water.

"S'that supposed to mean, Danny?" Lindsay laughed as she held onto Amanda's arm who was still happily splashing in the water.

"It'd be nice to have a little guy running around I guess, you know, a mini me" Danny grinned from where he was crouched by the kitchen cupboards cleaning off the carrots that Lindsay had launched at him.

"Danny, don't you think it's a little early, I mean it's Amanda's birthday in like a week, you want a One-year-old and a new born."

"I want them to be close"

"Yeah, they will be if we wait another year."

"Yeah, but I mean Linds, it's Christmas in just over a month"

"And," Lindsay laughed, "What's that got to do with me and you reproducing?"

"You don't gotta put it like that"

Lindsay laughed, "Okay, what does that have to do with me and you…"

"Okay, alright Montana" he laughed, throwing a dishcloth into the sink, before catching it when Amanda kicked it at him "I get it, alright. And you," he grinned, turning his attention to Amanda, "Knock it off, you little terror. Stop picking on Daddy."

"What can we say, she's a Mommy's girl," Lindsay smiled, pulling Amanda out of the sink, "I'm gonna go ahead and give her a bath, you wanna help me, Dan?"

"And get all wet, as appealing as that sounds I might pass. I got some stuff to sort out, anyway. Give me a call when you're reading her a story, I'll come up and we can do the voices"

"Alright" Lindsay laughed as she headed upstairs.

Danny sat for a few minutes, just listening to the sounds of his wife and daughter laughing and giggling, getting ready for bath time.

Deciding he had taken enough time, he got up, and darted upstairs.

Creeping down the hall, trying to make his presence unknown, he rested in the doorframe of Amanda's bathroom. It was most definitely a picture perfect moment. Lindsay was sat on the floor, feet underneath her, staring lovingly at Amanda, while she played with all her toys in the shallow water.

It was times like these that Danny hoped he would remember for as long as he lived.

He pulled himself away from the doorway, and headed down the hallway, and stopped just by the storage room.

**_Huge thanks to Twinkeyrocks as usual for reading it over like a million years ago :)_**


	92. Playtime around bedtime

**_So, vacation time for me, so here's a extra fluffy chapter to tide you all over until i get back :) I hope you guys like it _**

* * *

He carried as much as he could downstairs ensuring that he was as quiet as possible. Each time, glancing into the bathroom for a split second to make sure his girls were still enjoying bath time.

Glancing at his watch, he frantically moved around the living room and kitchen, putting everything into place.

He lit the log that they kept in the fireplace for cold nights, not that that happened much, living in New York, but sometimes, they turned the air con up that little bit more, just to enjoy the romantic setting that the fire created.

He fought with the monster Lindsay had insisted on buying the previous year, until she called him.

"Coming Linds"

He took one last glance around the room, and darted into the hallway, and took the stairs two at a time. Turning at the top of the stairs, he went straight into Amanda's bedroom,

"Did we enjoy bath time sweetie?" Danny smiled, as he stood over Amanda's crib with Lindsay

"It was just any usual bath Danny, it wasn't anything special" Lindsay smiled, as she brushed Amanda's golden hair.

"I didn't mean you, wisebutt"

"Wisebutt?" Lindsay laughed as she turned towards Danny.

"Well, I can't say wise – a-s-s in front of M&M, can I?"

"Good thinking, Batman." She smiled as she went back to softly brushing Amanda's baby locks. "But seriously, wisebutt"

"It's original" Danny smirked, as he pulled Amanda's rocking chair away from the wall and sat down with her favourite storybook in hand

"Gee, thanks darling. Where do you suggest I sit?" Lindsay laughed as she placed Amanda in Danny's lap.

"Sit on my knee, you're about as heavy as a feather"

"Danny" Lindsay laughed

"I know, I know" he sighed, "I heard myself"

"Just checking" she smiled as she wiggled and squirmed so that she could get comfy on the rocking chair.

"Well," Danny laughed as he opened the book "I never thought we would get the whole of the Messer family on the rocking chair."

"Whole of the Messer family?" Lindsay laughed as she re-positioned Amanda between her and Danny

"Yeah, me you and M&M. The Messer's"

"Cute," Lindsay smiled, placing a kiss on Amanda's temple, "I never heard you say 'The Messer's' before"

--

--

Amanda giggled and squealed as Danny chased her around the nursery on her wobbly little legs

"Dan, please knock it off, she's gonna be all hyped up before bed."

"Calm down Montana, I grew up playing before bedtime, never did me no harm"

Shaking her head, Lindsay pushed herself up off the rocking chair and crouched down by the side of the crib, so she was out of sight.

Never before had she understood why Danny wanted to place the crib in the middle of the room, until he had described of the image he had had of them.

Chasing each other around the crib, as a happy family.

Hearing Amanda's little footsteps, Lindsay giggled and popped her face out from the side of the crib.

"BOO" she giggled, and caught Amanda while she jumped into her arms, and Amanda tried to hide her face in the crook of Lindsay's neck.

"Daddy" Amanda giggled, while she squirmed in Lindsay's arms.

"What about him, baby" Lindsay smiled as Danny walked closer towards them,

"Daddy" Amanda squealed as Danny set out in a slow jog towards them, leaving enough time to allow Lindsay to start jogging around the crib.

"Daddy, daddy" Amanda squealed as Lindsay teased Danny who was at the other side of the crib by pretending to change her direction

"I got you, bug. Daddy can't win against us girls"

"Daddy can" Danny laughed as he ran a little quicker around the crib towards them. He grabbed Amanda, and while she squirmed in his arms, he pulled Lindsay closer towards him, and tickled her, before she squirmed out of his grasp.

"Damn you, Monroe." Danny laughed as he chased her around the crib

"Bug, help Mommy" Lindsay pleaded while blinked back her tears from laughing too much

"Daddy" Amanda smiled, pointing towards Lindsay "Daddy – Mommy,"

Danny took off, and Amanda had her arms outstretched with her fingers in the 'tickle position', so that she was ready to tickle Lindsay once Danny caught up with her.

Lindsay however, was holding her own, and managing to stay a comfortable distance at the other side of the crib.

"I'm too good for you, cowboy" she grinned, sticking her tongue out at him

"Really?" he grinned, placing Amanda back in the crib "equal footing now Montana, what'cha gonna do?"

"Run" she giggled as she ran around the rocking chair.

He just over to her, when she darted off in the opposite direction and stood just by Amanda's dresser

"You know I'm gonna win, Linds" Danny laughed as he edged closer towards her

"Yeah, in your dreams" she smirked

"Ooh, fighting talk" Danny laughed as he edged closer towards her

Amanda giggled from where she was stood in her crib, grinning excitedly at the sight of her Mommy and Daddy playing.

Glancing over at the crib, Lindsay momentarily forgot that she was under attack by Danny, and she in effect let her guard down. He had her on the floor, pinned down by his tickles within seconds, until she was red in the face from giggling and throwing her arms up in surrender.

"Tell me I won" Danny smirked as he let his fingers hover over her sides

"You won" she laughed quietly

"What, I didn't hear that?"

"I said" she smiled "You won"

"Better" he laughed as he stood and he helped her up.

They both kissed Amanda good night, and smiled as she instantly fell asleep.

As they crept out of her room Danny smiled and took Lindsay's hand.

"Wait a second." He smiled and sighed when she carried on walking, pulling him along with her "Stop there a sec, Linds would ya, I got somethin' to show ya"

"Danny," she scolded, "I know Amanda asleep, but can't it wait, I have some tidying to do downstairs before we head off to bed".

"No," he smirked "No, not that, downstairs, come here, let me blindfold you"

Shaking her head, she was about to protest when her whole world went dark.

"Is a blindfold really necessary?"

"Vital"

"Whatever" she sighed "At least help me down the stairs"

"I'll do you one better and carry you" he smiled to himself, as he picked her up, and carried her down the stairs.

He set her down at the entrance to the living room, and he slowly untied the blindfold.

**_R&R?_**


	93. Nanny and the baby

**_A/N: So, i'm back a week earlier then expected._** **_I'm sure you all won't mind another chapter, right? _**

"Danny" she gasped, "it's beautiful, when did you do this?"

"When you were bathing Amanda."

"Danny we weren't even 30 minutes,"

"I know, but I mean, I know the christmas tree decorations aren't up, but I figured you would want us to do that together anyway"

"Yeah" she smiled, as she gazed around the room "Dan, how did I not hear you hammering?"

"I did it yesterday when you were on shift earlier. I thought hammering might give me away"

She giggled, and gazed at the Christmas wreathes, the candles, the ornaments all taking over her living room

"Dan, why are our Christmas decorations out when it's like November 18th today"

"We don't know when we'll be working, Linds, I want Amanda to see the Christmas decorations for more than a week before Christmas. We used to put them up on the 1st"

She nodded, "So did my Mom"

"So they'll be up for Amanda's birthday next week."

"It looks just like our apartment"

"It does," he laughed, "really?"

"Yeah, yeah it does, do you remember how we used to set it up around Christmas?"

"Apparently so" he grinned

"Wiseass"

"Hey, I thought we were saying wisebutt." Danny laughed as he dodged a Christmas cushion she had launched at him

"Can you see Amanda?"

"No" he sighed dramatically, "you win"

"Do you remember the Christmas when she was born?"

"Yeah, she was only like a month old wasn't she?"

"Yeah, God Dan, she's gonna love Christmas this year"

"Yeah, I bet she doesn't even remember last year,"

Lindsay cocked her eyebrows "Ya think, cowboy"

"Linds, you're going on NCIS rations, them type a' shows drive me crazy" he said as he walked towards the tree

"Ugh, can we not get into this again Dan? You know as well as I do that the show is just for entertainment"

"I know Linds, but come on. A 20 second CODIS hit? You gotta be kidding me, if only it was that easy, we'd have the suspect before he left the damn scene"

"They ain't that good, Dan"

"I'm just saying"

"What should we do for her birthday, baby? You think we should have a party?"

"Well, I highly doubt we'll be able to keep the crime lab away" she laughed.

"Well yeah, I got that. But I mean…. Oh Linds, I have such a good idea."

"About what."

He grabbed her hands and pulled her towards the couch. "You remember Beth from next door?"

"Um, yeah. I was talking to her earlier, what about her"

"Have I ever told you she used to be a nanny?"

"No, you didn't." Lindsay said, "Why, what are you thinking?"

"Well Linds, I know I said when we first moved in she was like 80 or something, but well I was kinda wrong and…"

"She's 50, Dan"

"Yeah exactly, so I mean when we first moved in, she was adamant that when we had kids, for us not to hesitate to ask her to baby-sit"

"But Dan, I don't think you should ask her something like this, we can't just-"

"It's a little late, baby"

"Danny," Lindsay sighed, "You've already asked her, haven't you?"

"Little bit, this was my way of telling you…" he grinned

"But Dan, your mom is gonna be crushed, she loves watching Amanda."

"Yeah, but Linds, Beth, she knows what she's doing. And she adores Amanda. She's coming round tomorrow"

"When exactly did you ask her, honey?"

"Last week, she loved the idea. I mean Linds, how convenient is it, I mean she lives next door, she loves Amanda – she's perfect... Amanda doesn't have to get dragged around the city."

"Okay, okay" Lindsay smiled, "it's a perfect idea, but are you sure she's okay with this."

"Absolutely. She would have said"

"I hope you're right. Have you told your mom?"

"Yeah, she was fine with it. With Dad retiring next month they were gonna go and do something, I think she said a world cruise."

Lindsay cocked her eyebrows "Dan, your dad hasn't been to Brooklyn, never mind a world cruise"

"What can I say, my mommy has him whipped"

"Danny!" she scolded, "you can't say that!"

"I can" he grinned sticking his tongue out, while he stood up off the couch

"So, Beth's comin' round tomorrow so we can talk about it, that alright babe?"

"Yeah, fine" Lindsay smiled as she tucked her legs under her on the couch as she watched Danny hang ornaments on the tree.

"Dan," she said with a meek voice

"Yeah honey"

"Did you mean what you said earlier?"

"About what?"

"About wanting another baby"

"Yeah, why?"

"I just didn't realise you were in that place"

"Why, aren't you?"

"Well, no."

He stopped what he was doing, and looked at her, "No?"

"I just got promoted Dan, I mean, this year alone, we had time to go to Montana, I had time when I had to go and see my dad, you had time along with the rest of the NYPD for our wedding, I got in that crash, I had maternity leave for Amanda, and I had to go to the McGunity trial. If I have any more time off, Mac's gonna kick my ass,"

"But Lindsay, we ain't getting any younger"

"So, I'm only 31 and you're what, 34? We have the rest of our lives to have another baby, Dan. Can't we enjoy Amanda? I mean if we had another baby, how would Amanda deal with it"

"Lindsay, she's one in like a week, she wouldn't care"

"She's smarter than you think Dan, she'd know"

"Maybe" he sighed, "Look, I wasn't saying right now. Just think about it, alright?"

"Alright" she nodded as she moved towards him to start putting Christmas decorations on the tree.

--

--

"Montana, will you get your butt down here, screw the make up,"

"_I'm coming_," she screamed down the stairs

He shifted some flowers that Lindsay had bought a few days ago in the entry hall. Glancing at his watch, he sighed… 5 minutes till Beth was supposed to be here, and they were all running around like headless chickens. Lindsay wasn't dressed, Amanda was still in her PJ's throwing her breakfast around the kitchen, and Danny couldn't get anything organised.

It was seriously like an episode of friends, he sighed as he grabbed a cloth from the kitchen sink, like the one where no-one's ready.

He started frantically cleaning around the kitchen, and the area around Amanda's high chair.

Of all days to give her damn oatmeal, he sighed to himself.

Suddenly the doorbell rang. "Linds, can you get that"

"_One sec_" she called down from upstairs.

It rang again, "Now Montana"

"_I said one second_" she screamed from the bedroom

And it rang again "Jesus Linds, I'll get it my freaking self"

"_FINE_!" she screamed as the bedroom door slammed.

He ripped the door open, spoon in hand and with a oatmeal covered cloth in the other

"HELLO?" he barked

Beth chuckled, "Fun and games is it this morning, love?"

"Hey Beth, jeez, I'm sorry. Normally, it's not this hectic, honest"

"No worries" she smiled as she moved in and set her bag down in the hallway. "Amanda in the kitchen?" she inquired

"Yeah, but she's a mess, I'll just run-"

"I have it, go and talk to Lindsay,"

"Beth, no-"

"Danny, consider it my test run, alright?"

He smiled and handed her Amanda's pink plastic spoon, and turned upstairs

"Danny?" she called out

"Aha,"

"You have oatmeal on your forehead, love"

Chuckling to himself he smiled "Thanks Beth"

He gingerly pushed through the bedroom door, and his eyes widened at Lindsay sobbing

"Is there something wrong baby?"

"No" she spat as she turned over on the bed. Mascara running down her cheeks

"You sure, there looks to be something wrong, honey"

"Well, there isn't, alright"

"Beth's downstairs honey"

This encouraged more tears from Lindsay

"Linds, seriously – what's wrong?"

"I'm a bad mommy"

Danny couldn't help but chuckle as he picked her up from her curled up position on the bed "Linds, whatever in the world makes you say that?"

"I'm getting someone else raise my baby girl"

Danny closed his eyes for a minute and took a deep breath "Is that what all this is about,"

"Danny, she's gonna hate me for not being around"

"Lindsay, you know that's crap"

"I don't though, Danny. I-"

"Lindsay, it's not as if you're leaving her with a random guy of the street, this woman has over 30 years of experience, she's one of the best."

"But-"

"No but's Montana. You're gonna be around. Amanda just has another person to love her, that's all."

"Are you sure," Lindsay sniffed

"Absolutely, Beth is downstairs with Amanda, let's go on down, see if M&M's scared her away yet."

"She is pretty scary at breakfast time" Lindsay giggled.

Danny smiled and wiped Lindsay's face clean from Mascara smears "Are we okay now? No more breakdowns?"

"No more breakdowns" Lindsay smiled in agreement.

"Marvellous" he grinned

--

--

"Beth, I don't know how you do it, usually Amanda is a terror" Lindsay smiled as she sat next to Beth on the floor by the bath.

"It's all in the tone. She saw me, and it scared the silly beans out of her. I look quite stern when I want to be"

Lindsay chuckled as she shifted on the floor by the bath "I don't know if you heard what me and Danny were talking about earlier, but…"

"Honey, it's nothing. It's only natural, having them worries about how Amanda's going to feel. At least now, you can rest and relax when you're at work, knowing that Amanda's at home, and not at her grandma's"

"It has been bothering me, I felt like she didn't know where she was in herself, getting carted around all the time"

"It comes with the job description, unfortunately."

Lindsay nodded, "Yeah, Mac forgot to tell me about it when he hired me"

Amanda splashed Lindsay with the bathwater and Lindsay went to pick her up out of the bath, when she stopped. "Do you want to take her, Beth?"

Her eyes widened "Are you sure?"

"Of course," Lindsay smiled, moving out of the way "She's got to bond with you, right?"

"True, but I don't want to take it away from you, the time-"

"Mommy" Amanda whined, before turning to look at Beth, then turned back to Lindsay and scrunched her face up

"Go ahead baby, it's okay" Lindsay smiled towards Amanda.

Beth reached down with the towel, and gathered Amanda. Initially, Amanda looked worried, her eyes locked with Lindsay's for reassurance.

"I'm just gonna go and talk to Danny, you two gonna be okay?" Lindsay smiled

"Yeah, we will" Beth smiled as she wrapped the towel around Amanda

Amanda's eyes followed Lindsay's as she left the room, then she turned towards Beth, taking in every inch of her appearance.

Beth shifted Amanda onto her hip, and smiled warmly at her

"Hey, little girl. I'm Beth"

Amanda smiled, but still craned her neck away from Beth, trying to take her in.

"I'm gonna take the best care of you, alright?"

Amanda smiled again, edging closer towards Beth.

"Your Mommy and Daddy are something else, aren't they?"

Amanda giggled and rested her head on Beth's shoulder. And Beth smiled

The way to the little girl's heart was through her Mommy and Daddy.


	94. Blueberries and M&M's

**_A/N: get your hardhats, there's an M&M war going on giggles_**

"How are you girls getting on?" Danny smiled as he knocked gently on Amanda's room

"I'd say pretty good, would you, Miss Amanda" Beth said towards Amanda, who was on her changing table

Danny smiled as he moved around the room picking up toys and blankets that had been left out on Amanda's floor. He opened her laundry basket and threw in Amanda's outfit from yesterday that he had forgotten to pick up when Lindsay had asked him to throw a load in the washing machine earlier.

"I can get that, Danny" Beth said, as she turned and set Amanda on the floor.

"Well, who looks beautiful this morning?" Danny smiled as he crouched down and held his hands out towards Amanda. "Has she always had that dress, it's gorgeous" Danny gushed at his daughter who had leaped into his arms.

"I found it at the back of her wardrobe, I hope you don't mind"

"Beth, of course not. Anything you need, just take, or if you cant find it, ask."

She nodded and smiled warmly. "Do you have any plans for today, Danny?"

"Well, Linds is working at 3, so I was thinking we could head into the city and do a bit of shopping before I have to drop her off. You're welcome to come along if you like"

"Not today, I will another time though" Beth smiled.

"That's fine. I'm gonna grab Linds, and we can have a talk if you want, is that what you usually do?"

"Well, it's been a while, I retired 5 years ago, and I always vowed and declared that it would take a special child to persuade me to go back, and I think Amanda has done just the job"

Danny smiled "yeah, she's my little gem. A little M&M" Danny smiled, prodding Amanda in the nose.

"Shall we?" Beth smiled signalling towards the door.

"Linds, where are ya?" Danny called as he walked into the hallway.

After a few seconds with no answer, Danny opened his mouth to call her again, but Amanda beat him to it.

"MOMMY!?"

"In the kitchen, baby girl" Lindsay called

"Good job M&M" Danny smiled at Amanda, who was looking proud of herself.

"Montana" Danny smiled as he headed down the stairs, Amanda squirming in his arms "

"Yeah?"

"We gotta talk"

--

--

Lindsay went to buy drinks as Danny sat Amanda in a highchair in the corner of their favourite Italian café. Stella has pointed it out when they had passed one time, commenting about the amazing pastries and coffee.

Danny sighed as he threw his straw down on the table. He always drew the short straw, literally. Trying to get Amanda into a high chair was like cracking a high-end criminal in interrogation.

Difficult to hell, but he wouldn't give up. He'd eventually get what he wanted, no matter how long it took him

He quickly strapped Amanda into the chair and he stuck his tongue out at her.

"Got'cha" he grinned as he sat himself on the chair next to her. "Your Daddy still has it in him, M&M"

Lindsay laughed as she moved over to the table with a cup of coffee and her shopping bags. "You making things difficult for your old man, baby girl?"

"Linds," Danny moaned, "I wish you'd stop calling me that, it makes me feel-"

"Old?" she grinned pushing a coffee towards him

"Yeah, old" he nodded. "You ain't getting anything?"

"No, didn't feel like it. Got Amanda a muffin though, thought we could see whether she'd try it."

"Which flavour?"

"Blueberry"

"Ugh," Danny dramatically sighed, "I hate blueberry muffins"

"Precisely why I got it. The second she pushed a chocolate one away, you'd be all over it"

"Yes, that would be what Daddies do, we steal food from our children" he grinned as he broke Amanda's muffin into little bite sized pieces and placed them on a napkin on her little tray table.

"You do not steal from your little girl Danny, surely?" Lindsay mock scolded as she fished around in the diaper bag for Amanda's juice.

"It's what I tell you, me and M&M have a understanding, don't we?"

She threw a tiny little bite size piece of muffin at Danny, which hit him in the face.

"I do believe that answers your question," Lindsay grinned.

"Linds, what ya lookin' for?" Danny smirked as he craned his neck across the table to see into the diaper bag.

"Looking for bug's juice. I can't find it."

"Beth took it out, replaced it and put it in the front compartment."

Lindsay nodded, and handed the juice to Amanda.

"What do you think, Linds?"

"About what?" she smiled accepting the little piece of muffin Amanda was force-feeding her.

"About Beth. What do you think?"

"I think Amanda likes her," Lindsay stated as she pretended to drink out of Amanda's sippy cup that was currently being shoved in her face.

"I sense a but," Danny grinned as he stole a little bit of blueberry muffin from Amanda's tray table, and scrunched his face up when he remembered it was blueberry

"Serves you right for stealing food out from under your little girl's nose, Messer" Lindsay grinned "I just think it's a huge step and needs a lot of thought, this person is gonna have a huge role in my little girl's life, and I owe that much to Amanda to make sure that I pick the very best for her."

"But Linds, she is the best. She's reasonable with the amount she's asking for, and she lives next door, and stressed that she would be more than happy to come round at silly o'clock when we get called out to a scene."

"I know, she's perfect."

"Well then Linds, I don't see what the problem is here"

"It's like she's too perfect"

"Linds are you saying-"

"I'm not doubting her, or anything, it's just, I just don't want Amanda to compare someone who has perfected taking care of a child over the years to me, who's still desperately trying to juggle being a wife, mother, CSI and NYPD detective, all at the same time"

"Montana, have you not seen the way Amanda looks at you. She adores you. Hell, she worships you. She doesn't have the time of day for her dear old dad, but her Mommy. She loves you with her very soul, Linds. There ain't nothing you can do, or anyone you could employ to look after her that would replace you."

"I'm just being silly aren't I?"

"Yeah" Danny grinned

"You don't have to be so quick with your, yeah" she smirked

"Stell ever tell you about that conversation between her and Mac, by any chance, Linds?"

"Maybe" she grinned as she stole Danny's coffee and took a sip.

"So, shall we tell Beth that she starts Monday?" Danny asked, placing his hands over Lindsay's on his coffee cup in attempts to win it back.

Lindsay closed her eyes for a second, and crossed her legs under the table, so that her foot was tucked under Danny's leg. "Why wait till Monday, tell her now" Lindsay smiled.

--

--

"So, what's the plan for Amanda's birthday then?" Flack smiled as he settled next to Lindsay in the break room

"Well, we haven't exactly discussed it yet, and I'm sure you'll hate the very idea of it."

"Come on, tell me"

"Well, I mean, it was just a thought me and Stell had-"

"I should have known my other half would have something to do with it."

"Other half?" Lindsay smiled, with raised eyebrows. "So you're going public"

"Not in so many words. Are we hiding it? No. Are we screaming it from the rooftops? No"

Lindsay nodded. "Angell spoken to you since?"

"Oh yeah, there's no hard feelings there. I think she knew that I held a torch for Stella, she likes someone in Vice, anyway."

Lindsay snorted, "Flack, you been taking your sappy pills by any chance today?"

"Funny. I reveal my innermost feelings, and you give me a wiseass comment. Cheers Monroe"

"Torch? Flack, you're just lucky you said that to me, and not Danny. He'd never let you live that down, hell he'd probably eat you alive."

"And you will?"

"Will what?" Lindsay smirked as she headed to the sink to rinse out her coffee cup. "I know not what you speak of"

"Thanks, Messer."

"Damn, they put something in your coffee this morning, Flack. You never call me Messer."

"Get to work, wiseass."

--

--

"Strong and black, just how you like it."

Danny looked up and smiled and Lindsay who had just set a coffee cup on his side of the desk.

"Thanks, Montana."

"What did Beth say when you called her?"

"I haven't."

"What?" she spat, smacking him upside the head, "why the hell not?"

"Because" he said, rubbing his head "I thought it would be nice if we told her in person. You know, I can be kind and considerate sometimes."

Lindsay sat down and threw him a bag of M&M's "I know, I'm sorry, peace offering?"

Danny smiled and opened the bag. "Thanks"

He turned back to his paperwork, keeping one eye on Lindsay. After he was sure she was concentrating on her latest case file, he chucked an M&M in her direction.

She didn't stir, and he carried on writing with his free hand.

He kept glancing towards her, and was slightly deflated when she didn't react to his M&M assault.

Fishing another one out of the pack, he chucked it at her again; making sure his eyes didn't leave his workload in front of him.

And, once again, he got no reaction from her.

Sighing, he switched on the computer screen, and pulled up the usual software to type out the latest case. Still with no reaction from Lindsay, he fished a few more out of the pack and threw them all at once.

Yet, nothing, no reaction, no smirk… nada.

He couldn't understand how she was keeping a straight face. Shrugging, he turned to his computer, and started to type up his paperwork, ready to hand to Mac.

He typed quickly for a few minutes, before he felt something hit the back of his head. Looking down at the floor, then over towards Lindsay, he didn't see anything unusual, so he simply rubbed the offended area, and got straight back to work.

Then, a few minutes later, he felt something on the back of his head again.

"Knock it off Lindsay" he warned, his eyes not leaving the screen.

"Knock what off?" she asked innocently, setting her pen down.

"Just knock it off"

"Ookay." She smiled to herself, while shaking her head. "You can give it but you can't take it then?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, his eyes finally leaving the screen

"You, you think I didn't feel you chucking M&M's at me. You weren't exactly discreet."

"Stop goofing off, we got work to do," he scolded as he shook his head.

She picked her pen back up, and giggled slightly.

Danny stretched and let his hand move to the packet of M&M's sat on his desk. Mock yawning, he stretched again, and then threw them at Lindsay. But as he was doing so, he was hit by M&M's.

"You just didn't."

"Think I did" she smirked as she chomped on an M&M

"Its war" Danny smirked as he picked his packet up and began chucking them at Lindsay

Ducking behind her chair, Lindsay edged towards her desk, so she could grab her packet.

"Cheat, you can't take cover" Danny whined.

Lindsay giggled as she settled under her desk. When she didn't come out again, Danny got curious.

"Linds? You alright down there?"

When he got no answer, he became worried. "Linds?"

He heard a bump against the desk, and his heart sunk. Had she hurt herself?

He edged towards her side of the desk and took a deep breath "Lindsay?"

Instead of getting an answer, he was pelted by an array of M&M's. Covering his face with his arms he waited for the assault to cease, before he moved his arms away, to reveal a grinning Lindsay, tucked under her desk with a slingshot in hand.

"You're something else, you know that?" he smirked as he offered her his hand to help her up.

They sat back down in their seats, and had just settled back to work when they heard a knock at the office door.

"Danny, have you – why are there M&M's on my office floor?"

"Well, Montana here, -"

"Danny's bag ripped, but we wanted to get these case files done, so we decided to tidy up afterwards."

"Oh" Mac smiled "because for a minute I thought you had been throwing M&M's at each other."

"Would we?" Danny laughed. "You heard him Linds? Mac, it offends me you'd think we'd participate in such juvenile activities."

"I would have believed you before you said juvenile activities. Just make sure you pick them all up, alright."

"Sorry Mac" Lindsay said, while glaring at Danny, prompting him to apologise also.

"Yeah, sorry Mac. Won't happen again"

"Yeah, make sure it doesn't. And, if you do, make sure I'm not in my office, directly opposite yours, Idiots."

Mac closed the door, and both Danny and Lindsay burst into fits of giggles

"Hey, remember when we used to call him the principal, Linds?" Danny smiled after a few minutes.

"God, that seems like a million years ago"

"Who'd have thought us two would be here, daughter, house in the suburbs. God, we even have a nanny."

"I would have."

"You would?" Danny smiled, "really?"

"Yeah, of course, unlike you, I have some faith in us."

"I do have faith in us, for your information. I love you, you know that right?"

"What've you done?" Lindsay sighed,

"Nothing" Danny assured. "Honestly, I just feel like I don't tell you enough."

"Tell me again," she smiled

"I love you"

"And I love you," she smiled as she leaned over the desk and kissed him lightly.


	95. Case 2, part 1

**_A/N: Everything you recognise is the wonderful work of TPTB - everything else is MINE. Anyone know about how to copyright ideas?_**

**_So, here we go - my 2nd attempt at writing cases. fingers crossed y'all like it. :)_**

**_All you CSI:Vegas fans, you might recognise something, or someone. Hope I do it justice. _**

**_Enjoy. x_**

**_-_**

Danny groaned as he pushed through the crowds surrounding the latest crime scene and zipped his coat up. Why on earth was it that tourists felt the damn need to take pictures of yellow crime scene tape?

"I got a good mind to throw that in the Hudson, have a little respect will ya?"

Danny chuckled as he patted Flack on the back "Calm down, its only 8.30AM, Donnie. You got the whole day to go yet. Lets not have you in the hospital with stress just yet, alright?"

"It almost touches me that you care this much, Danno"

"I don't care. You do my paperwork, usually it's a win-win situation."

"Shut up, before I throw _you_ in the Hudson" Flack smirked.

"Come on, what we got? Mac said it was urgent. I was feeding Amanda when he called. It was Lindsay's turn to sleep in before Beth came round."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that, how's that working out?"

"Pretty good. Amanda likes her, and Linds has finally gotten used to it."

"Why, was she having a hard time?"

"Well we had a few breakdowns and she says not, but I know her better than she knows herself. I think she's scared getting a nanny means that we won't see Amanda, you know how it is"

"No, not really. Can't say I do."

"Yeah, yeah alright wiseass. How's you and Stella," Danny smirked as they waited for the first on scene to stop throwing up, so that he could brief them. "First time by any chance?" Danny asked, tilting his head in the direction of the cop.

"Done the job for 18 years, actually."

"That bad?" Danny asked with wide eyes.

"Apparently."

"You're dodging my question."

"You didn't ask one,"

"I said how was you and Stell? Come on Flack, throw me a bone."

"We're good, thanks"

"Flack" Danny warned

"Alright, alright." Flack sighed. "We're really good. It just seems right, ya know. It fits, we're like you and Linds."

"Me and Linds?"

"Yeah, it just seems like we're meant to be"

Danny smirked, and smacked Flack upside the head

"What the hell?"

"Nothing, just checking it was you, getting all mushy on me, thought it was a impostor or somethin'. Seriously though, it's nice, seeing you all happy. You deserve it, it's about time"

"Thanks," Flack smiled "I suppose you're wondering why I haven't mentioned it."

"It would be present in my mind" Danny laughed "But it's good, it's probably best you don't share, I wouldn't want that image in my mind in all honesty"

"Ha, very funny. You know what I mean"

"Yeah, I'm just messing with ya" Danny sighed as he shifted his weight from one leg to the other. "Come on Jones, I haven't got all day, stop puking your guts up. Pull up your big girl pants and deal with it"

Officer Jones wiped his mouth. "Watch it, I'm old enough to be your damned dad,"

Danny and Flack smirked at each other before Flack cleared his throat. "What do we have, Tim?"

"Copycat, clearly. Vic's eyelids have gone"

Danny's eyes widened "Might be why Mac sent me,"

"Ya think?" Flack groaned "Little slow on the uptake Mess"

"Just thinking out loud, and don't start with NCIS quotes, I have enough to deal with Lindsay and her quoting... Any other similarities Jones?"

"No. Found a driver's license, Amy Cartwright, 22. From Nevada, Las Vegas. Must have been a tourist."

"Thanks"

Danny and Flack walked forwards into the dimly lit alley where a lost tourist had discovered the body.

"I'll leave ya to it, holler if you need anything, Mess"

"Mess? Is that my new nickname, Flack?"

"Get to work, wiseass."

Danny canvassed the scene, quickly and carefully, trying to preserve any useful evidence. Before he came across a weird looking dolls house.

Crouching down, he shone his flashlight on it to get a better look, and his eyes widened.

"Flack!!"

"Yeah-ha?"

"Come here, take a look at this" Danny said, pointing towards the dollhouse.

"That's almost a exact replica of where we're standing. Vic and everything." Flack said as he crouched down next to Danny

"Means it's premeditated." Danny said

"Well, yeah you think the killer found something sharp enough to slice of her eyelids here?"

"No, what I meant was that it was really premeditated, this must have taken weeks to do."

"It can't be an exact copy, look there's a gun right there. There ain't a gun here, Dan"

Danny cocked his head, and bent down by the victim. "Help me turn her."

"Why?"

"Just do it, alright."

Slowly the two men turned over the victim to reveal a gun, "Now it's an exact copy" Flack sighed, "What kinda perp are we dealing with here?"

--

--

"Mac!!" Danny called from the layout room

"How's the case, Danny?"

"Mac, I've been researching. Did you hear about a miniature killer, it was like 2 years ago? Over at the Vegas crime lab. They had one of their CSI's kidnapped by some whack job that made mini miniature crime scenes that were an exact replica of the actual crime scene. The CSI survived but well, yeah. Basically this perp went on for months and months killing, disappearing, and then reappearing again."

"Danny, what does this have to do with your case? I thought this was a Clay Dobson copycat."

"It is, but there is also this-" Danny said, as he pushed the crime scene replica towards Mac "It fits the description of what this miniature killer specialised in. Look see, this blood here." Danny said, pointing at the replica crime scene, while pulling out his crime scene photos. "Blood in the exact same place. And what's more. It's the victim's blood, I ran DNA, and it's hers Mac. And she's from Vegas."

"Have you called Vegas?"

"Yeah, I spoke to a Nick Stokes, apparently their Team Leader is out on sabbatical right now. They said that they haven't heard anything, and as far as they know their killer is locked in a mental institution."

"Coincidence?"

"I'm not sure Mac, I mean one of our notorious serials combined with Vegas's? Is someone trying to send a message?"

"You wont know until you crack the code"

"You know, you should be on one of them TV dramas with the cheesy one liners, before the credits. With a line like that, they'd eat you up." Danny smirked.

"I try" Mac smiled "Good work so far, Danny. Keep me in the loop"

"Always"

--

--

"Bleach?" Lindsay asked "Seriously?"

"Yeah, there was just a drop of bleach. Totally out of place, unrelated to the rest of the crime scene. No bleach container anywhere, so it couldn't be an accident, it being there. A lot of stuff isn't making sense."

"Maybe you should call the Vegas crime lab again, see if you can get anymore information about the killer?"

"I think I might. It okay if I head off, I should be getting back, I've had a little longer then I wanted to anyway."

"Definitely. I'm just gonna sit here with bug for a little while, might get another coffee, it's taking her forever to eat that muffin." Lindsay sighed, pushing the muffin back towards Amanda. "Eat, you terror. You're driving Mommy crazy"

Danny smirked as he accepted some of Amanda's blueberry muffin, before spitting it into a napkin "No wonder the kid won't eat it, it's nasty. Why you gotta buy her blueberry?"

"Because it p-annoys you."

"You were gonna say something else then, weren't you?"

"No" Lindsay said, before bursting out into laughter "I stopped myself, all that matters"

"Well, Stell finishes in a half an hour. I'll get her to come meet you guys if you want. M&M might have actually finished her muffin by then. After you could go blow my life savings on Christmas and birthday presents if you want, I know that's what you called me for…"

"What?" Lindsay threw her hands up in surrender.

"Don't act dumb, I know you want my credit card"

"Maybe, but you know how you love to spoil your girls..."

"Don't bankrupt me, alright? That's all I ask."

"Would I?" Lindsay grinned as he leant down to kiss her on her cheek as he handed her the credit card.

"On your own, no. With Stella Bonasera, you would sell _me_, never mind use my-"

"Go, before I kick your butt. Or have you forgotten how I excel at slingshots and hitting targets, I could whip one up right now with –"

"I'm going, okay. Seriously though, just you know, keep a Benjamin in the account or something?"

"Benjamin, why? You finally gonna withdraw that and pay your debts?"

"Here" Danny smiled throwing a 10 dollar bill on the table "Buy yourself one of them caramel lattes and call us even?"

"I think you have yourself a deal" she smiled, pocketing the note.

--

--

"So, what's the damage?" Danny laughed as he peered over the newspaper.

"To what?"

"My credit rating? How much did you guys spend?"

"Just 350 dollars,"

"Just? I think you need lessons in justifying when to use the word just… 20 dollars would be just… hell, even a 100, but 350 – Linds, I -"

"4 words for you. Amanda's first real Christmas." Lindsay smiled as she quickly carried the bags up the stairs. "Not to even mention her first birthday"

"Linds, talking about our little angel, where might she be? You leave her in the toy section or something?"

"Said angel is giving her Aunt Stella hell. I decided I'd leave them to it"

"You're a wonderful Mommy." Danny smirked, "Leaving Stella with Amanda."

"You mean leaving Amanda with Stella, Stella can hold her own against that little one. She's gonna be like her Daddy when she's older, with them facial expressions, she's gonna be a little wisebutt"

"So all Mommy then" Danny smirked as he took a huge "Toys 'R Us" bag off Lindsay. "Jesus Linds, what you got in here, bricks?"

"Funny. No, she picked out a little baby dolly, that was just adorable, so me and Stella went ahead and picked out all the little accessories and outfits that-"

"Wait a second, Amanda, our 1-year-old daughter picked out a doll"

"Yeah," Lindsay said, "Is that so hard to believe?"

"It's just dangerous. Next she'll be picking out her first car and china patterns"

"Danny, seriously, can we potty train her first? Calm down. She's not even 1 yet, and you have her marrying her high school sweetheart."

"Have you decided what we're gonna do for birthday?"

"I just figured we could have a little dinner with the team. Anyway, what's wrong with you making plans?"

"Dunno, figured it'd be easier for you to do it, you like planning stuff."

Lindsay sighed as she put the bags down "Alright, what's wrong?"

Danny shook his head "Nothing"

Lindsay narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, "Oh yeah,"

"Honestly, nothing's wrong."

"You're the crappiest liar I have ever met. And I work with crack-heads, criminals and murderers. And let me tell ya, they ain't the best in that department"

"Nothing, it's just the case is taking a lot out of me, It was pretty tough today, that's all"

"You need to talk about it-"

"Look I don't want to talk –"

"Let me finish, if you need to talk about it, you know where I am, okay. When you're ready."

"Thanks Montana" he smiled as he kissed her temple. "Come on, we better hide these before M&M gets her little paws on them"

--

**_R&R? s'appreciated. :)_**


	96. Amanda's Birthday

**_A/N: Put on your party hats guys :) it's somebody's birthday! _**

**_Huge thanks to Brinch for letting me borrow the name, Jesse. And cuddles to Twinkeyrocks, because I can. :)_**

**_--_**

**_--_**

Danny sighed heavily. He was tired. Every lead he got either proved to be a dead end, or pushed him more towards having to go to Vegas.

And he would rather jump through burning hoops, then having to go there.

"Danny, go."

He looked up from the various case files and crime scene pictures to see Mac stood in the doorway with his arms folded.

"Why, what do you mean, go?"

"It's Amanda's birthday dinner, you know, that beautiful little girl you have at home, you should have set off like twenty minutes ago, in order to make it back home"

"Time got away from me."

"I'm sure it did." Mac said, while turning away, but he hesitated. "Danny, sit down a minute."

Danny glanced around the room and smirked "I already am"

"Listen" Mac said, as he sat next to Danny. "I need you to listen to me, Danny, alright – cut the crap."

Danny's eyes widened, and his wiseass attitude instantly turned into that of a serious one. "Mac, what's the matter?"

"Don't let this case affect you... Don't neglect Lindsay and Amanda because of it. Leave it at work. Learn from my mistakes, Danny. Life is short, I don't want you to wake up one day and wish you had spent more time at home, with them, I can't bring Claire back, but I can stop you from going down that road I went. If you ever, ever listen to me, listen to me now. You saw what the Clay Dobson case did to me, I became obsessed, so much so even I broke protocol."

Danny just nodded in response, sensing that Mac hadn't finished.

"It's not your fault if we don't catch the killer this time, alright. Don't feel pressured. I don't want you to deal with what I put Aiden through; don't feel like I'm pressuring you, Danny. Do your best, that's all I ask. Don't-"

"Mac, what happened to Aiden was her own fault, she knew damn well what she was doing was wrong... She worked with you long enough to realise that as long as she followed the evidence, and respected the integrity of the lab you would be satisfied with what happened, no matter the outcome, he'd would have made another mistake further down the line, which would have nailed him. She didn't have to break that seal. But she did. You didn't make her do it. You encouraged her to strive forwards and nail the guy."

"I was supposed to be giving you support, Danny."

"I appreciate it, Mac. I must admit, it has been getting to me. I don't know why, I mean I have no connections to it, per-say – it's just I feel like I need to nail this killer. I think it's just my instincts - You know what I mean"

"Absolutely."

Danny glanced down at his watch and then turned his attention to the layout table and reached for the case file, and crime scene pictures to put them away.

"Leave them, I'll do it. Go celebrate your daughter's birthday. Tell Lindsay I'll be round when the afternoon shift starts."

"You're not supervising?"

"No, I'm going to my god-daughter's first birthday party."

Danny smiled as he handed Mac the crime scene photos.

"Thanks Mac."

"Go, Danny. I'll see you later."

--

--

"Linds, come here, how was it you said you wanted the sandwiches cut like?"

"Triangles Danny," Lindsay sighed from the living room.

"How do I do them?"

"Work it out, I have other things to do"

Danny put the butter knife down on the chopping board and headed over towards the living room.

"Fucking stupid baby gate. Lindsay, why the hell do you have to have this up?" he moaned as he regained his balance from nearly falling over it.

"Danny" she spat, throwing a roll of scotch tape at his head. "Wash your mouth out, she picks up on words like that, I swear if she comes out with that, it'll be the last thing you do"

"Alright, alright," he mumbled rubbing the back of his head where the roll of tape had hit him "Linds, don't ya think you've taken the Disney theme a little far?"

Looking around the room, Lindsay cocked her eyebrows. "What'cha mean?"

"Well," Danny started, moving towards their dining room table that had been moved, single-handedly by him into the living room "for a starters, a pink princess table cloth? What's wrong with just the regular table?"

"It's got to look pretty, Danny"

"It looks pretty with the plastic cups, napkins and plates you went and bought"

"It had to match"

"Montana, it's more of a damn grown up party. It's only the team that's coming over"

"Yes, but its Amanda's birthday they're coming for."

"Still don't see the point" Danny mumbled. "She's only one, and she doesn't even need a table cloth in her high chair."

"Danny, just stop while you're ahead. Look at her, in her princess dress and crown. She loves the table. How are them pink cupcakes coming along, anyway?"

"Fine" Danny grumbled. "Don't see why I have to –"

"Alright Danny, go outside and tie these balloons to the mailbox then"

"Montana. It's the team. They know where we live"

"I don't care, go."

"Lindsay"

"Go, take Amanda" Lindsay said as she stepped over the baby gate.

Danny sighed heavily and walked towards Amanda who was happily playing with a napkin and paper plate.

"I dread you growing up. You mother is going to bankrupt me, you know that, right?" he said as he picked her up

She giggled and threw a ripped piece of napkin and grabbed the balloons from Danny, and proceeded to hit him with them.

"All right, you know what" Danny sighed as he put Amanda down. After she started hitting him in the leg with the balloon she decided to take them off her and tapped her on the head with them "You can walk outside, lazy. I always carry you everywhere."

"Daddy" she whined as she raised her arms toward Danny "Daddy"

"Ugh, when are you gonna say something other than Mommy and Daddy, it's all I've heard for the past 5 months."

Amanda reached for his hand and waddled towards the front door and pointed up at it, then towards the balloons.

"You really want everyone to know it's your birthday, don't'cha M&M?"

She giggled, and pulled him towards the door "Daddy" she whined

"Alright, alright." He sighed as he unlocked the front door. "Keep your diaper on, will ya?"

She cocked her eyebrows and shook her head.

"How can you do that already, your mommy took ages to perfect that look"

Amanda just shrugged and tugged at his hand one more time.

"Alright," Danny sighed as he picked her up. "Can't let you walk all the way, your Mom would kick my a-"

"Kick your what, Darling?" Lindsay called from the kitchen

"Butt" he called "she doesn't miss a thing, does she." He mumbled to Amanda

Amanda giggled as she tried to reach for the balloons that Danny was holding at an arms length away from her. "No Amanda." He said, sternly.

"Daddy" she whined, still trying to reach them

"Make me say it twice Amanda, and you'll know about it. Knock it off"

She sighed, and gave in, knowing when not to push him.

She turned to look across the street, and turned back to smile at Danny.

"What?" he asked, looking at her smile; His eyes moved across the street. "Who you smiling at, Jesse?"

She giggled and waved frantically across the road. Danny sighed, he was sure that he'd have at least 16 years before he had to start worrying about boys.

"Hey Danny!" Noah Jones called from across the street "whose birthday is it?"

"Princess" Danny smiled tilting his head towards Amanda. "Having a birthday dinner with the guys we work with."

"Cute" Noah said, as he and Jesse crossed the road.

Danny sighed as he set Amanda down next to Jesse. "How's Ava?"

"She's okay, they kept her and Zach in another night with him coming early and everything, monitor them both, gave us a pretty big scare, being two months early and everything. Didn't want to wait around unlike Amanda and Jesse here."

Danny nodded, and glanced towards Amanda who was smiling at whatever Jesse was saying to her.

"It's nearly the year anniversary, huh buddy. Got any big plans?" Noah smiled

"Not yet, we might do something. We never did have a "honeymoon" so we might go somewhere, do something. I dunno yet."

"Well, if you need a sitter for Amanda, you know where we are, I'm sure Jesse would love a playmate for a few days. He's not understanding the whole Zach being really tiny"

"They don't" Danny smiled, avoiding having to accept the offer of Amanda staying over at the Jones'.

It wasn't the fact that he didn't like them, quite the contrary. He and Noah got on like a house on fire, and Ava and Lindsay seemed to talk for days on end – and they did the typical barbecues in summer, mingled with each other during block parties, but when it came to Amanda and Jesse, he was sure he'd spend some long, long nights, sat up on the front porch with Flack, waiting for them to come home from who knows where.

He just knew it. He knew his little girl.

"Hello – earth to Messer? You alright there?"

"Fine" Danny said, blinking. He looked down to see Jesse tugging at his pants leg. "Hey buddy, how's it going?"

"Danny, why won't Amanda answer me?" Jesse asked sadly.

"What'cha mean, buddy?"

"I was tolding her about my baby brother, and she didn't say anything. Why Danny?"

"Well buddy, Amanda was talking really early. And some babies talk real early, then they don't say much for a while. It's okay - just give her some time. She'll talk when she's ready"

"Daddy, when I Amanda's age, I not talk?"

"No buddy, when you were Amanda's age you weren't talking at all." Noah smiled "Danny's right, when she's ready – she'll talk to you."

Jesse nodded. "She looks pretty, Daddy, doesn't she?"

Danny and Noah smiled. "Her mommy dressed her," Danny said as Jesse smiled at Amanda.

Noah shrugged "The boy's a charmer, he gets it from his old man"

"Yeah, where is he by the way?" Danny smirked, and Noah swatted him on the arm.

"You need some help with them balloons?" Noah asked,

"Yeah, you mind? I don't know what the hell she wanted me to do, they all know where we live anyway" Danny sighed, handing Noah the balloons.

"It's tradition basically," Noah smiled as he tied them to the mailbox "all the Mommies do it. When I took Jesse to a birthday party last week, there were streamers, balloons, everything. It looked like a damn party store."

"Great, all that to look forward to then?"

"Yup," Noah smiled. "You taking her to the day care near here when she's old enough?"

"No idea, probably. I should think so, does Jesse like it?"

"Loves it, Ava thought it'd be too early but, there's no time like the present, right? And plus I mean 3 years old, that's practically old in the toddler years."

"Yeah" Danny smiled.

"How long does it to tie some balloons – Oh, hey Noah, Jesse" Lindsay smiled from the doorway. "How's Ava."

"Good, she said to say hello."

"Aw, good. Sorry I haven't been round to see her, work's been hectic." Lindsay smiled as she crouched down to hug Jesse.

"Hey Lindsay, you dressed Amanda real pretty."

"Aw, thanks honey. Hey, Noah," Lindsay smiled "Is Jesse doing anything today?"

"Let me check his baby diary?" Noah smirked "No, why?"

"You think he'd like to come to a princess party?"

"Buddy, you want to go to Amanda's birthday?" Noah said as he crouched down to Jesse and Amanda's level.

"Yeaaah"

"You gotta wear a dress," Danny smirked.

"Lindsay, do I have to wear a dress?"

"No, buddy. Don't worry. Amanda's Daddy's just being silly" Lindsay smiled before she turned to glare at Danny.

"Feel free to come over whenever, Amanda will be happy to see ya" Danny smiled as he picked Amanda up.

--

--

"What you invite him for, Linds?" Danny sighed as he shut the front door.

"What?"

"Jesse, why?"

"Because he's Amanda's friend?"

"Yeah. But he –"

"Danny, calm down. They're friends. That's it."

"But he's older than her"

"Danny. You're being ridiculous. Go get in the shower"

"Lindsay"

"Shower, now. I'm not arguing with you about Jesse and Amanda. I have the rest of my life to battle with you about that."

"But Linds" he whined

"Don't make me say it again Danny, otherwise you'll know about it. Knock it off"

"Lindsay, I said that to Amanda not twenty minutes ago"

"And, did it work?"

"Yeah"

"Exactly, it's been proven effective time and time again, now there's a new thing of shaving foam on the sink for ya. You haven't got long before the team get here"

Danny sighed as he stalked off upstairs, stomping on every stair. Lindsay couldn't help but roll her eyes. He was such a child.

"Mommy, Jesse."

Lindsay glanced over to Amanda "baby, what did you just say?"

"Jesse"

"Danny," Lindsay called excitedly, "Come here!" smiling, Lindsay turned to Amanda "Can you say anything else, baby?"

"Mac."

"Uncle Mac. Very good, baby girl." Lindsay smiled as she pulled Amanda on to the couch "Danny get down here, now!"

"Coming," he mumbled a few cuss words that Lindsay chose not to hear. "What?"

"Amanda's talking."

"Awesome Linds, she's been talking for like 5 months now."

"No I mean proper words, other names. She said Jesse"

"Fantastic, it starts already. Her wanting Jesse."

"No, she said Mac too. Amanda baby, say something else"

She giggled and shook her head.

"Come on M&M – for Daddy" Danny smiled

Shaking her head, she snuggled into Lindsay's side, and laughed.

"She just doesn't like me" Danny sighed, "She hates her Daddy"

Amanda moved from Lindsay's side, and stared at Danny. He sat on the couch, and instantly she reached for him. "Daddy love"

Danny's eyes filled with tears. "You hear that Linds? Say it again, baby"

"Love Daddy"

Lindsay smiled and scooted towards Danny and Amanda "see, I told you she loves you."

Amanda placed a wet kiss on his cheek, and then she glanced to the hallway.

"I think that's your hint to go shower" Lindsay smiled.

"Yeah, yeah – alright. But, she loves me though. You heard her, right? She said-"

"Wisebutt" Amanda smiled as she pointed at Danny.

Lindsay burst out in laughter, "Amanda, honey – what did you just say?"

"Wisebutt" she grinned as she pointed at Lindsay this time.

"Man, that's funny." Danny smiled as he got up off the couch.

"I know," Lindsay smiled, wiping her tears away. "She keeps everything bottled up for months."

"No, I didn't mean that– Jesse said earlier that Amanda wasn't talking. I think he was teasing her until me and Noah told him why."

"She's stubborn, that's all"

"Nah, I think it was because Jesse was teasing her."

"Think what you like" Lindsay smiled. "And it was a good job we started saying wisebutt,"

"Yeah, otherwise you'd be kicking my ass right now"

"Ass" Amanda smiled sweetly at Danny.

"Go and shower, while I try and persuade YOUR daughter not to say that word."

And with that, Danny was gone.

--

--

"Say Uncle Flacky, Amanda"

"Flacky?" Stella laughed as she placed a kiss on Flack's cheek. "That's new"

"It's better than Donnie"

"Now that's debatable," Hawkes laughed as he moved to the floor where Amanda and Jesse were playing.

Flack shifted both him and Stella from their positions on the floor, against the couch so that they were more comfortable.

"Where is Danny and Lindsay anyway?" Stella asked, glancing around the room.

"I dunno, haven't seen them, maybe they're working on making a brother-"

"Flack, stop while you're ahead, we were frosting Amanda's cake. Honestly, do you think we have no self control?" Lindsay smiled as she tugged Danny into the living room

"Um, Danny" Hawkes smiled "You got a bit of frosting, right there." He said, pointing to his own upper lip.

Smirking Danny licked his lips. "I told you that you hadn't got it all, Linds"

Sniggering, Lindsay moved over to where Jesse and Amanda were sat and pulled Amanda onto her lap as she sat down. "Where's Mac and Adam?"

"Adam was showing him how to make an account of Second life, when we left, right Stel?"

"Yeah, and that was over an hour ago. I dread to think what possessed Mac, he's terrible when it comes to technology" Stella laughed. "I should know when we first got the new computers, he called the technical support, and was on hold for an hour and a half only for them to tell him to switch the computer on at the back"

"Stell, he isn't the only one" Lindsay laughed "Einstein over here, called technical support when he couldn't figure out how to turn on Amanda's baby monitor."

"Hey, they put that number there for a reason" Danny whined "And, you didn't know either."

"I was tired, I had just given birth. What was your excuse?"

"My hand was broken from you giving birth" Danny winked as he reached for the remote.

"Um, what do you think you're doing?" Stella asked,

"Um, putting on the rangers came" Danny laughed, "why, am I not allowed"

"No" Both Stella and Lindsay said together.

"No" Amanda squealed after them.

"Why?" Danny laughed

"Don't be so anti-social, Danny. And don't look so smug, Flack – I could tell you were wanting him to turn in on" Lindsay smirked.

"No TB" Amanda squealed

"Seriously kid," Flack smiled as he pulled Amanda from Lindsay's lap onto his "You keep it bottled up for months, and drive us all crazy with your Mommy and Daddy – then it all comes flooding out"

Amanda giggled and stuck her tongue out at Flack,

"Man, it's like looking at Lindsay when she does that" Flack laughed handing her back to Lindsay.

"Yeah, she's lucky she got my looks, she might not have had a chance if she had been all Danny."

"There ain't nothing wrong with my looks. You get a kick out of them, Linds"

"She gets a little more than that" Hawkes smirked as he edged his newly created LEGO masterpiece towards Zach

"How does he do that?" Danny whined as he chucked the remote back onto the coffee table

"Do what?"

"Put in a wisebutt comment, and nobody say anything"

"Because he's actually funny," Lindsay smirked as she got up to answer the ringing doorbell

"That better be Mac and Adam. I'm starving." Flack whined

"Stella drove?" Danny smirked

"When does she not?" Flack sighed as he dodged a smack in the arm. "What it's true"

--

--

Lindsay smiled as she watched Amanda flash her very own Messer grin at her closest friends and family as they all sung happy birthday to her.

"Make a wish, birthday girl." Mac smiled as he leant down beside Amanda, "Can you blow the candle out, here- watch Uncle Mac – see" Mac pretended to blow the single candle out "Can you try?"

Amanda took a deep breath and blew; only making the flame flicker. Sadly, she looked up at Lindsay who was holding the camera. "Go on baby girl, you can do it, deep breath."

Amanda took another deep breath and blew a little harder. When it didn't go out again, she sighed heavily and turned to where Danny was stood with the camcorder

"Daddy, help" she cried

"I'll help" Jesse smiled budging his way through Hawkes and Adam

"Actually buddy" Hawkes smiled "Let's see if Amanda can give it her best shot first,"

Lindsay smiled at Hawkes and mouthed "thank you" in his direction.

Sighing, Danny handed the camcorder across the table to Adam and moved round the table and crouched down to Amanda's side.

"I'll help you on 3, ready M&M. One, two-"

Before Danny had gotten to three, Amanda had blown the candle and, and the team were currently stood in the darkened room while Amanda giggled.

"She was playing you" Adam laughed "She's smart that kid"

"Yeah, she is" Flack mused as he switched the lights back on "Hey Messer, you sure she's your kid?"

"Pretty sure, unless there was a switch at the hospital" Lindsay smirked as she moved the cake quickly away from Amanda who was currently prodding it with her tiny fingers.

"Wise-a-butt" Flack laughed as he saved himself – "Other Messer, I meant"

"Yeah, she's all mine" Danny smiled, "Why, you jealous, Flack?"

"Who wants cake," Lindsay smiled as she glanced over in Flack's direction, to see the relieved look on his face on Lindsay diffusing the potential bust up between him and Stella.

--

--

"Well" Lindsay said, letting out a sigh as she shut the door "I think that went well"

"Yeah, just another 17 years of birthday parties to go" Danny mused "Awesome"

"You love it really," she laughed as she prodded his chest. "Come on, we gonna tidy the room up?"

"Leave it," he said, quietly as he tugged on her hand. "It'll be there in the morning, we're going to bed, you haven't sat down hardly all day"

"But Danny-"

"Hush, Linds" Danny smiled as he bent down and picked her up like he did on the roof during the Dr Zimmer case – what now seemed like a million years ago. "We're going to bed, alright"

"Well, make tracks then, cowboy"


	97. Case 2, part 2

**_A/N: So, part 2 to the case. Again, hope I do the "Miniature Killer" justice. If there's any avid Vegas fans reading, excuse and overlook any mistakes LOL. Wikipedia has officially been my best friend. _**

Flack sighed as he pushed the crime scene photos away from him. "I don't get it"

"What's not to get, dumb ass?" Danny laughed, "It's the same MO as Dobson, same MO as that Miniature killer - her victim's weren't random, apparently."

"Dobson picked his Vic's at random, remember" Flack countered.

"No, they all had a look. They looked similar"

Flack shook his head "Danno-"

"Look at her Flack, she's got long brown hair. She looks exactly like the other girls."

"Suppose" Flack sighed. "What other info you managed to get from Vegas?"

"Bleach was significant in the murders."

"Bleach?"

"Yup" Danny nodded. "See, at first I thought the bleach was unrelated, but it isn't. Apparently – according to Nick – the killer, Natalie Davis, was real jealous of her kid sister when they were younger and she pushed Chloe out of a tree house to her death when they were kids... Their team leader, Grissom, I think he said, figured out that when Natalie looked down from the treehouse at Chloe lying dead, the scene looked to her like it was a miniature scene – hence the miniature crime scene along with the vic."

"What about the bleach?"

"This Davis saw her father clean the area where laid with bleach to get rid of the evidence, I guess. Apparently the smell of bleach drives her to kill"

"What's with the obsession with the Clay Dobson MO then?"

"I havent found that connection yet. I'm working on it."

"I'm so glad I leave this crap to you brainiacs. I think I'd explode."

"What can I say, I liked puzzles as a kid" Danny laughed.

"I would have loved to known you as a kid, you know that right?" Flack laughed, standing up.

"Yeah, would have done wonders to your popularity status"

"Stop teasing Flack, Danny" Lindsay smiled as she moved past Flack into the layout room.

"Crimestoppers, go on, piss off. I got work to do." Danny sighed, growing frustrated.

"Come on Linds, I know a supply closet with our names all over it."

"Again?" Lindsay sighed dramatically, "Flack, I'm tired from before" She smiled, winking at Danny as she followed Flack.

Danny nodded his head through the glass and mouthed "very funny" at them as they both darted to the cupboard across the hallway and shut the door.

"Delinquents." Danny murmered to himself.

--

--

"What's wrong, Danno, I was busy with your wife. You beeped me 911"

"We got a scene, Flack." Danny said as he was grabbing his coat, ignoring his wiseass comment

"Another hit?"

"Looks that way"

"Where we heading?"

"Under the Coney Island bridge"

--

--

"Well, her eyelids arent gone"

"Yeah, but Flack, you know where we are?"

"Coney island"

"Yeah, but look at her injuries, strangled. I aint Hawkes but that looks like a broken hyoid bone."

"Whoever this killer is, they've done their homework."

"Is it just me, or is this reminding you of Emma Pierce" Danny sighed looking at the young woman

"That's her name, she was one of Dobson's Vic's wasn't she?" Flack said "it's been driving me crazy, yeah – she looks exactly the same"

"Let's talk it out," Danny said, moving away from the body. "We have 2 DOA's. One with their eyelids cut off – bled out. The second, killed the same way as Clay Dobson's victim, Emma Pierce, yet her eyelids havent been cut off."

"And we got two exact replicas of each crime scene." Flack finished.

"Everything comes in threes" Danny sighed. "What message is this damn killer trying to send?"

--

--

"Danny, Kendall just came back with your results on DNA" Lindsay said as she bounded into trace.

"And?"

"It came back as the victim's, Michelle Jameson."

"UGH!" Danny groaned. "I don't get it- this has to be that Natalie Davis, are you sure it wasn't the killers?"

"Positive, sorry honey."

"So I'm at a dead end." Danny sighed.

"No such thing as a dead end, you just gotta make the evidence you got make sense"

"Shut up, wiseass." Danny smiled as he kissed her on the cheek. "You getting off for lunch now?"

"Yeah, Me Beth and Amanda are going out for lunch"

"Aw, well, have a blueberry muffin on me." Danny smiled.

"Now who's the wiseass?" Lindsay laughed "I'll be sure to bring you one back, don't worry"

"Try it, and see how far you get, Montana" Danny called after her.

--

--

"Who was that?" Lindsay smiled as she set a bag down on Danny's desk

"What's that?"

"I asked you first." She said, moving over to her desk

"Nick Stokes, from Vegas crime lab." He said as he eagerly opened the bag, but was instantly deflated "Linds come on, seriously? Blueberry?"

"What, you asked for me to bring you one back"

"No, I said have one on me."

"Ah, well. You can just eat it now."

"Think I'll pass" Danny smiled chucking the bag over to Lindsay "Enjoy"

"What did he say?" She smiled as she excitedly opened the bag and unwrapped the muffin

"They've had a case with the same MO as Dobson"

"You sent them the case files on Dobson?"

"Um, not exactly."

"Ah," Lindsay said, with raised eyebrows, "why?"

"Because – they um, asked if I could go. From what it seems,-"

"No" Lindsay said simply

"What?"

"No, you're not going"

"Lindsay, I don't have a right lot of choice. I need to get this killer."

"Danny, it's a week till christmas, You aren't going."

"Lindsay, come on. You know that if there was anything I could do, I would do it to make it so that I didn't have to go."

"Why do you have to go?"

"Because I need their help on the miniature killer, they need mine on Dobson."

"Dobson's dead. Jusitiction's moved to Vegas now, send them the files."

"Not that easy, Lindsay. Come on, at least _try_ to understand"

"I'm trying, I'm trying to understand why my husband is willing to piss off instead of being at home with his wife and daughter at christmas"

"Lindsay, come on – don't do this"

"Don't Danny, I'm not in the mood." She spat as she got up.

He rolled his eyes "Linds, come on. Talk to me"

The slamming of the office made her answer pretty clear.

"Silent treatment it is" He sighed to himself as he turned to tackle the mountain of paperwork on his desk.

--

--

"I just don't know. It's just I expected to see him this christmas"

"I know, I mean it's Amanda's first real christmas, and he's gonna miss it"

Stella sat back from the couch a minute and stared at Lindsay "You're lying to me"

"What," Lindsay spat "I am not-"

Stella glared at her

"I am not- I'm not a good liar." Lindsay chuckled, before her face turned more serious, "I'm scared"

"Of what?"

"It's silly" Lindsay sighed, getting up, but before she could straighten up, Stella had pulled her back onto the couch

"Out with it, Kiddo."

"I don't know whether I could deal with it if something happened to him"

"What's brought this on Linds, he goes out into the field almost everyday and you're fine about it."

"Well, it's always been me going away, it's been me that been in danger. He's the one that had to deal with the threat of me not coming home"

"You're just a little worried about him going away. Danny and Flack are fantastic cops, and even better as partners. Don would give his life to protect Danny, you know that Linds"

"That's what I'm afraid of" She said, sadly

"What, Danny being in a situation where Flack has to save him?"

"No, Flack being in a situation where Danny has to save him"

--

--

"You kidding?"

"Sorry Flack, they said ASAP, Mac had the department book the tickets for tomorrow. We need to catch this guy"

"What am I supposed to tell Stell?"

"Think my wonderful wife has done the deed for ya" Danny sighed "My other half is pissed, to say the least"

"Well, that's one conversation I don't have to have, I guess" Flack smirked. "Don't envy you though, buddy. Good luck with the wife" Flack smirked as he hit Danny on the back and headed out of the office.

"Wiseass"

--

--

"Come on bug, open your mouth for Mommy" Lindsay smiled as she tapped Amanda's spoon against her lips. "Come on, you like mushed up carrots"

"Lindsay leave her, she'll eat when she's ready"

"Amanda, come on, you've eaten hardly any of your dinner"

Amanda scrunched her face up and shook her head "No"

"Fine, don't come whining to Mommy when you're hungry, bug" Lindsay sighed as she got up with Amanda's plate. "You done?" She asked as she took Danny's plate

"No, I wasn't actually" he said, fork in mid air

She turned on the garbage disposal, and began to clear the plates of the remaining food items.

"Lindsay, you can't ignore me forever, you know that right" he yelled over the sound of the loud machine

"Sorry, can't hear you" she spat as she cleared the plates into the sink

"Turn it off"

"Can't hear you"

Danny stood up "Turn it off"

She just looked into the sink and ignored him.

Growing more frustrated, he moved towards Lindsay, leaned over her, and turned the gabage disposal off

"I said turn it off" he said as he turned her around. "What the hell is wrong with you, Linds? What's gotten into you? What the hell is this?" he yelled, gesturing wildly between them both

"Danny, I'm trying to do the dishes"

"Christ Linds, the damn dishes can wait." He yelled as he took the plate off of her and threw it into the sink "Talk to me, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"I don't want you to go, alright. Everytime-" she blinked, her voice breaking "everytime"

"Everytime, what? What is it Linds?" he asked, resting his hands on either side of her waist, as he rested his head against hers.

"Everytime I go somewhere, I get hurt. I can't deal with the idea of that happening to you. I can't – I"

He pulled her close and kissed the top of my head "Nothing's gonna happen to me, Linds"

She sobbed into his shirt, mumbling something incoherent

"Linds, I can't hear ya, speak up, I don't understand incoherent babble, honey. I'm good, but I'm not that good"

"Don't mess about with me Danny, I'm serious" she said as she pulled away "I'm really worried about this"

"About what?" he laughed "I'm going to Las Vegas, what do you think could possibly happen?"

"When I went to Montana, I was only going to Montana, and I nearly got blown up"

"And? We dealt with it. You were okay in the end. That wasn't your fault"

"Yeah, and some whack job blasting bullets here there and everywhere isnt your fault either, but it might happen"

"Might, being the word there Montana."

"Just promise me one thing, alright" she said taking up her former postion of her head on his chest

"Anything,"

"Be careful, and –"

"I promise." He smiled as he kissed her. "Nothing's gonna happen, alright. I'll be fine. Stop freaking out, alright. Sheesh, you're such a girl sometimes" Danny smiled as he kissed her. "I will be fine, I swear, and if not, you can kick my a-butt – you can kick my butt" he smiled as he turned in the direction of Amanda."Kid knows when to stay quiet, huh?"

Lindsay craned her neck to look at Amanda in her high chair, "you know Danny" lindsay smiled as she wiped her face of the remaining tears "I think she's fallen asleep"

"Yeah, either that or we bored her to death"

"Your grammar is terrible, Danny."

"Bored her to death? There's nothing wrong with that"

"Whatever" she smiled as she picked Amanda up, "I'm gonna put her to bed" she whispered as Amanda adjusted to Lindsay's body and began sucking her thumb again.

"Linds" Danny whispered "her thumb, she's sucking it again, take it out"

"Leave her to it." Lindsay whispered. "if she's anything like you, she'll need braces anyway" Lindsay smirked as she stepped over the baby gate and headed into the hallway.

"I only needed braces-"

"Save it, cowboy" she smirked.

**_R&R? S'appreciated :)_**


	98. Case 2, part 3

**_A/N: WOW! over 600 reviews and cropping up to the 100th chapter- you guys are AMAZING!_** _**Seriously i keep saying this but i can't believe all this was, was a oneshot**_. **_Thankyou all so much for your support and comments._** **_And for all you lurkers, thanks a bunch for reading - would love to hear from you, though - drop me a line, let me know what you enjoy :)_**

* * *

Lindsay sighed as she jiggled Amanda on her hip and watched the Christmas rush take over JFK airport. "Come on Amanda, don't make this any harder for me"

Amanda whined and reached toward where Danny was stood at the check – in desk. "Want Daddy"

"Baby, he's busy, give him a minute"

"Now" she whined

"Amanda, I said in a minute, knock it off"

Amanda sighed and rested her head against Lindsay's shoulder as Lindsay continued to bob up and down, in attempts of keeping herself occupied.

Lindsay was quickly growing to hate JFK airport.

Glancing outside the terminal she laughed as Stella tried to run across the loading bay in her Jimmy Choos behind Flack, who was also running, pulling his suitcase behind him.

Laughing, she tapped Amanda on the shoulder and pointed to where Flack and Stella were running.

"Uncle Flacky!" Amanda laughed "Silly"

"Yeah, they're silly." Lindsay laughed as they ran in to the terminal and straight past her

"Stell, over here" Lindsay called as Stella stood, bracing herself against the wall.

Waving, Stella quickly made her way to where Amanda and Lindsay were stood. "Sorry, we got tied up" she panted

"You can run across the city, chasing a suspect, but you can't run from the car park to the airport terminal. Damn Stella. And seriously, you are a picture running in them" Lindsay laughed "Can tell you haven't had kids yet, running in stilettos still."

"Well Lindsay, not everyone can pull sandals in winter off" Stella smirked at Lindsay's choice of footwear.

Shrugging Lindsay glanced over to Danny who was laughing at Flack and his red face. "He's been holding up the line, waiting for y'all"

"Y'all?" Stella laughed "Y'all? You heard yourself?"

"Whatever," Lindsay smiled as Danny and Flack moved towards them, minus their cases.

"We ready to go?" Danny smiled as he kissed Lindsay on the temple as he wrapped his arm around her.

"Waiting on you" she smiled as she snuggled into his side.

"Daddy" Amanda whined reaching for Danny.

"Kid, you talking to me?" Danny smirked "You never want your Daddy"

"Daddy" Amanda smiled as she settled into Danny's crook of his neck

"What you said no to her about? She want some ice cream or something"

Laughing, Lindsay took Danny's free hand "Nothing, she just keeps crying for you. I think she knows you're leaving."

"I'm coming back" he sighed.

"I know that, but she doesn't" Lindsay sighed as he protectively pulled her into his side.

--

--

"I'm sorry baby, I have to go. It's the last call"

"But-"

"I'm sorry, I have to"

"But-"

"Amanda, listen I'll call you, and you can talk to me tonight, okay?"

Nodding sadly, she moved to kiss Danny and hugged his head. "Love Daddy"

"I love you too, Princess. Go on, go to Auntie Stell, while I say bye to Mommy, okay?"

"Mommy go?" Amanda asked tears threatening to fall.

"No, I'm staying here with you, baby"

Amanda nodded, hugged Danny one more time then reached for Stella.

Once Amanda was safely in Stella's arms, Danny tugged Lindsay to one side.

"Danny, I'm-"

"Before you say it, I want you to know that you shouldn't be sorry for how you were – you're my wife. It's tough doing what we do, especially when we have a little girl in the equation. And I understand why you were so upset about it all, but I want to promise you nothing is going to happen to me. So don't worry about it, alright?"

"I was actually going to say I'm going to miss you, but it was on my mind, saying sorry for over-reacting and all that." She smiled as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Wiseass" he smirked as he rested his forehead against hers "I'm gonna try my hardest to be home for Christmas, you know that right?"

"You have a week" she smiled "I'm starting the countdown"

"Be a world record if I do." He laughed, "I love you, you know that right."

"Yeah, I love you too."

"And I'm gonna miss you like crazy" Danny sighed.

"You better get going Dan, there's only so many people Flack can show his badge to before they kick his ass outta the line"

"Alright," he smiled as he kissed her lightly. "Be good Linds, don't burn the house down. Amanda, you keep an eye on Mommy, okay? Don't tell her where I hid the credit card"

"You hid it?" Lindsay whined, "No problem, I'll use the one I hid" she smirked as she kissed Danny and swatted him on the butt. "Go on, you gotta go, the quicker you leave, the sooner you can come back"

He turned, kissed Amanda lightly on the temple, kissed Stella on the cheek, and then turned back to Lindsay.

"Save the best for last" he smiled as he kissed her again.

"Bye" she smiled in-between kisses

"Bye" he smirked as he kissed her again.

"Bye" she sighed against his lips as they tried to break away again

"Bye"

"Goodbye" Stella laughed pulling them apart. "Go, go now"

Danny laughed as he jogged across the departure lounge to where Flack was stood tapping his watch. Loading his things from his pockets and onto the security belt, he smiled and waved towards Amanda and Lindsay.

"Danny Messer – a man in love" Stella observed, "Or, should I say, Danny Messer, a husband whipped"

"It's pure love, Stella" Lindsay smirked as she took Amanda from Stella. "Alright, so maybe 50 percent love, 50 percent whipped"

"You know fine well you don't mean that" Stella smiled as Danny blew a kiss across the departure lounge.

"Yeah, you're right" Lindsay smiled as she caught the kiss in mid air "I don't mean it"

--

--

**_R&R?_**


	99. Vegas, baby!

Danny sighed as he fastened his seat belt.

"S'up?" Flack asked as he reclined his chair to stretch his legs out

"Nothing, and Flack you gotta have it in the upright position before takeoff"

"What are you, a air hostess?"

"Fine" Danny laughed, "I'll let them come over and whip your ass for breaking the rules" he smirked as he pulled out the magazine from the seat back pocket.

"You'd think they'd at least shove two of NYPD's finest up in first class" Flack sighed "I wouldn't have to have my knees supporting my chin then"

"Stop over-reacting, Flack you've got enough space. And really, can you see Sinclair shelling out anything more than economy for us? He didn't want us to go anyway. Think yourself lucky we're sat together"

"When's he gonna retire?" Flack laughed "Or at least run for mayor, or something. Thought he would have disappeared after that whole Gerrard thing. He was his sidekick"

"Good things come to those who wait, Flack."

"Wiseass"

--

--

"Just get the piece of paper out Danno. Where did you write it?"

"I dunno" Danny sighed, "Lindsay packed everything"

"Well, get your document wallet out, knowing her, she probably put it there. We can't stand here forever."

Danny leant on the floor with his knee and pulled his document wallet out of his back pocket, he pulled out his return ticket, passport, and a picture of Lindsay and Amanda.

"Cute" Flack smirked.

"Found it," Danny punched the air in excitement. "And I'm ignoring that wiseass comment."

"What's it say?"

"I wrote down baggage claim, so there I guess"

Flack sighed and clipped him on the back of the head "See, I said that would be where they were meetin' us"

"Ow Flack – come on, that hurt."

Shaking his head, Flack knelt down and helped Danny pick up his stuff and put it back into the wallet. "So who's this guy?"

"Nick Stokes. Sounds pretty cool from when I've spoken to him on the phone, he's gonna take us to the hotel. Drop the bags off, then he's gonna take us to the lab"

"Things a little more laid back here then?" Flack mused, "They got the CSI's doing a taxi service, not something you see everyday"

"Well Flack, he can't do much of anything waiting for us to navigate our asses round Nevada if we're the only leads he has"

"S'pose"

They followed the signs toward "baggage claim" and stood with the rest of the passengers from their flight to collect their bags.

After around 5 minutes of waiting the first bags came round the belt. Danny's came off more or less straight away – but after 25 minutes of waiting and watching everyone else get their bags and move on, they finally came to the conclusion that Flack's bag probably never left JFK

"Man" Flack sighed as he stalked towards 'Lost luggage' "I had a new tie in there and everything"

"Really?" Danny mused "What color?"

"Well, it was like this really nice red and green color – swirl kinda pattern"

"And what color shirt would you have worn that with, Donnie?"

"Dunno, beige maybe?"

"God, they've done you a favour, losing a tie that sounds as ugly as that. You can use my shirts while we're here, alright. Buy your own pants – and I don't want you stretching my shirts with that love handle you got going on. Linds likes my shirt tight"

"Me, love handles? Sure about that Mess?" Flack smirked "Think you forgot your wife and my girlfriend are friends"

"Shuddup. Fill the form out."

Resting against a concrete beam in baggage claim, Danny pulled his phone out.

Pressing speed dial one, he held the phone to his ear

_"Messer"_

"Hey baby, s'me."

_"How was the flight?"_

"Awful, Flack's like a kid. Recline, upright, recline, upright, recline upright. Couldn't make his damn mind up."

_"What're you doing now?"_

"Flack's filling out a lost luggage form. Didn't make it to the plane"

_"Did yours?"_

"Yeah, like the first one off – there something wrong, Linds?"

_"No, I was just sleeping"_

"Sleeping? Linds it's only 9PM"

_"Honey, there's a 3 hour time difference. Do the math"_

"Sorry baby didn't realise."

_"I didn't think you would. It's okay – I kinda wanted you to call."_

"How's Amanda?"

"_Fine, misses you like crazy. She was crying when I put her in the car"_

"You gave her a present early, didn't you?" Danny smirked

_"Get out of my brain, Danny. Yeah, I felt bad. I gave her the dolly she picked out."_

"And I bet you gave her the accessories as well, didn't you."

_"Well, in all fairness, having the doll isn't worth it if you don't have the stroller and clothes to dress it in. We had fun playing. Took our minds off you going."_

"And you went out to dinner didn't you?"

_"Have you got a GPS tracking device attached to my ass or something? How did you know?"_

"Where do you think that annoying vacuum cleaner toy came from?"

Lindsay didn't say anything and Danny sighed. "Stop smirking, I can hear you smirking."

_"You can not hear me smirking at all..."_

"Can so."

"_Whatever, cowboy.."_

"I gotta go, baby. Flack looks pissed. I'll call you later, well, - tomorrow – well today your time – but I-"

"_Goodbye Danny"_ Lindsay laughed_, "I love you,"_

"Love you too" he heard her hang up the phone and he closed his phone, and pocketed it. "What they say?" he asked as Flack approached him

"Didn't even leave the main building in JFK. I called Stell; she's having it shipped to her apartment. I'm picking it up when I get back"

"Ready to go?" Danny smiled "Got your suitcase, Flack?"

"Run" Flack glared "Run quickly, wiseass"

--

--

"You see them?"

"Would I be stood here, straining my ass trying to see them if I had already seen them, Flack?"

"Just asking, - hey you think they're gonna look like CSI's?"

"What else are they gonna look like, Flack? Martians?"

"Plane air makes you shitty"

"I am not shitty, you just say retarded things. Well, look over there, they have LVPD on them geeky baseball hats they're wearing, I'm thinking it might be them"

Danny bent down to pull his suitcase and headed over to the blonde woman and guy stood by the airport exit.

"Hey, you aren't Nick Stokes, by any chance are ya?" Danny asked

"Danny Messer – good to finally put a face to the name. Nice to meet ya. This here is Catherine Willows, Catherine, Danny Messer – and Don? Is it?"

"Yeah, Flack, Don Flack" Flack smiled as he offered him his hand.

"Cute" Danny smirked as he picked his case up.

The four turned to the airport exit and Nick and Catherine shuddered as the December breeze hit them.

Flack smirked, "You think this is cold?"

"Cold, I'm damn near freezing" Catherine spat as she wrapped her coat around her. "Coldest it's been since I can remember - and I lived in Montana - huge snow storms there."

Laughing, Danny nudged Flack as he made a mental note to enquire where abouts in Montana she was from. "Great, we got two new Adams. Can't deal with cold then?"

"We get warm summers…" Nick laughed " Why?"

"It's what, 32 degrees here? It was 21 degrees when we boarded the plane"

"Damn" Nick sighed as he tugged on his scarf as they moved toward his departmental SUV "That's cold"

--

--

Danny narrowed his eyes as Nick glanced back in his rear view mirror at him again. Nudging Flack, Danny glanced into the mirror again; and Nick turned his attention to the road again.

Flack pulled out his phone and started typing out a text message.

Danny rested against the seat and gazed out of the window, trying to avoid Nick's burning looks – Danny felt his phone vibrate against his leg, where it was safe in his pocket. He turned to Flack who was pocketing his own cell phone.

"Real mature" Danny muttered under his breath.

_Dude; show him your wedding ring. Don't think he's your type. He's got a cute accent and all, but well, Monroe doesn't look like the sharing type._

Danny rolled his eyes and put his phone in his pocket.

"Something you want to share with the class, boys?" Catherine asked as she turned in the passenger seat.

"Nah, Messer's just considering whether to call the wife. He can't work out the time difference"

"It'll be 1AM in New York, right now." Nick smiled, as he turned left. "As much as she probably loves you, she might kick your ass"

"You have no idea" Danny smiled

--

--

"Hey, um, could I ask you something?" Nick asked as he moved toward the back of the SUV.

Danny took a deep breath –"Um, yeah – what?"

"Well- have you ever-"

Danny's eyes widened "Have I what?"

"Have you ever been to Vegas before?"

"No, New York, Montana and Italy. S'about it. Why?"

"Nothing, no reason" Nick said, eyeing him up. "You sure?"

"Positive. Why?"

"It's just you – one second. Cath!" Nick called as he moved towards the passenger door, "Come here a minute. Who does he remind you of?"

Danny relaxed a bit, unless the words coming out of Catherine's mouth next was "Your ex boyfriend, Nick." he was alright

"Oh god, what was his name? Thumper?" she said, clearly racking her brains for a name.

"Thumpy G." Nick gasped, "That's it. It's been driving me crazy"

"Thumpy what?" Flack laughed, "Something you ain't telling me, Daniel?"

"Remember who's shirt's your wearing, Flack" Danny spat as he walked toward the hotel reception.

--

--

"Damn, I thought our old lab was dark" Danny said, as he took in his new surroundings

"Well, it does the job" Catherine smiled. "Nick, I'll be right back – Lindsey's in the break room, needs some more money."

At the sound of the name "Lindsay" Danny's ears perked up.

"Not your Lindsay, idiot" Flack laughed as Danny craned his neck to try and see said break room.

"You have a daughter called Lindsay?" Nick asked as he headed towards the AV lab.

"No, no. Wife" Danny smiled warmly. "Daughter's called Amanda." He smiled as he handed Nick a picture.

"Cute"

"She's all Lindsay, got my wiseass personality though."

"I meant your wife" Nick smirked. "I'm just kidding. Well, this is the ever-modest AV lab. Probably not as swish as your fancy New York Broadway address, but it does the job"

Flack glanced around "So, what's the plan – we gonna-"

"Take a break, Don" Nick smirked, "you guys want a coffee or something?"

"Ha, well can tell you don't have Sinclair or Mac breathing down your necks-"

"Nick, where are we on the serial?"

"Grissom, let me introduce you to Danny and Don from the NYPD crime lab."

"I spoke to Mac Taylor. Sent two of his best. Good to have you here."

"Good to be here," Danny smiled "So where shall we start – you have any –"

"Actually, we have some CCTV footage we can't seem to put into context, I was hoping you could give us a hand, maybe take a look."

"Sure," Danny smiled "And Nick, call him Flack"


	100. Chapter 100 :D

**_A/N: So, chapter 100. Who'd a' thunk it? ha, oneshot. Who was i kidding?! I best wrap this A/N up before i get too emotional with it, and thanking everyone and such. :P _**

**_All i'm gonna say is thankyou all so much for your support - even you lurkers - and I hope you keep on reading and reviewing... And, enjoying!_**

**_I would love to hear from some of you lurkers though, let me know what you think. :) _**

**_And, one final thing - huggles to Twinkeyrocks. /end emotional 100th chapter a/n :D _**

**_Enjoy. :)_**

**_--_**

**_--_**

Danny yawned as he watched Flack spread the various case files they had brought with them from New York across a layout table.

"You're right, Flack" Nick started "It would be better us all getting used to the case before tackling other bits of evidence"

"Makes a change" Danny laughed.

"What does?" Flack glared "me being right?"

"Yeah, on rare occasions, it happens"

"So, we have 2 DOA's in New York" Catherine started "And we've had one here. All in the time span of 4 days."

"All 3 with miniature crime scenes" Danny added

"With two of the victim's having their eye lids cut off, one being in New York, the other here." Nick finished.

Danny yawned again, this time failing to disguise the yawn as a smile or him trying to talk, as he had been doing,

"You want a lift back to you hotel guys, we're used to this not sleeping lark, being on the night shift, but for you day shifters, I can see the trouble you might be having." Nick smiled

"Hey, I'm good," Flack piped in "My jobs around the clock, unlike Messer's 9-5 thing"

"Hey, I do my fair share of overtime. Just getting used to this time difference, I'm on New York time, still"

"We'll get you back to the hotel" Nick smiled "We can carry on tomorrow, least we're all up to speed, so we can jump straight in, when you get here, tomorrow morning."

"You guys staying?" Danny asked as he stood up.

"You think the killers stop so we can catch 20 just because we've got a serial to catch?"

Danny chuckled, "ya know, if you've got a couch – I could just lay down for 20 – power nap and all that. I'll be back in business then."

"Don't be silly, Nicky – take them back to the hotel. You want him to come get you tomorrow?" Catherine asked

"Do you not have cabs in Vegas?" Flack asked, grinning.

"Funny, Flack" Nick laughed "Quite the wiseass, aren't you?"

--

--

"Aw, looks like we're sharing Flack, no hogging them covers like you did last time" Danny smirked as he kicked his suitcase away from the door from where he had dumped it when they had stopped to drop his bag off.

Flack whacked Danny over the back of the head. "Adjoining rooms, idiot. Go on, go get your beauty sleep." Flack sighed as he kicked off his shoes "I might be able to catch the last of Letterman"

"You have an obsession with that man, Flack" Danny laughed as he dodged the pillow heading towards his head. "One unhealthy obsession"

--

--

Danny blinked as he glanced over at the alarm clock, which read 6AM. Rubbing his eyes, he reached for his glasses that he had placed on the nightstand and picked up his phone that had lain next to his glasses.

"_Hey, cowboy, what you calling me so early for?"_

"Hello to you too - Early? I thought there was a 3 hour time difference, it's 9AM isn't it?"

"_Yeah, I meant why are you calling me so early your time, what you doing up?"  
_

"Couldn't sleep, there wasn't anyone to whack for stealing my covers or kicking me out of bed"

"_Danny, that happened once, alright" _she laughed,_ "I couldn't sleep either last night."_

"We did we turn into a sappy couple that couldn't bare to be apart?"

"_God knows" _She mused_ "Any leads on the case?"_

"We tried to get into it last night, but I kept yawning so they brought us back to the hotel."

"_Aw, they seem nice. Are they?"_

"Yeah, had a few issues at first, though."

"_Oh yeah? Like what?"_

"Well, I dunno, Nick he was looking at me real weird – like I dunno, just weird. Turns out he thought I looked like a suspect he and Catherine questioned like a million years ago."

He could hear Lindsay chuckling at the end of the line "Damn, I miss you Lindsay."

"_You wanna talk to Amanda, she's eating breakfast."_

"She clean? Don't give her the phone if-"

"_Danny, you're actually giving me tips on how to look after her? Did you forget that she's my little girl aswell?"  
_

"Alright, alright wiseass, – put her on"

"_DADDY!" _she screamed into the phone_ "DADDY" _

"Whoa, Whoa, there M&M – careful, what have we said about screaming on the phone."

"_Sowwy"_

"How are you, baby? Mommy looking after you?"

"_Dolly"_

_  
_"She gave you your dolly didn't she, you like it?"

"_Yep. Daddy home?"_

"Not yet, soon though baby."

"_Flacky?"_

"Uncle Flack's with Daddy, that's right baby. You looking after Mommy for Daddy?"

_Amanda laughed down the phone "Yes, 'course" _

And if Danny hadn't been sleep deprived and jet-lagged he would have been 110 percent positive she had said "God, Dad" after.

"_She sold me out about the doll thing, didn't she?"_ Lindsay laughed

"She get bored talking to me or somethin'?"

"_You stopped talking for a millisecond, you snooze you lose, you know you have to keep her attention on the phone"_

Danny chuckled, "It was good while it lasted, anyway."

"_So,"_ Lindsay sighed _"you erm – you think – you"_

"Do I think I'll be home for Christmas?"

"_Thank god you can read my mind. What's it looking like?"_

"Not sure, we got 3 days before the 25th, right? All depends on which way the case goes today, doesn't it."

"Well, Mac's asked me if I'll go in on Christmas day, him Stella and Hawkes couldn't get out of working, so I think me and Amanda will head over. Get takeout with the rest of them, then we could just wait for a real family meal when you get home."

"That sounds good-"

"_But I'm not saying I don't want you home for Christmas"_

"I know, I know." Danny laughed, "I will work my ass off to get home for Christmas, alright?"

"Thank you, Dan." He could feel her beaming down the phone.

"What time you in work today?"

"Not, me and Stella are-"

"Oh Jesus, you're going Christmas shopping, aren't you?"

"Maybe, just to get your present. Is there anything you want..."

"Yeah" he grinned at being able to keep his present reasonably priced "A digital camera, I circled it in that catalogue you had open on the coffee table with a note saying that I wanted it with a little smiley face so it didn't seem to bossy"

"Yeah, I got that already, I think I had it before you circled it."

"Why do I even bother if you already know?"

"_Because you're sweet, and I know you too well. Anything else?"_

"No, just get me some shirts or something. Nothing spectacular Lindsay, you hear me?""Loud and clear, boss"

"Good. I don't want-"

"I will not bankrupt you, keep your boxers on, alright. Just need a few more –"

"Say you need a few more things for Amanda and I'll walk back to New York to kick your ass. Lindsay you have every toy they have made this holiday season, no more toys, alright. You hear me?"

"_Fine. I'll window shop. Look around for next year"_ she sighed dramatically.

Groaning Danny stretched in the bed "Fine, just keep it under a Benjamin, alright."

_  
"Gee, thanks darling." _She laughed sarcastically_ "seriously, you make me sound like I spend all your money"_

"You do!" he exclaimed

"Messer, it's 6AM. Keep it down, alright. Not everyone has a wife that-"

"Flack, I think that's your cell, looks like Stella's getting her early morning-" Before Danny could finish, the door separating the rooms had slammed shut.

"He's a lovely, bubbly person in the morning" Danny mused

"_Don't you need to be getting ready?"_ Lindsay asked _"or is it too early?"_

"No, shouldn't think so. I'll go jump in the shower. Call you later?"

"_Yeah, I promise not to go crazy today, alright?"_

"S'all I ask, I know we don't have house payments, but I'd love to be able to put Amanda and our other kids through college. I love you."

"Love you too, one sec, I'll put Amanda on."

Danny swung his legs over the side of the bed as he listened to Lindsay tell Amanda to say bye to Daddy _"BYE!"_

"Amanda Messer, what did I _just_ tell you about screaming into the phone"

"_Sowwy Daddy,"_ she whispered _"Bye"_

"Bye sweetie. Be good today. Daddy loves you."

"_Amanda loves Daddy"_

He listened to Amanda giggling and Lindsay asking for the phone back, and telling her not to throw the phone.

"Amanda, give me the phone. Amanda, listen to Mommy – Amanda NO!"

And with that, the line went dead. Chuckling, Danny folded his cell phone shut and headed to his suitcase that was currently taking up most of the floor space – and all he had wanted the night before was his tooth brush.

Picking up a shirt, his usual underwear and a pair of slacks, he headed to the bathroom, when his phone started vibrating on the nightstand.

He threw his clothes on his bed and quickly moved toward the nightstand to look at the message

So, we have no house phone anymore. Your daughter decided to throw it in the sink. And, I love you x

Shaking his head and sighing, he hit reply and began typing.

_I like how she's my daughter when she's naughty; I seem to remember you were quite a big part in her conception. Anyway, tell her she's dead - that phone cost me a bomb. Damn cordless that you just had to have. Regardless of how much you two cost me, I love my girls, have fun today x_

Chucking the phone on the bed he picked up his clothes and stood up, making his way to the shower again, until he heard his bed vibrating. Laughing at how they couldn't pull a plug on their conversation, he quickly moved over to the bed, and flipped open his phone with his free hand.

Wiseass x

He smiled how she could warm his heart being what seemed like a million miles away from him with just one word. He picked up her favourite shirt to sleep that she had packed for him and smelt it. He could still smell her on it. A combined mix of her usual scent of Nina Ricci shaped in the stupid Apple bottle and raspberry shampoo.

He put the shirt back into the suitcase and pulled out another shirt.

Maybe he'd save that one for later on in the week.

--

--

"Danno – you naked still?" Flack laughed as he came bursting into Danny's room.

"Would it have mattered- whoa Flack – come on, ever heard of a shirt, I think I'm about ready to gouge my eyes out with a dull spoon"

"I think I got a spoon in my pocket actually, want me to help you?" Flack smirked "What you think I'm here for? Which one of your ugly boring shirts do I get to wear today?"

"Here" Danny smiled as he chucked Flack a plain green t-shirt "knock yourself out"

"Danny, how can I attach my tie – come on"

"What tie, Flack?" Danny smirked "You didn't wear one yesterday, and I didn't bring one"

"But- but" Flack stuttered "I never go into work without a tie."

"Ah, well. Join the club" Danny smirked as he turned back to brush his teeth.

--

--

"So, feeling refreshed, gentleman?" Cath smiled as Danny and Flack walked into the break room of the Las Vegas crime lab.

"Definitely." Danny smiled "So where did we leave it last night?"

"Well, we're all up to date on the case files – me and Cath read through the Dobson ones – brutal stuff" Nick said.

"Says you," Flack said, pouring himself a cup of coffee "The miniature killer? That's one wicked killer. Never seen anything quite like it."

Nick shrugged "each city has their own villain"

"Say that again" Flack said, pouring milk into his coffee.

"We gonna get started then? Where's the first step?"

"AV – we got some CCTV camera footage." Catherine said.

"Lead the way" Danny smiled as he held out his hand for Flack to overtake him.

--

--

"Where did you get this from?" Danny gasped turning in his seat

Catherine flicked through the evidence folder and case file settled on the table next to her "A bank off the strip, why?"

"Because-" Danny's eyes widened "he's – he's how can he be out?"

"I'm gonna put a call in" Flack said, "See if I can get some info."

Danny nodded and turned back to the stilled screenshot.

"I think we're missing something, Nicky" Catherine sighed, as she raised her eyebrows in Danny's direction,

"I'm sorry – just – we go back – there's a history."

"With who? You and this guy?"

"Yeah. You could say that"

--

--

Danny had sat in silence, staring at the screen, unfreezing the image, and then freezing it again.

It couldn't be – could it?

He was locked away in prison. Wasn't he?

"Well-" Flack said, getting the attention of the patrons of the AV lab. Called my guys, he was transferred three months ago to Las Vegas, but – something had gone wrong with the switch over."

"He fell off the radar?" Danny spat "What the hell?"

"I spoke to the prison guard, it's all very hush – hush from what I've gathered. When they opened his section, all the found was press pictures on the Dobson hearing – pictures of you, Dan."

"Me? What the hell?"

"There was also articles upon articles on your killer, Natalie Davis." Flack said, glancing at Catherine and Nick "Nobody had any idea on how he got out, or how he got these articles and pictures. But he did."

"How did we not find trace in our system? He would have come up, without a doubt"

"Danno – he'd a' been careful. He ain't stupid"

"Look" Catherine spat as she threw her hand down on the table "Are you two going to tell us what the hell you two are talking about?"

"There was a case that a suspect took a liking to,"

"Who?!" Nick spat

"Is there a Detective Messer in here?" a courier asked, standing at the door.

"Yeah, me" Danny said, "Why?"

"I got this in the back of my van, you need to sign for it. Seems a little weird."

Danny got up, and walked slowly towards the guy. "You know where it's from?"

"No idea, was just on top of my deliveries, and addressed to you, here" he shrugged, handing him the note. "Says it's fragile and urgent."

"Thanks" Danny said, scribbling his signature on the clipboard.

--

--

"Mess, that's you." Flack gasped "That's a mini you."

"I don't get it." Nick started "Why has someone sent a miniature, here? That only happened when –" Nick sighed, "When she took Sara,"

"Sara?" Flack asked "Who?"

Catherine rubbed Nick's back "Sara worked here, as a CSI. She got "kidnapped" by Natalie, she wanted to hurt Grissom, and did that by using Sara"

"She didn't-?" Flack gasped

"No, no. We found her, in the nick of time, out in the desert, disorientated, dehydrated, a few injuries, but she was okay. She had personal issues – the reason why she left, if you're wondering. Shook the team pretty bad" Catherine said. "Grissom hasn't ever recovered from her leaving."

"Sorry" Flack mumbled "Didn't mean-"

"No worries, " Cath smiled, before she turned back to Danny who was looking at the miniature underneath a microscope. "Let me see that a second, Danny."

Shifting out of the way, Danny handed her the microscope. "Why, you think you know what it is? Cause I mean there's a little note, 3PM."

"Yeah, I do. It's Seely's - a bar downtown, is that any significance?"

Danny closed his eyes as his heart leapt out of his chest.

"148 Seely Street"

"148 what?"

"It's in New York. It's where I had to meet him."

"Meet who?" Nick asked.

"Shane Casey" Danny said. "The son of a bitch is back."

--

--

"Give him the phone, Don"

"Linds, I cant"

"Don, give him the phone"

"Linds, he's getting into a vest. He just wanted me to bring you up to speed."

"Flack, put my fucking husband on the fucking phone"

"Whoa, whoa – okay – first of, calm the hell down. He's gonna be fine Lindsay"

"Flack. Put. Danny. On. The. Phone. Now"

"Here" Flack spat as he shoved the phone into Danny's hand "Talk to your wife"

"Montana, what's the-"

"What the hell are you doing?"

"What?"

"Did you not listen to me at all? You're going to meet him, what are you, crazy?"

"No, I need to wrap this case up so I can be home with my family on Christmas"

"By doing what? Putting yourself in danger. Danny, I would like you home in one piece"

"Look, baby – I haven't got much time, we need to act now."

"Be careful" Lindsay cried into the phone "Please, just be careful. Don't do anything stupid. I don't want to – I don't – I – I have to go"

"Linds, come on – I'll be fine."

Instead of an answer, all Danny got was a dial tone.

Danny snapped his phone shut and threw it against a locker in the locker room.

He flumped down on a bench, sat with his head in his hands. That was so not the way he wanted that conversation to go like. He bent down and reassembled his phone and switched it on. Smiling at his wallpaper of Amanda and Lindsay he had taken last week when they were asleep, snuggled on the couch together, waiting for him to get home from the late shift.

His message tone interrupted him gazing at his two girls.

I love you, and I'm sorry. Please, just be careful and stay safe. X

Clicking on his phone book, he typed in M and scrolled down the list past "Mac" "Mommy" and eventually got to "Montana".

As his finger hovered over the call button his phone started vibrating in his hand. Chuckling, he answered it "I was just about to call you"

"I'm sorry – I didn't want our last conversation to end like that"

"Lindsay, I'm not dying for Christ sake, you're so dramatic."

"Look, I'm just – not exactly happy"

"To say the least" Danny snorted.

"Alright. I'm terrified, last time, when you had to go to that bar when he wanted to see you and there wasn't anything I could do – and I was terrified, waiting with Flack and Mac outside. And I was there – and I couldn't do anything. This time, I'm half way across the US and I can't do anything other than tell you I love you, and to be careful"

"Linds, I ain't about to get myself killed, alright. I promise you, I'll be fine."

"I'm taking your word for it."

--

--

"You're gonna have a microphone, like last time Danno so we can hear what's going on. Surveillance In the bar has been turned on remotely, so he doesn't know that it's on. Looks like it's B&E – explains how he got in." Flack observed.

Danny nodded as he tightened his vest. "Thanks, Flack"

"Could I talk to you a minute?" Flack asked, pulling Danny to one side.

"S'up"

"I just wanted to make sure that you know that I'm here if you need me, alright. You call my name and I'm in there – a'ight. Don't hesitate. You need back up? Ask for it. I gotta keep my Amanda's Daddy safe."

Danny pulled Flack into a hug. "I know, and Flack" he said pulling away, "Thanks"

"Anytime" Flack said patting him on the back "let's do this"

--

--

Danny slowly opened the door to the bar and set this case down, gun posed ready to shoot. "Shane?"

Glancing around the messy bar, Danny took another deep breath "Shane?"

"Shane?" he called out again.

"We need to stop meeting like this" Shane smiled as he appeared from behind the bar, gun in hand

"Shane, drop the gun alright? We aren't seriously gonna get into this again are we?"

"Into what, Messer?"

"Just drop it, Shane" Danny said, calmly. "Drop the gun – you know what happened last time"

"Can't – sorry"

"That' what you said last time" Danny said, "Come on Shane, why are you doing this?"

"You loved him, you believed in him. I know a thing or two about going to bat for your brother. Only – well, this time it wasn't your brother who you were batting for, was it?"

"What are you talking about, Shane."

"What was it that you said in court? Or should I say, what you did?"

"Shane, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Can you read this highlighted text? Out loud" Shane smirked "You've always been a wiseass, with the one-liners, or no liners, as it was in this case."

"You're talking about Clay Dobson's trial, aren't you."

"Damn right. I read all about you trying to put in your two cents for Detective Mac 'Marine' Taylor – going to bat for him."

"Is this what this is about?"

"Yes and No, it's about believing. Remember what you said to me, that you knew what it was like to believe? – To want to believe?"

"Yeah, I do."

"You got a kid now, don't'cha. Amanda, I think the paper said."

"How'd you know?"

"Announcements" he said simply "you got married too."

"I did. And I would really love to go home and see them for Christmas"

"Yeah, well I don't have anyone to go home to. This shitty justice system took that away from me"

"Shane you know what happened to your brother was his doing. He killed that bartender. And I'm sure he wouldn't have wanted you to kill anymore innocent people, right?"

"You just don't get it do you."

"What Shane? What don't I get?"

"I had to kill them – I had to, to get your attention"

"My attention?"

"Yeah, you really think the brass would have let Mac Taylor work a Clay Dobson copycat case?"

"You set me up?"

Shane smirked and clapped slowly. "Well done, Messer. Quite the smart ass"

"Why'd you involve Natalie Davis, what does she have to do with this?"

"Nothing. I had to give you something to confuse your little smart assed scientist brain"

"Why Vegas?"

"I love the city," he reasoned, pulling himself up onto the counter. "Had to get you away from New York."

"Why Shane, why do all of this?"

"To prove to you that them victims didn't get justice from me being behind bars. Just like my brother didn't get any justice."

"Your brother robbed and killed an innocent man" Danny said, trying to comprehend Shane's reasoning for killing his most recent batch of innocent victims.

"Not my brother. He wouldn't do that" Shane spat as he lunged forwards "he wouldn't!!"

"Shane, alright – okay" Danny said holding his hands up in surrender "But he did – I'm not lying"

"You are!" Shane spat as he reached for his gun that he had placed on the counter

"Shane! Come on" Danny said, soothingly, "Put the gun down"

"Not this time" Shane said as he lowered the gun and pointed it towards Danny.

--

--

"Shots fired." Jim Brass yelled into a panicked crowd. "Possible officer down, I repeat, possible officer down, move in with caution, suspect is armed and dangerous!!"

Flack's eyes widened, and filled with tears. He ripped his gun from his holster, and took off the safety cap. Heading in after Nick, Flack's eyes widened at both men on the floor.

Instantly, Flack's rage took the better of him and he headed straight over to where Shane Casey was laid on the floor, and Nick bent down at Danny's side.

"Get him, Nick." Danny grinned as he lay on the floor. "I'm fine"

"You're shot" Nick whispered

"Hardly" Danny said, as he pulled the round from his bulletproof jacket. "Casey has one in the leg," Danny said as nick helped him up. "You need to get over there before Flack kills him, himself"

Nodding, Nick rushed over to the other side of the room, while the EMT on the scene attended to Danny, checking him over, making sure he had no other injuries

"I swear to you, if I have to arrest your ass again Casey, you will wish you were fucking dead, you hear me?" Flack spat as he jerked Shane up off the floor with Nicks help.

"Is that a threat?" Casey spat as he limped towards the door.

"It's a promise, Sunshine." Flack whispered in his ear as he threw him towards two uniforms "Take him to the local ER – get them to stitch the boo-boo up, and get him to interrogation within the hour. I'll be waiting."

Nodding vigorously, the two young uniforms threw Casey into the back of the police car and sped off.

Flack turned and headed over to Danny who was currently nursing a bottle of water.

"Got the confession on tape. He did it to prove that the victims didn't get justice while he was in prison."

"That doesn't make sense" Nick commented

"Things don't when you're a whack-a-doo" Flack said. "You okay, Messer? You ripped a hole in your vest?"

"Just one. I'm good to go. EMT's said I was fine"

"You do know Monroe's gonna kick your ass, right?"

"Oh yeah" Danny smiled as he wrapped his arms around both Flack and Nick's shoulders. "Known that from the start"

--

--

Lindsay sighed as she stepped onto the elevator, Amanda's bag of toys in one hand, and her hand in Lindsay's other.

"Mommy? When Daddy home?"

"Tomorrow baby. That's why we only opened a few presents today, Santa kept them and decided he would bring them tomorrow instead – he wanted us to wait for Daddy"

Nodding Amanda bounced lightly at Lindsay's side "Uncle Mac?"

"Yeah, we're seeing him, and Auntie Stell and Uncle Sheldon"

"Uncle Siddy?"

"Yeah baby, Uncle Sid's here"

Amanda giggled "Daddy?"

"No, baby – remember tomorrow. He's gonna be home tomorrow"

Amanda nodded, making a mental note. Lindsay laughed, and guessed she would ask again in a few minutes.

"Right, Amanda just before we get to the floor" Lindsay smiled as she bent down to Amanda's level "Remember, it's a busy lab, with lots of things that could hurt you, okay. So what are we going to do?"

"Walk with Mommy"

"Very good baby."

Lindsay stood back up just as the elevator doors opened and let go of Amanda for a split second

"UNCLE MAC!" Amanda screamed as she ran as quickly as her one-year-old legs would allow her without falling over

"Careful little one" Mac smiled as he caught her and cuddled her "Merry Christmas."

Lindsay came storming off the elevator, diaper bag and toys in hand "Amanda Messer!" she bellowed down the hallway "What did I just tell you?"

Mac smiled as Amanda tried to hide in the crook of his shoulder "Bug, what did Mommy tell you?" Mac asked, trying not to laugh at Amanda's horrified face.

"Running bad, walk"

"I believe I distinctively told you to walk, did I not?"

Amanda nodded as Mac set her down on the break room couch.

"And what did you do?"

"Runned" Amanda whispered, tears in her eyes

Lindsay sighed as she put Amanda's toys down, and held out her arms for Amanda to jump in them

"Sowwy Mommy"

Placing a kiss to Amanda's forehead Lindsay hugged Amanda tight. "Are you gonna do it again?"

Amanda shook her head

"Good" Lindsay smiled as she set her down again. "Hey guys, Merry Christmas"

"Merry Christmas, Linds" They all smiled. "You look cute in your matching dresses, Linds" Stella smiled

"I got them as a surprise, on the off chance Danny was home for Christmas" she explained as she twirled around in the knee high deep red dress. "Figured I might as well get some wear out of it"

"Who knew they did matching mommy and daughter outfits," Hawkes laughed, "Have you heard from said husband by any chance?"

"Called, not yesterday, the day before. They got him, he's home tomorrow."

"Got who?" Mac asked, looking at Sheldon to try and get confirmation, who was equally as confused

"The perp" Lindsay said, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world

"We gathered that," Hawkes laughed, "Who was the perp?"

"Well," Lindsay started "it was – Shane Casey"

Hawkes and Mac's mouths opened slightly "it was who?"

"Wanted to prove that prison doesn't give victims justice." Lindsay said, earning her looks from the rest of the team "Hey, I just relay the information" she laughed

"So tomorrow?" Hawkes asked

"Mhmm"

"Shame he couldn't be home before that."

"Yeah, but they had to tie up loose ends and stuff- Anyway, enough about that - it's Christmas guys." Lindsay smiled warmly as she rummaged through her bag and pulled out a tin and set it down on the table. "Me and Amanda made Christmas cookies," Lindsay glanced down at Amanda, who was currently pushing around her new Doll in her new stroller "heads up, avoid the Christmas trees, I caught her licking the frosting off a few of them earlier" Lindsay smiled through her teeth

Stella glanced down into the tin, and picked up a Christmas tree cookie, and bit into it, much to the team's dismay

"Amanda," Stella smiled, getting her attention "Did you make this?" she asked holding the bitten cookie up

"Mommy helped," Amanda smiled

"Did you put the frosting on?" Stella asked as she crouched down to Amanda's level

"Yeah-ha"

"It's the best bit" Stella whispered as she took another bite, and kissed Amanda's chubby cheek as she stood back up.

"Um, Stell?" Hawkes whispered as Stella happily munched on the cookie "Did you not just hear Linds?"

"What? I can't eat a Christmas cookie made by my wonderful god-daughter, but it's okay for Lindsay and Danny to eat bugs?"

"Bugs?" Amanda gasped looking at Lindsay "You and Daddy, eated them? Why Mommy?"

Lindsay turned to glare at Stella before turning back to look at Amanda.

"Baby, sometimes-"

"Mommy said Amanda not eated bugs. Not good, right Mommy?" Amanda explained to the rest of the team

"They ate gummy worms, Amanda" Stella smiled

Amanda smiled and nodded her head "Gummy worms, they good, right Mommy?"

"Yeah baby" Lindsay smiled standing up, "they're okay to eat"

"What gets me" Hawkes smiled "is how she knew "Lindsay and Danny" meant Mommy and Daddy"

"She's a clever little girl" Mac smiled "Just like said, Mommy and Daddy"

"I hungry" Amanda whined from where she sat, legs swinging on the couch with her dolly dangling by its arm.

"It's a good job Uncle Mac brought some goodies then, isn't it?" Mac smiled as he handed her a stocking full of candy

Lindsay gasped as her eyes widened. Stella touched her arms lightly and laughed, "it's sugar free"

"Phew" Lindsay smiled "I thought she would have been swinging from the doorframes"

--

--

"Sid's coming up in a few, right?" Hawkes asked as he threw another playing card down on the break room table

"Yeah, he's been cooking the dinner, with his daughter – she's back from college" Stella smiled

"Dinner?" Lindsay asked as she threw her hand down "SNAP"

The team groaned as Lindsay added the few remaining cards left to the pack that she was collecting.

"When we told Sid we were hanging here and getting take out, he nearly autopsied us all, and told us that he was coming, and bringing a Christmas lunch."

"How sweet of him" Lindsay gushed as she watched Amanda and Mac on the couch. He was unwrapping the candy for her, handing it back to her, and Amanda then force-fed him the same piece of candy, which Mac happily accepted.

"He has so much patience with her" Lindsay smiled. "He really loves her, doesn't he."

"She's like the little baby girl he never had" Stella said as Lindsay rested her head on Stella's shoulder.

"I miss him, Stell."

"He's back tomorrow."

"I know, it's just – it would have been nice being able to see him sat with Mac and Amanda now, eating the Candy, and me whining at his ass, saying he wouldn't be hungry for dinner, and him throwing back a wiseass comment."

"WISEBUTT" Amanda screeched as she threw a piece of candy at Mac so that he caught it in his mouth

"Remember, we don't scream like a banshee when we're inside, do we M&M?" Lindsay laughed. "Turn it down a little, alright?"

Lindsay turned to look at Stella who was in fits of laughter "What?"

"God you're so country. Screaming like a banshee? What the hell kind of a saying is that?"

Lindsay shrugged "My mom used to scream it at me, when I was little running around when Dad got home. I figured it was about time I stole some of her sayings that used to drive me wild. They seem to work"

"You're one in a million, kiddo." Stella smiled. "One in a million"

--

--

"So where is Adam and Kendall?"

"Visiting her Mom in Florida. You know how Adam will do anything to get out of New York during December" Hawkes grinned

Lindsay nodded, and opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by the loud noise coming from her cell phone

"Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, Linds? Cute." Hawkes smirked

"Shut up, I gotta take this" she smiled as she dashed out into the hallway and closed the break room door.

"Hey, Merry Christmas" Lindsay smiled

"Hey baby, same to you. Sorry I didn't call earlier, like I said, got tied up."

"How they treating my cowboy? They being nice?"

"Dunno, haven't seen anyone yet. Think they're in the break room."

"What time's your flight tomorrow?"

"10AM – you're on shift until 3, right? So I'll just meet you there, and we can surprise Amanda when we pick her up."

"Sounds good" Lindsay smiled "I wish you were here"

"Me too. I will be though, tomorrow. We can start our own festivities then"

"Definitely" she smiled "Gosh Danny, you should see Mac – Amanda's force feeding him candy"

"Cute" Danny laughed

"What'cha doing, Dan?"

"Just waiting for Flack, he's still in the hotel room whining about wearing my shirts"

"Tell him to pull up his big girl pants and deal with it"

"You stole that from me" Danny gasped, feigning hurt.

"And what? Sue me."

"I intend to. One hundred dollars."

"Or, in another words, you want to win back your Benjamin."

"Yeah, something like that"

Lindsay glanced at the elevator "Dan, I'm sorry – I'm gonna have to go – Sid's on his way up with dinner. I'll get Amanda to call you later, that okay?"

"Yeah, definitely, I'll see you soon anyway"

"Not soon enough" Lindsay sighed, "I love you." As the phone cut out.

She glanced down at the phone, and smiled at her wallpaper. It was a picture of Danny and Amanda walking in front of her. He had been holding her hand walking down the boardwalk at Coney Island. Lindsay had been dragging behind, purposely so she could snap the picture, and had, had it as her wallpaper ever since.

She turned to go back into the break room as the elevator doors chimed, and opened, indicating Sid's arrival.

Lindsay turned to smile at Sid and gasped.

"Oh my god"

--

--

**_Review? Just takes a second guys, and i'd really appreciate it :)_**


	101. Chapter 101 :D

**A/N: Thank you all for the lovely reviews last chapter. :D They meant alot. I'm just glad you are all still enjoying this.**

--

"Oh my god" Lindsay gasped "Oh, my god"

"You gonna stand and stare all day?"

Lindsay dropped her phone and ran towards the elevator and jumped into his arms.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me you were down-freaking-stairs?" she scolded as she kissed him.

"I've missed you too." Danny chuckled. "I wanted to, but you know how freaking romantic Flack is, he wanted it to be a surprise for you and Stella."

"Where is he, anyway?" Lindsay asked as Danny moved them out of the elevator.

"Shut up, Linds" Danny said through gritted teeth.

"What – I was only –"

"Hey guys" Danny smiled as he prodded Lindsay in the side, causing her to wince in pain.

"Danny, what are you doing here? We thought you were in Vegas?" Stella asked, glancing into the elevator for Flack, presumably.

"Change of plan, Flack had to stay there until Monday. They only had one seat, and he gave it to me."

Stella smiled warmly but seemed to hold back a sob "That's Don Flack, always thinking of others"

"Shane Casey, huh?" Hawkes asked, bounding towards Danny and hugging him. "You beat his ass up this time?"

"Once in the leg – self defence"

Lindsay broke away from his stronghold grip "I'm sorry, self what?"

"He shot me-"

"Sorry, I don't think I heard you right, he what you?"

"He shot me and hit my bullet proof vest."

"And you thought against telling me?" Lindsay spat as she prodded him the chest "When were you going to tell me?"

"Now," Danny smirked as he dodged her flying hand "I shot him in the leg." Danny smiled as he pulled her into a tight hug to avoid her whacking him "Flack's was finishing up the paper work with Brass, back in Vegas when I left"

Danny could see Mac and Amanda slowly walking out of the break room, to see what the commotion was. Danny ducked behind Lindsay and Lindsay stood on her tiptoes.

"Hey baby girl, s'the matter?" Lindsay smiled

"Daddy?" Amanda asked

"Baby – he's not here remember – he's with uncle Flack."

"Hear Daddy"

Lindsay swallowed; it was killing her, Amanda's little face…

"Daddy?" Amanda sniffed towards Lindsay, clutching her dolly.

"M&M?" Danny whispered behind Lindsay, teasing Amanda.

Amanda's eyes widened "Daddy?"

"M&M?" Danny chuckled a little louder.

Amanda's eyes narrowed this time, as she plodded toward Lindsay by the elevator.

Danny tapped Lindsay on the back "move on 3".

Smiling, Lindsay counted to 3, silently before quickly darting out of the way, to reveal Danny, stood there with a grin on his face.

Amanda's face lit up "DADDY!" she squealed as she ran towards him and jumped in his arms "Daddy home! Mommy – Daddy!"

Lindsay sniffed back a few tears as Danny tickled Amanda and smothered her with kisses. "Daddy home, Mommy, Daddy home"

"I know baby, I know." Lindsay smiled as Danny pulled her into his side.

"Merry Christmas, girls" Danny whispered as he kissed both Lindsay and Amanda.

Stella was stood wiping rolling tears away from her face, Hawkes was grinning, and Mac was stood with his hand on his heart with tears in his eyes.

Lindsay glanced towards Stella, Mac and Hawkes, and her eyes widened and he heart felt like it was in her throat.

Flack put a finger up to his lips and then crept toward Stella, who was currently facing away from him.

He placed his strong hands over Stella's eyes and kissed her lightly on the neck "What, did you really think I would let Messer have the only seat home?"

Lindsay watched Stella take a sharp in take of breath as she gasped.

"Don?"

"Merry Christmas" he grinned as he moved his hands away. Stella rushed over to him and hugged him tightly showering him with kisses.

"What, you miss me or something?"

"You have no idea" she smiled before she slugged him "Last seat my ass, Don."

"It was," he insisted, as he rubbed his arm. "Danny sat on my knee"

"Cute" Danny smirked as he threw Amanda up in the air "You know it was the other way round, wisebutt."

--

--

"And that's when we figured out it was Shane Casey" Danny shrugged.

"You say it like it was nothing" Hawkes laughed, "Danny, he was a serial killer"

"Nah, he's just another whack job looking to make a statement. He's going away now. For good." Danny smirked as he took a spoonful of mashed potatoes and threw them onto his plate

"I still cant believe you didn't tell us you were coming home" Stella laughed shaking her head "We're trained detectives. How did we not figure that out?"

"You hear that, Dan? That right there is the sounds of a midlife crisis. She's gonna question her whole existence now" Flack smirked as he wrapped his arm around Stella.

"Be nice, Flack. She's gonna whoop your ass later, you know that right." Danny warned

"Looking forward to it," He smirked as he dodged Stella's hand.

"So, did you get to venture into autopsy in the Vegas crime lab?" Sid smiled as he poured gravy on to his plate.

"Why would we, Sid?" Danny laughed, glancing at Lindsay who was cutting up Amanda's carrots trying to stop herself from laughing.

"No reason, would have been my first stop, that's all"

"Sid, you're an ME – where else would you go?" Flack laughed.

"The bathroom, break room. I don't know" Sid shrugged as he winked at Amanda who was giggling. "She knows I'm kidding." Sid smiled "You all think I'm crazy, don't you?"

"No-" Hawkes smiled "we are just well aware of your creepy place, Sid. That's all"

"Everyone has to have a quirky member on their team. Not right otherwise" Sid reasoned.

Danny shook his head and glanced towards his wife and daughter who were sat, dinner now forgotten, making silly faces at the other. He then turned to look at Mac, who was now wearing Sid's Santa hat- joining in with the crazy face game. Stella and Don were sat gazing into the other's eyes and mumbling some incoherent words, that the rest of the team probably didn't want to hear anyway, and Hawkes was politely nodding along to Sid's story. Danny laughed and moved towards the sink to fill up Amanda's juice cup "I work with crazy people," Danny mused.

--

--

Danny smiled as a peanut butter cup hit him in the face "Kid we're gonna have to work on your throw if you want to make it in little league" he laughed as he picked it up and put it into his mouth and ruffled Amanda's blonde curls.

"You going to enrol her in stuff like that?" Mac smiled as he handed her Hershey's kiss.

"No kid of mine isn't playing baseball, they want to eat in my house, they have to play baseball."

"And Lindsay is overruling that rule, yeah?" Mac laughed

"I'd bet on it. She just makes me think I wear the pants." Danny smiled as he got up.

"Where you going?" Lindsay asked from across the room

"Nowhere" Danny shrugged

Lindsay cocked her eyebrows "Why you get up?"

"'Cause I need the bathroom, just didn't fancy letting everyone know, but thanks for doing that, anyway"

Lindsay blushed a little "Sorry, just need to keep tabs on my kids, you know how it is" She smiled as she blew a kiss at him.

Shaking his head, Danny started off down the hallway toward the bathroom.

"Grandpa?" Amanda smiled as she held out a piece of candy towards him

Laughing, Lindsay walked over toward the couch where Mac and Amanda was sat and sat on the floor next to Amanda. "Baby, Mac isn't your grandpa, sweetie. Remember, he's uncle Mac"

"Why?" she asked Lindsay before turning back to Mac "Grandpa" Amanda said firmly, handing him a piece of candy

"Amanda, baby – he isn't grandpa Mac- he's uncle Mac"

"Why?"

Lindsay shrugged and kissed the little girl on the head "That's just the way it works, baby girl."

Amanda scrunched her face up as Lindsay got up and headed back to where the rest of the team were sitting.

"Why Uncle Mac, Grandpa?"

"You want to call me Grandpa?"

Amanda nodded and touched the side of his face before jumping into his lap "Grandpa Mac"

Mac laughed a placed a kiss on her blonde curly hair. "Grandpa Mac, it is then, sweetie"

"Do we all get to call you grandpa? Or is it just a blonde hair, brown eyes thing?" Flack laughed.

"You come sit on my knee Flack, then you can call me Grandpa." Mac smirked

"Whoa, I think I walked in at the wrong time" Danny mused "Should I go out, and come back in when you're done?"

"No" Lindsay smiled "Grandpa Mac was just teasing Flacky"

"Grandpa? Linds you know he's right there, don't'cha?" Danny whispered as he smirked

"Your daughter has decided to nickname our boss, grandpa."

"Cute" Danny smiled as he picked Amanda up and flung her over his shoulder and tickled her. "Grandpa, huh? Grandpa? You hinting something M&M, you saying Mac's old"

"Candy" Amanda squealed as Danny tickled her sides

"Ahh, he gives you candy. Hence the grandpa status" Danny smirked as he put her down on Lindsay's lap "Got it"

"So, is it in the Messer gene pool to give people nicknames?" Hawkes smiled as he shifted from where he was sat at the table

"Where you going with this, wiseass?"

"Butt" Amanda scolded

"Wisebutt, sorry" Danny nodded solemnly trying to hold back a fit of laughter.

"Well, exhibit one –" Hawkes started pointing at Lindsay "I give you, Montana."

"Yeah, and what?" Danny laughed

"Exhibit two," Hawkes smiled "Flack"

"Everyone calls him Flack" Danny reasoned

"Only because you said he sounded like a dork as Don. Until then people called him Don."

"That's true" Flack nodded

"Exhibit three" Hawkes smiled, pointing at Amanda. "M&M,"

Danny shrugged "Every father has a nickname for their little girl."

"Yeah, usually it's princess, sweetie, honey. Not candy."

"So I give my nearest and dearest nicknames, sue me." Danny laughed

--

--

"Amanda, come on, throw Daddy the ball"

"Danny, we're in the lab with glass walls. You think that's wise?" Mac asked, eyebrows raised

"Sorry grandpa" Danny laughed, "Please don't kick my ass for calling you that." He mumbled. "Don't put me on dumpster duty"

"I'm reserving that name to Amanda, and Amanda only. You guys hear me, I hear of anyone calling me Grandpa and I will kick your asses."

"Marine style" Flack chirped in.

"Stands for you aswell, Flack."

--

--

Lindsay sighed as she watched Amanda gaze at Danny while he was talking to Mac about the case. She was silent. Not even a peep, just staring at her Daddy.

Danny smiled and kissed her forehead as Mac was talking, and Danny nodded in response as he wrapped his arm around Amanda and pulled her into his lap.

"I can hear someone's biological clock turning." Stella observed.

"No, I'm just wondering why I told him no." Lindsay shrugged.

"No, to what, more kids?"

"Right now, yeah. I said we should enjoy Amanda while she's this age."

"But now?"

"Now I'm wondering why I'm stopping him from doing that – look at him Stell, just look at him. He worships her."

"I always plugged her as a Mommy's girl, now I'm not so sure" Stella laughed as they watched Amanda wrap her arms around Danny's neck a place a kiss on his cheek.

"She's both. When she's tired and hurt she wants her mommy. When she wants something, it's Daddy she runs to."

"She's smart"

"Surprising really, considering who her father is" Flack smirked as he leaned over into the conversation.

"I heard that, wiseass"

--

--

Stella nodded at Lindsay who yawned. "Go" Stella mouthed towards Lindsay "Go on, sort everything out." She whispered, "I'll cover you from here."

Lindsay stood up and announced that she needed the bathroom, and dragged Stella in suit.

"I'm not sure, Stell. Once I tell him, there isn't any going back"

"Look into that break room and watch how that man interacts with your daughter, Lindsay. You aren't going to change your mind, kiddo."

"I know, but he might have."

"Yeah," Stella nodded in agreement, before smirking. "You're crazy," she laughed as they headed towards the bathroom.

--

--

Lindsay glanced towards Stella as they walked back into the break room and Lindsay yawned, noisily.

"I'm going home for a little while, I'm tired, you can stay here, Dan. I could come back in like a hour or two –"

"No. No. Go on, I'll get Flack to drop me and M&M off later on. You okay? There something wrong?" Danny asked brushing her curls out of her face.

"I'm fine," When he cocked his eyebrows she nodded her head "Honestly" she insisted, "I'm just tired. Not slept much recently."

"Promise?"

"Absolutely. See you soon baby. Love you."

--

--

"Think it's time to call it a night, actually." Flack smiled as he nudged Stella.

"Yeah, Danny, me and Flack were wondering, would it be okay if we could take Amanda tonight. You know, give you and Linds a chance to talk about Shane Casey and everything. I think you need to talk to her, she was really upset earlier."

"She was?" Danny exclaimed, "She didn't say"

"Didn't want to make a scene" Stella shrugged. "We can bring her round tomorrow, be there when she opens her presents maybe?"

"Actually Stell, that sounds wonderful, and you wouldn't mind?"

"Taking care of my niece, wash your mouth out, it would be my pleasure Danny. "

Danny nodded and smiled as he went over to explain to Amanda.

"You're gonna go and sleepover at Uncle Flacky's and Aunt Stella's that okay M&M?"

Amanda clapped her hands and nodded her head "yes" as she reached for Stella.

"Daddy who?" Danny mused

--

--

Danny waved towards Stella, Flack and Amanda as he pushed through the front door, quietly. There was a small glow coming from the top of the stairs where his wife was asleep in their room.

He kicked his shoes off and stretched, and headed into the living room to grab his suitcase that he and Flack had dropped off earlier.

He shook his head. It had gone. He chuckled as he turned back on himself and headed into the large family kitchen and into the laundry room.

Yep, there it was. Both the washer and dryer on a cycle already, _ever the housewife. _Danny mused to himself.

He moved over to the pool table where he saw what seemed like a present opened. He cocked his eyebrows and moved over to the table to investigate. He picked up the little note attached to the present.

He ripped off the note and set it down, not bothering to read it. He moved the Christmas paper out of the way, and his eyes nearly left his head.

What was _that_? And what the hell was it doing on the pool table.

He frantically searched for the note after finding the box empty.

_Merry Christmas, cowboy – I think you need to come upstairs and scold me for spending this much money on such a little piece of clothing. _

Danny laughed, as he turned round to head upstairs, taking the stairs two at a time.

"Tired my ass, Lindsay Messer."

--

--

_**Review? It just takes a second and it's much appreciated :)**_


	102. Chapter 102 :D

**_A/N: Continuation from last chapter. Proceed with a little bit of caution :D_**

Danny blinked as he nearly fell up the stairs. "Come on brain, don't fail me now" he mumbled to himself as he took the stairs two at a time, falling over himself as he did so.

He couldn't believe Lindsay's note, surely she was kidding, right. It was a practical joke – it had to be. With their grueling schedules, Amanda and crazy shifts they barely had time to sleep every now and again, never mind any "them" time, but he'd just accepted it, and got on with it. And took liberty in times where they did get to spend some time together, alone... He shook his head - he could pretty much imagine what was waiting in the bedroom for him – it couldn't be a practical joke.

He found the bedroom door slightly opened, dimmed light shining into the corridor. Slowly he walked over to it, and attempted to push it open carefully – but fell through the door at the sight of his wife laid on their bed...

"Hey cowboy," Lindsay laughed as he picked himself up off the floor smiling up at him from her position on their bed. "Did you find my present?" she smirked as he stood there, just staring at her.

Words were actually failing him, for the first time in his life, Danny Messer was speechless; there was no way in hell he could form a sentence right there, in that moment. Not even a wiseass comment. Not even a wiseass word. Nothing.

Lindsay had placed herself onto the bed, half sitting, half lying in a position he had only seen models in before; only she looked even more gorgeous. Stating that what she was wearing was tiny had been more than right – more of an understatement, actually. She was wearing a black lace bra and matching black panties, creating a beautiful contrast to her smooth skin, shimmering reddish in the soft light of the candles standing everywhere.

"You gonna stand and stare?" she asked, repeating his earlier words with a grin.

Finally snapping out of his almost trance-like state, he looked up at her face again, seeing the smile; a mix of amusement and seduction. Tiredness was instantly forgotten. How could he be tired when he had such a beautiful sight in front of him? Especially after such a long time away from his wife, and best friend?

"You are so beautiful," he managed to say; once again letting his eyes roam over her body.

"You're not mad at me for paying an enormous sum for this tiny piece of material?" she teased.

"Are you kidding me?" he asked back. "I would have bought that myself! For you- well, for me, but for you really. But...what did I do to get something like this?"

Her smile suddenly changed into an incredibly seductive grin. Lindsay moved over to him, ever so slowly, knowing which effect this had on her husband. Then she knelt down in front of him, running her hands up his chest, feeling how he tensed at the touch. She looked at him for a moment, straight into his eyes, still smiling at the fiery expression in his.

"Because you're a wonderful husband," she whispered moving even closer to place a kiss onto his left cheek.

"And you're a great father." She said as she kissed him on his other cheek.

"And I want to have another baby with you," she whispered, just loud enough he could hear her, before she placed a gentle, lingering kiss onto his lips. It was a brief kiss, short enough so that she could pull back again and long enough to send shivers through his entire body.

"You want...what?" Danny asked, not sure he understood her right, his heart rate increasing ever so slightly...

"You remember when you asked me to have another baby and I said 'no'? I changed my mind. You have no idea how much I want another baby. A baby brother or sister for Amanda. What do you say, Daddy?"

Hopefully, she looked into his eyes, waiting for an answer, praying that the in time she had taken to make this decision, he hadn't changed his. Danny didn't say a word. Instead he leaned forward, pulling his wife into another, and this time, a much more passionate kiss. It quickly deepened, causing them to forget everything around them. All that matter at this moment was the two of them and their wish to create another baby.

He settled between her and kissed her lightly. "Lindsay, are you sure, I don't want to pressure you into this, you can change your mind if you want, I could go and grab some protection?"

"Never been more sure of anything in my whole entire life" she smiled, honestly, pulling him towards her. "Make love to me, Danny."

--

--

She took a deep breath as she collapsed against his chest, neither spoke for what seemed like hours, until she pressed a light kiss on his chest.

"Wow" Danny smiled as he kissed her head. "That was-"

"Wow?" Lindsay offered as he kissed her

"Wiseass"

"I try" she smiled "thank you, Danny."

"Thank me? Thank you. It was your idea to get rid of our child for the night."

"Shut up" Lindsay slugged him "We're terrible parents."

"We are not" Danny insisted. "We're doing her a favour."

"How you come up with that conclusion, Einstein?"

"She'll have a brother or sister in 9 months to play with."

"We don't even know if I'm pregnant yet, sometimes it takes months and months, you know."

"Yeah, I'm all for that, by the way."

"Shut up" Lindsay smiled again "You're wonderful with her, you know that right?" she said as she turned onto her side, facing him.

"As wonderful are you are? Lindsay you are the most natural, wonderful, most beautiful mother I have ever seen. She worships you. You amaze me how you manage to run the house, go to work, keep Amanda happy, eat and sleep"

"Yes, _that is_ my entire existence" she mused, sarcastically "I just try my best with her, I'm not perfect."

"Quite the contrary Mrs Messer. I think you are pretty much the definition of perfect."

"Pretty much?" she laughed, with raised eyebrows "pretty much?"

"Well, sometimes I'd love to kick your ass when you're whining over me missing the laundry basket and stuff, or making a mess"

"Look, all I ask is after you come home from handball don't leave your sweaty stuff all over my carpet – I'm not asking you to wash it."

"You ask me to-"

"One should quit while one is ahead." She laughed

"Do you think we're pregnant?" Danny asked, tone serious.

"You're cute. There's no way of telling yet, Danny. You aren't that amazing, contrary to what I'm sure you think."

"No, I know that – just – what's your instincts telling you?"

"Honestly, I don't know. But, I mean I didn't know when I was pregnant with Amanda, did I. So who knows? What do you think?"

"Yeah. Although, I'm quite partial to the idea of it taking a few months."

"Shut up," Lindsay laughed as she reached toward the bottom of the bed to grab one of Danny's NYPD shirts.

"Hey, hey – whoa, where you think you're going?" Danny laughed as he pulled her arm back down so her body flopped on the bed

"Going to get a drink, would that be alright?"

"Meh, suppose. Can't let you dehydrate." Danny shrugged as he ducked from her hand moving quickly to whack him, before she pulled the NYPD top over her head.

"Don't get too comfortable in that, it wont be staying on long, Linds."

He could hear Lindsay chuckling as she headed down the hallway to the staircase.

He turned onto his side and picked up a picture of Lindsay and Amanda from his bedside table. He traced the contours of both of their faces as he tried to imagine the picture with another smiling child that he and Lindsay had made, together.

Lindsay smiled as she rested on the doorframe. A warm feeling bubbled inside of her. "I don't think I have ever loved you more, you know that?" Lindsay smiled, finally making her presence known.

Danny smiled and set the picture down again "You been there long?"

"Long enough to realise I'm probably the luckiest woman in the world,"

"A while then?" Danny smirked as she moved back towards the bed.

"Nah" she shook her head as she pulled the covers over her. "I don't need to look at you to know that" she smiled warmly as she traced the defined stomach muscles, currently on display.

"Linds" Danny asked a few minutes later, breaking the comfortable silence

"Mhmm?" she smiled, eyes barely open

"What made you change your mind?"

"Today, watching you with Amanda. Something just clicked, I didn't want to wait-"

"You can't resist me," Danny teased as he nuzzled her neck.

"You weren't complaining earlier"

"I'm not complaining now either, just commenting"

"Riight, got'cha." Lindsay smiled as she settled on his chest and tucked herself tightly next to him. "I love you, you know that, right?"

"I do" he smiled "And I love you." He said as he kissed her forehead as she closed her eyes, ready to fall victim to sleep.

"And Lindsay," Danny smiled as he prodded her nose lightly

"Yes, darling?" Lindsay sighed, blinking, trying to keep her eyes open

He just lifted her chin up and beamed at her.

"What?" she whined. "Danny, I'm-"

"Just so you know, I would have waited forever and day for you to decide that you were ready, and it wouldn't have mattered."

He felt the earth shattering smile stretch across her face against his chest as her eyes fluttered shut.

He kissed her temple lightly before he closed his own eyes, and thought to himself;

Best.Christmas.ever.

--

**_R&R? It only takes a second, and it's much appreciated. :D _**


	103. Opening Presents

**_A/N: Thankyou to all that reviewed! I really appreicate all the support you're sending my way with this. I'm glad you are all still enjoying it even after what seems like a million chapters later :P. _**

**_The muse wasn't happy where i left this chapter orginially, so we have a last minute addition. Still isn't happy where we left it, actually. But there's only so much fluff you can have in one chapter :P _**

**_--_**

"Dan," Lindsay mumbled, swatting Danny in the chest "Danny." He stirred lightly and she swatted him again "Daniel"

"What" he barked blinking, trying to get his eyes to adjust to the light shining in through their bedroom window "What, Linds?"

"Stop that noise. Why's it so loud"

Danny blinked and looked at the clock on his bedside table "Shit, Linds – its 9AM." He said, swatting it, but realised that it wasn't that, that was making the offending noise…

"And?" she laughed as she turned over and propped herself up on her elbows "Your wife gonna be home soon or something?"

"Funny" he mused. "No, Amanda. I left her with Stell and Flack."

"Yes, I'm aware of that. What I'm unaware of is why you're freaking out – and what the hell is that noise?"

They both fell silent for a few seconds, before they both gasped in realisation

"The front door" they groaned together as they jumped out of bed

"I told you to set the alarm" Lindsay spat as she pulled on a pair of joggers and Danny's NYPD top that he had stripped her of.

"No you did not" Danny spat as he frantically searched through his wardrobe for a pair of sweats. "Why do you freakin' insist on wearing my clothes, Lindsay? I have nothing other than slacks and jeans."

"Get over it," Lindsay sighed as she pulled her curly hair into a messy ponytail. "Just hurry up and get downstairs" she said as she shut the bedroom door.

--

--

"Ah, Messer" Flack beamed "How nice of you to join us."

"Shut up Flack, I couldn't-"

"Couldn't what – walk?" Flack smirked, as he lowered his voice "You get some country loving last night?" Flack laughed as he raised his eyebrows.

"My daughter is sat there, Flack. Watch it. And I'm not one for kissing and telling." Danny smirked as he picked Amanda up from her spot on the floor.

"But you got a little, somethin' somethin' – right?"

"Oh yeah, totally" Danny grinned as he threw Amanda up in the air and caught her again. "I owe you, big style"

"Could you write that down?" Flack inquired "Or let me record it, at least"

"Merry day after Christmas, Danny" Stella smiled

"Day after Christmas?" Danny laughed, "You could have just said Merry 3 days before New Years"

"But I'm not an idiot." Stella smiled as she plopped down on the couch with an envelope in her hand.

"S'debatable." Danny smirked "S'in the envelope?"

"Never you mind, Daniel. Curiosity killed the cat, remember?"

"Yeah" Danny sighed, rolling his eyes as he set Amanda down. "Linds in the kitchen?"

"Yeah, we're in here though, so you know – none of that stuff you were doing last night."

Danny shook his head as he nearly fell over the baby gate as he headed into the kitchen.

"I hate this damn thing." He muttered

"You need to get used to it, Dan. If I am pregnant, you're gonna have to deal with it until the baby's-"

"Alright, alright - I get it, I have to make nice with the baby gate"

"I'm glad we speak the same language" Lindsay smiled

"What'cha doing?"

"Danny, what does it look like I'm doing."

"Making coffee?" He mused "And tea" he smiled as he craned his neck to a cup sat separately "Was only asking, don't get all hormonal on Me." he smirked.

"You know" Lindsay said, matter of factly as she picked the coffee pot and some cups "Come a few weeks, and you say that, you may be running for your life"

"Risk I'm willing to take" Danny smiled as he picked up the other cups on the counter. "Besides, I'm a fast runner." He smiled as she tried to kick him and trip him up as he carefully stepped over the baby gate.

--

--

"Come on M&M, last present." Danny smiled, handing her a wrapped present.

"Yeah Amanda" Flack sighed "Open the stupid present."

"DON!" Stella scolded, "what's the matter with you?"

"Stella, it's 12.30, she's been at this for 3 and a half hours. Must we play with every toy before opening the next one?"

"She's being appreciative playing with all of them, Flack. She's a baby, she doesn't understand your no patience thing you have going on, you'll learn."

Flack shook his head and pointed towards Lindsay who was nursing a cup of tea "You need to be banned from children's toy stores across the tri-state area. I might go round, put some pictures up."

Lindsay snorted "Why?"

"WHY? Danno here has to move out into the garage so that the toys can take over the space his ass uses up."

"Don't be silly. They can go in the playroom." Lindsay said, shaking her head. "Amanda's old enough to play in there now."

"You guys have a playroom?" Stella laughed, "Anything you don't have?"

"Yeah. A gym" Danny sighed "I'm still fixing on getting a pool installed though." And after that earned him a death glare from Lindsay he added, "Once our children are all grown up, and running my credit cards ragged, like their mother."

"Hey, if I hadn't of used your credit card for that outfit I bought last night then-"

"La – la – la – la" Flack sung, putting his fingers in his ears "Can't hear you. Don't want to hear about kinky Messer sex, thanks"

Flack dodged the three cushions that had been chucked at him, and felt his ego deflate a little, when all three said cushions hit him in the face.

"I'll get you guys back, don't'cha worry."

--

--

"Seriously Stell, come on, what's in that envelope. You're clutching it like it's your lifeline."

"I wanted to save it till the very last"

"Why? What is it?" Lindsay asked, craning her neck as she got up from where she was sat on the floor, cross-legged.

"Curiosity killed the cat, Lindsay" Flack smirked as Stella thumped him. "Ow, for a girl, you hit relatively hard."

"I learn from the best." Stella grinned as she stuck her tongue out. She glanced up from Flack to see Amanda sat next to her on the couch, Lindsay crouched on the floor, and Danny stood next to Lindsay.

"Stella, we aren't afraid to take you down to get that freaking envelope, alright," Lindsay smirked. "The Messer's against the Bonasera-Flack's. And guys" Lindsay added, "We_ will_ win"

Amanda giggled and squealed as she jumped onto Stella's lap and began tickling Stella.

"Alright, alright" Stella squirmed "For a one year old, you have some serious tickling techniques, kid. Here" Stella said, handing the envelope to Amanda. "Give it to Mommy and Daddy"

Amanda pondered for a minute or so before she gave her parents the envelope, obviously weighing up which one to give it to.

"Amanda baby, give Daddy the envelope."

Amanda's eyes narrowed and she glanced over to Lindsay who was smiling at Amanda. "You give the envelope to either of us baby, whoever you want, okay. Mommy doesn't mind"

Smiling Amanda thrust the envelope into Lindsay's hands and Lindsay instantly stuck her tongue out at Danny. "HA! I rock"

"You're a dork" Danny sighed sitting down on the floor next to her. "OW!" he whined as he pulled a Barbie doll brush out from under his ass.

"S'why I'm buying a cat." Flack mused

"You're allergic, aren't you. Or did you forget?" Stella laughed as she prodded him in the side.

"So? I'd rather sneeze than have to clean our living room up after Hurricane Aunt Lindsay passed through."

"I wouldn't be so terrible." Lindsay insisted, "Seriously, what have you used to tape this down, superglue?"

"Just rip it," Danny sighed as he took the envelope out of her hands. "Jesus Linds, work out much?"

"Jesus Danny, fold laundry much?" Lindsay retorted as she snatched the envelope back.

Amanda gasped – "Mommy!"

"What?" Lindsay laughed, "What I do?"

"Daddy's" Amanda pointed towards Danny. "Give" Amanda scolded with both her hands on either side of her hips.

"Is my one year old daughter telling me off?" Lindsay laughed towards Stella, Flack and Danny. "Is she actually telling me off?"

"Mommy" Amanda warned.

"If she wasn't right I would kick her butt for talking to me like that," Lindsay sighed as she handed the envelope back the Danny.

Danny stuck his tongue out at Lindsay as he finally managed to get the envelope open and pulled out the documents inside.

"Guys," Danny said, as he held the papers so that Lindsay could see them too "What is this?"

"Well, last month, we were talking, as a team"

"Well, clearly that didn't include us" Lindsay said, rolling her eyes towards Danny.

"Yeah, clearly" he pouted

"We were talking about how you two never got to go on a honeymoon, because you had to come straight back to work, and before you knew it, Amanda was on her way. So, we thought that this year, instead of buying you guys crap that you probably would either buy yourself if you wanted it, or not want it anyway, we'd send you away for a weekend, all expenses paid, on a nearly two year late, honeymoon."

Lindsay sniffed back some tears that were threatening to fall, "Stell, I don't understand-"

"It's not for like a month though, mind." Flack said "Just you two. Stell and I are taking Amanda for the weekend, while the lab is quiet and Mac has got cover in. We spoke to Beth, and if there is no way of us getting out of having to go to work, we're gonna drop Amanda off, and she'll bring her home. Everything is paid for, and you even have the honeymoon suite."

"Guys, this is too much" Lindsay gushed, "We couldn't possibly-"

"Lindsay, shut up," Stella smiled. "Mac said to kick your ass if you started going on about how it was too kind, and you couldn't possibly leave the lab"

"He knows me well," Lindsay smirked. "You haven't said much" Lindsay commented as she looked at Danny.

"I'm just wondering who I need to hug first." Danny smiled "How can I thank you guys, like seriously. I can have my wife back?" He grinned as Lindsay elbowed him.

"Maybe if the baby making session was unsuccessful last night, you can try there."

"This morning, too." Lindsay grinned sheepishly "don't forget the twice, this morning."

"Bite your tongue, Monroe. I don't need to be hearing things like that." Flack said, shaking his head. "You're corrupting me."

"She's corrupting you? I bed to differ, Donald." Stella grinned

"Haha, you got first named" Danny smirked.

"Daniel," Lindsay smiled "Hush. Act your age-"

"Not my shoe size" Danny mumbled, "fine, whatever."

Amanda giggled as she watched the four-banter "wisebutts" she muttered to herself as she slid down off the couch and headed for her newest Teddy.

She wandered over to the wonderfully lit tree, and her eyes lit up as she laid eyes on the colourfully wrapped chocolate Lindsay had bought a week ago to hang on the tree. Deciding that she didn't want to wait for lunch, she reached up, and stood on her tiptoes desperately trying to reach for the said chocolate.

She stretched, but realised she couldn't reach. So she carefully put Teddy down, and rounded the other side of the tree where she had noticed a chocolate in a more accessible place.

She licked her lips and then bit her bottom lip as she tried to decide a way to successfully get the piece of chocolate.

Danny glanced over toward the area in the corner of the living room where they had stacked all of her presents. His eyes scanned the room as Lindsay and Flack tried to out-do the other with the sarcastic remarks.

His eyes fell on her just as she was reaching into the tree, carefully balanced on her tiptoes.

"Amanda Messer! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Amanda turned towards Danny and lost her footing, and began to fall into the tree, a look of terror displayed across her face.

Within seconds, Danny was up and on the other side of the room, and managed to grab her Pyjamas just as she was about to tumble into the tree.

He pulled her onto his lap and glared at her as her eyes filled with tears.

"What were you doing, Amanda?"

She sniffed nosily and glanced towards Lindsay, who was sat, concerned look on her face.

"No, don't look at Mommy – she's not gonna bail you out. What were you doing, Amanda?"

"Chocolate" Amanda whispered, "hungry"

"What happened to you telling Mommy and Daddy you were hungry? You don't go reaching into Christmas trees, Amanda. What are you, crazy?"

"Danny, she's one. She doesn't know any better," Lindsay reminded him, as she edged towards where they were sat on the floor.

Danny turned back to look at Amanda, who's lip was quivering, and was dangerously close to tears.

"Sowwy Daddy"

Danny closed his eyes and pulled Amanda to his chest in a tight hug as she started crying.

"It's alright baby, you just scared Daddy. I didn't expect to see you swinging on the Christmas lights."

"Sowwy Daddy" Amanda sobbed

"You gonna do that again, baby?" Danny asked as he wiped her tears away and wiped her nose with a Kleenex Stella had thrown at him.

"No" Amanda shook her head adamantly.

"Do you want something proper to eat?"

Amanda glanced at Lindsay, then back towards the tree and the piece of chocolate.

"You want chocolate?" Danny smiled

Amanda nodded, and smiled sweetly at him.

"It's a good job I love you, Kid." Danny grinned as he put her on the floor and reached over to the tree to get a piece of chocolate.

Lindsay smiled as Danny unwrapped the chocolate and handed it to Amanda while he prompted her to say "thank you"

"Anyone hungry? Dinner's not gonna be ready for, like ever, considering I only just put the Turkey in, but, I could make something."

"Pancakes" Flack shouted excitedly, then looked sheepishly round the room "Or you know, whatever"

Lindsay smirked and turned to Danny and Amanda "Pancakes?"

Both nodded excitedly

"Stell, Pancakes?"

"I'm outvoted anyway, but pancakes sounds great, Linds. Want some help"

"Nah, stay here, I'm good"

Lindsay smiled as she stood up and headed towards the kitchen. She quickly got the pancake mix out and the mixing bowl, and smiled as she felt two strong arms wrap themselves around her waist.

"Flack, he's only in the next room, I told you, if we're keeping us secret, it's when he's at work, you'll give the game away, otherwise."

"You're funny." Danny laughed as he nuzzled her neck.

"I try" she shrugged as she turned round and snaked her arms around his neck. "You were awesome in there"

"She needed her butt kicking, she can't do stuff like that. She should know better. She doesn't see us hanging from the tree"

"Danny, she's one. She's good all the time, we can't complain about her being into everything and anything. I know I used to be in all of my mom's cupboards, hiding in closets. She used to freak until I started giggling and gave myself away."

"Yeah, but that doesn't even surprise me" Danny smirked as he rested his forehead against hers "And it's kinda cute," he smiled as he kissed her and lifted her onto the counter.

"You were good though, Dan. The whole "No don't look at Mommy, what were you doing?" thing, made me want to march you upstairs and get working on number two, again,"

"I could get her to jump around on the couch if you want."

"Don't push it" Lindsay chuckled as she swung her legs lightly from the kitchen counter.

"HUNGWY!" Amanda bellowed from the living room

"All right Amanda, Mommy's making you pancakes" Lindsay called to her. "The kid's a wiseass."

"Have you seen her parents?" Danny chuckled as he helped Lindsay off the counter.

"Whoa- my eyes! My eyes!" Flack smirked as he stepped over the baby gate "On the counter guys, seriously?"

"What do you want, Don?" Lindsay smiled as Danny kissed her

"To inform you your child is wasting away."

"She never stops eating, she's a mini me." Danny laughed as he turned the stove on.

"Yeah well, just passing the message on." Flack shrugged as he turned to step over the baby gate again, he turned and glanced at Danny and Lindsay who were smirking as Danny passed her the mix

"Guys?" Flack asked, "You weren't really, you know… on the counter?"

"What would you do if we said yeah, Flack?"

"Dunno, scoop my eyes out. Never eat here again." He mused as he headed into the living room.

"Just a usual Christmas, ain't it." Lindsay smiled as she pulled herself back up on the counter as Danny took over and made pancakes.

"Totally" he smiled as he touched the mix with his index finger and then touched her nose, leaving a little pancake mix on the tip of her nose.

"I love you, Dan."

"Good." He smiled as he started to whisk the mix together,

"Good? What about, I love you too, darling wife?"

"You didn't get that from good?"

Lindsay shook her head as she jumped off the counter and headed towards the living room, "Call me when they're done."

"But Montana – you said you would-"

"Can't hear you, have fun, cowboy." Lindsay giggled from the living room as Danny mumbled to himself stood over the stove, making pancakes.

"Country girl" he muttered to himself.

--

--

**_R&R? I'd really appreciate it, guys :D_**


	104. Case 3, part 1

**_A/N: So, the muse likes to torture me, and after i had a few suggestions of showing our favourite pair together on a case, the Muse jumped into action - hence these updates :D _**

**_Side note, a big warm welcome back to Vicki-boo!.. _**

**_And huge thanks to Twinkeyrocks and Brinchen. I wub ya girls :D_**

**_--_**

Danny sighed as he zipped up his NYPD windbreaker as he stared lovingly at her angelic form. "I gotta go Linds" Danny smiled as he kissed her lightly.

Straining her eyes, Lindsay glanced at the clock, that read 3.30 AM.

"You been called to a scene?" she asked groggily, rubbing her eyes.

"No, I gotta go and meet my mistress." Danny smiled "Yeah, a diner in Queens. Mac said to warn you,"

"About what?" She mumbled as she pulled herself up out of bed.

"It's looking like all hands on deck. I'll give you a call,"

"Do you have to go right now? Or could you wait around for me to get ready, I might as well come along with you."

"I'm not sure whether Mac needs you yet. You go back to sleep, I'll call you and wake you up if I need you."

"Alright" Lindsay smiled as she laid back down "Tuck me in?" she smiled cheekily as he kissed her forehead

"Sweet dreams, baby girl."

--

--

"Nah-ah Mac, I ain't doing it. I'm not calling her."

"Danny, that wasn't a suggestion, it was an order."

"Mac you have seen them crime scene photos. I'm not letting her come to this slaughterhouse. Mac, it's like that diner in Montana. I'm not putting her through that, reliving them nightmares. The girls, they look identical, one's even laid the same way her friend, Kelly was. I can't put her through that, Mac."

"Danny, you know where I said, "Don't let it interfere with your job." Cast your mind back to that conversation."

"You didn't have to hold her while she sobbed" Danny said simply, "You didn't have to chase them demons away that haunted her, I did. You weren't there in that courtroom in Montana – you didn't see how this destroyed her childhood, how it stole her friends away from her – I did. I have to protect her from having to go through that, just like how you would have done anything to protect both Claire and Peyton"

"I know, and I understand that. But, I need her here Danny."

"If this upsets her Mac, I swear to you," Danny physically bit his tongue as he turned to walk away from Mac.

He walked toward the SUV and his eyes widened "Lindsay? What are you doing here?"

"I figured it was only a matter of time before I got called in, figured I would head on over anyway. You left the address on the kitchen counter." She shrugged "What do we have?" she asked as she snapped on a pair of gloves and zipped up her oversized NYPD windbreaker.

"For the record, I didn't want to call you, alright. Mac was going to make me"

"Don't be silly, Dan. What are you talking about?"

"Homicide – 4 dead Linds, one's critical. Flack is getting her statement when she comes round from emergency surgery."

"Five possible victims" Lindsay nodded "What happened"

Danny swallowed. "Can you stay here a minute, Linds, I need to go and talk to Mac."

"Danny-" she called after him as she threw her hands up in annoyance.

"Mac—Mac—!" Danny called as he ducked under the crime scene tape. "Send Lindsay back to the lab"

"Danny, I can't, you don't understand, we're struggling as it is, I need her blood spatter expertise now."

"Mac. The survivor was in the bathroom; he went in there and shot her. She was washing her hands with the faucet left on. Is this sounding in anyway familiar to you?"

"I know Danny, the resemblance is uncanny, but what would you like me to do?"

"Grow a fucking heart, Mac. For starters – she was the sole survivor to a crime identical to this 20 years ago. She's too involved for start off."

"Danny, first of all, remember who you're talking to, have a little respect, alright. I know she's your wife but I think that it's her decision to make whether she feels out of depth on this case"

"Mac, I know my wife. She will freak out, she doesn't – no, she shouldn't have to see something like this. I know you know I'm right. You know you don't want to make her go in there and process this scene. A scene that could have quite easily been identical to her own murder, if the god's hadn't looked after her that night. What about the integrity of the lab, if the DA catches a whiff of you letting Lindsay work the case, they'll knock us into next week, and disregard any viable evidence we collect against the bastard that did this."

"Fine, send her back to the lab with the evidence collected so far. This means that you're gonna have to work extra hard, you know. And I need her some point or another, for the Blood spatter analysis."

"At least let the ME take the bodies to autopsy, alright? Don't make her see that."

"Danny?" she called as she was running over to the scene, kit in hand. "What's going on."

"Change of plan, Montana. You're gonna head back to the lab and process the evidence we got so far. Keep on top of things. Then, once we've done that, we're gonna trade and you're gonna come back here and do the blood spatter analysis thing that you do."

"Why?" Lindsay asked, "I'm here now"

"Lindsay, come on, just listen to me."

"Mac," Lindsay asked, craning her neck, "You've okayed this?"

"Danny knows what's best, Lindsay. Go on, I'll call you when I need you here"

Lindsay narrowed her eyes at the two men, before turning back towards the SUV, she walked a few strides away, before she turned back and called to him to get his attention.

"You know Danny, I'm a big girl." She yelled towards him "I can handle homicides that include teenagers, alright. Don't think you have to wrap me in bubble wrap – I – I – you know what –" she spat "forget it"

Danny closed his eyes for a second as he picked up his kit and watched her walk away. "I'm doing this for you, baby."

--

--

"Did you find anything on handle?"

"AFIS was a bust" she sighed, "Waiting on DNA" she said as she pushed away from the workstation she was sat at. "You done being an asshole?"

"Lindsay, listen-"

"No Danny. You listen. I'm not a kid, all right. I'm not fourteen years old anymore. I've dealt with it. I've moved on. You can't let my past affect the cases I work, I don't do it, so that should mean that you shouldn't either."

"Lindsay, you didn't see that place. It was a slaughterhouse"

"And? It's my job Danny. Don't you get that - it's my JOB! While I appreciate you looking out for me, don't" she spat as she flung her lab coat over the hook.

He took a deep breath. He was going to have to do this her way. He set down his lab coat on his chair and darted out into the hallway after her.

"Lindsay- Lindsay – wait!"

"What Danny. What do you want?"

"Meet me down in autopsy in fifteen minutes."

"What? Why?"

"Sid's nearly finished with the last girl" he said before he turned away and left her standing alone in the middle of the busy hallway.

--

--

"The parents did the ID an hour ago" Sid sighed as he snapped some gloves on, "It's so sad. They seem so young."

"What was COD?" Lindsay asked as she brushed a strand of hair from one of the girl's faces.

"Extensive blood loss, due to a Gunshot wound."

Nodding, Lindsay glanced at the 4 girls lined in a row. "You got trace or anything for us, Sid?"

"Just that it was a close contact shot, from what I can gather, and the wound tract. Once you go and have a look at the blood spatter though, Lindsay we'll have a better idea of what went down."

Lindsay nodded and glanced over at Danny who was staring into the preparation room.

He gulped and looked towards Lindsay, who now had tears falling down her face. "Was that-"

Sid nodded "The girl from the-"

Danny's eyes widened and he shook his head "no".

"The girl from the park" Sid finished as he gestured towards Danny. "Stabbing"

"Have we heard anything on the girl from the diner, Dan?" Lindsay asked, as she turned back around, wiping the tears from her face.

"Um, I haven't spoken to Flack."

Lindsay nodded and glanced towards Sid. "Anything else, or are we waiting for tox and ballistics?"

"You know the drill" Sid smiled "Although I do leave you with a parting gift, I found some type of trace under one of the girls' nails. I'm hoping its DNA from the killer, if she scratched him or something."

"We can only hope," Danny said taking the box from Sid.

--

--

"Lindsay Messer, could I talk to you for a minute?" Danny called after her in the precinct. "I have to know what's going on with you" he smirked as she pulled him to one side.

"Stop goofing off, Dan. We've got work to do."

"Lets go have lunch, my treat?" Danny smiled warmly, reaching for her hand.

"Mac wants us to wrap this up."

"I'm not having this conversation again, Lindsay. Mac doesn't want us to starve."

"What was that about you not having this conversation again?" she smirked "I believe you said them exact words when-"

"Come on, you're coming with me to eat." He said, as he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the exit.

--

--

"A grilled cheese, Linds? That's all you're having?"

"Yeah, I can't stomach a double cheeseburger and have to work another 5 hours afterwards, sorry."

"You used to."

"I'm just not hungry today." She shrugged as she took a sip of her lemonade.

"Linds-" Danny gasped, "You don't think you're-"

"Danny, come on, there's no way of telling yet. Take a breath, I will let you know when I'm gonna take a test."

"But it'll be soon, right? 'Cause I mean-"

"Danny. Shut. Up." Lindsay laughed, "Yes, It'll be soon, alright. So what was the mad rush to take me to lunch."

"Felt like spoiling you, that a crime?"

"Maybe" she smirked as she flicked her straw in his direction.

"Arrest me then, Detective Messer." Danny smirked

Lindsay blushed slightly and crossed her legs under the table so that her foot was tracing Danny's calf muscle.

"Linds" Danny whined, as she traced the back of his leg with her foot "Montana, come on, knock it off"

"Why, is it getting you all -"

"Enough" he spat as he reached under the table and grabbed her leg. "I'm gonna have them move us to a table where people can see you teasing me. We're still on the clock, remember. No sexual relations while the badge is on"

She shook her head and took another sip of her lemonade. "You're so full of crap, you know that, right?"

"One of us has to try and sustain an ounce of self control."

"Yeah, that one usually being me" she smirked

The two sat in comfortable silence for a while, just enjoying the other's company. Danny's eyes were transfixed on Lindsay and her happy, smiley, bubbly nature and closed his eyes for a minute.

"I'm sorry" he sighed as he took her hands from across the table "I was an asshole earlier. I shouldn't have stopped you from going into the scene, you're right it's your job-"

"Actually Dan," Lindsay started "I think I realised in autopsy that maybe it was for the best that I hadn't gone in there. I'm not stupid, I know that the girl the wheeled in was the 5th victim. She didn't make it, did she?"

"I'm sorry baby" Danny sighed, "I just wanted to protect you."

"I know you did, and I should have remembered that when I was getting so mad at you. You were just looking out for me."

"But still, it didn't give me the right to-"

"Grilled cheese?"

"Yeah, me thanks" Lindsay smiled at the waitress "Whoa"

The waitress looked on in surprise. "Hey guys, how you doin'"

Danny closed his eyes "Rikki."

Rikki smiled as she set Danny's meal in front of him "Enjoy"

Lindsay stared at Danny while he stared at her.

"Did she-" Lindsay started

Danny nodded "She did-"

"Where was-"

"I don't know"

"It's a good job we speak in code," Lindsay said, shaking her head as she picked up her sandwich.

"No smart-assed remark, no personal dig?"

"Maybe she wants a good tip?" Lindsay shrugged

"You're a riot." Danny laughed as he leant over the table and kissed her nose. "I love you, you know that right?"

"Yeah, and I love you too. 99 percent of the time."

"And the one percent?" Danny smiled as he pushed some of his fries onto her plate

"The other one percent, words don't describe how I feel" She smiled as she dipped a fry in his ketchup and touched the tip of his nose, leaving ketchup there.

"You know, Amanda did that yesterday" he smirked as he reached for a napkin

"Like mother like daughter" Lindsay shrugged as she stole another bit of Danny's ketchup.

"You want some ketchup of your own?"

"I don't like ketchup." She smiled.

"Stop stealing mine then"

"Yours taste better. It always does when it's not yours."

"That makes no sense, you know that, right?"

"It does" she smiled as she picked her sandwich up.

Danny shook his head. Man alive, did he love her.

**_R&R? It's much appreciated, :D_**


	105. Case 3, part 2

Danny glanced up from his workstation to see Flack restraining a sobbing woman.

"No, miss, miss you cant come in here"

"I need to talk to the detectives on this case – they need to work quicker to find my daughter's killer." She all but nearly screamed

"Miss, we have a on-going investigation, I can assure you that-"

Danny shook his head and headed out into the hallway and nearly bumped into Lindsay who was also heading towards Flack.

"Ma'am, I'm Detective Messer. Would you like to come with me?" Lindsay smiled at the woman as she took her from Flack. "We can go some place quiet."

Danny's eyes widened as he looked at Flack. Lindsay glanced towards Danny and mouthed, "Give me a minute" before she took off down the hallway towards an empty conference room.

Flack moved towards Danny, mouth open slightly.

"Did she just-"

"Yeah" Danny nodded "My Montana just dealt with a mother."

--

--

"You don't understand, she was my entire world"

"Mrs?"

"Jane Nicholson – Kelly's mom."

Lindsay nodded "Mrs Nicholson, I do understand, I know exactly what you're talking about."

"You have no idea!" Jane Nicholson cried into a Kleenex.

"I do," Lindsay, insisted, "I know how you feel to lose somebody like this." Lindsay sighed as she touched Jane's arm lightly, in reassurance.

"No you don't. You have no idea."

"Mrs Nicholson, I was the sole survivor of a crime, identical to this twenty years ago. Everything that you're feeling, I understand. You want to know why, don't you?"

Jane nodded. "I don't understand, why them? They didn't do anything wrong"

"I know – I've asked myself the same thing countless times. Bad things happen to good people sometimes, but I promise you that I will personally find the person that did this to your little girl, alright? I will do everything in my power to ensure that this monster is caught."

Jane Nicholson took a deep breath and nodded "Thank you."

Lindsay smiled as she handed her another Kleenex. "Take your time, the officer stood just outside will accompany you to the exit, and I promise you, as soon as I find anything of significance to the case, I will call you." She smiled warmly as she headed out of the conference room.

"Thank you."

"It's my job, that's all-"

"No, thank you for not offering your condolences, for saying you're sorry. I don't think I could deal with another "sorry for your loss"."

Lindsay nodded from the doorway with her hand on the handle. "Sometimes it just needs to go unsaid."

Jane took a deep breath as she watched Detective Messer head down the hallway with a look of determination etched into her face.

And knew her daughter was in good hands.

--

--

Danny stared at her from the office door, where he stood.

"Stop staring at me" she smiled, not even looking up at the computer.

"You amaze me," he said simply as he moved towards his desk.

Lindsay shrugged "I've learnt to deal. It's easier"

"Even so, I don't think I could have ever done what you did."

Lindsay shook her head "It was nothing, she just needed to hear the truth, that we aren't going to stop until her daughter's killer is behind bars."

"Nobody could tell you that your friends were going to get the justice they deserved though."

"Yeah, well. I wasn't working the case." Lindsay said simply as she turned back to her report on the computer.

"What you waiting on, Montana?"

"Adam to finish up with my DNA."

Danny nodded

"What about you? How is trace coming along?"

"No leads yet. One of Flack's uniforms are bringing in a discarded shirt they found in a dumpster. Says there's trace of blood on it."

"Let's just hope it was the killers, then."

--

--

"Lindsay" Adam called from Trace as she walked briskly down the hallway.

"S'up Adam, I was heading to the bathroom, can we make this quick?"

"I got a hit. He's in the system with priors."

"Great, what's his name?" Lindsay asked as she shifted slightly on the spot.

"An Adam Jenkins. A Kelly Nicholson had a restraining order in place against him"

"Kelly Nicholson?" Lindsay asked as she crossed her legs

"Yeah," Adam nodded underlining the name with his finger on the screen "Why, that name familiar."

"She's one of the victims."

--

--

"I got your text Linds, S'matter? You got a lead? Why didn't you just call?"

"Adam felt like torturing me, he grabbed me while I was heading to the bathroom, then I had to high tail it afterwards, and didn't fancy calling you from the little girl's room. And we did get a hit, an ex boyfriend," Lindsay said, pointing at the wrap sheet print out. "You know the survivor, Kelly." Lindsay closed her eyes for a second to keep her composure. "Sorry, just the name."

"I know, baby. So a jealous ex boyfriend?"

"It looks that way. Plus he was 21- she was only 16. I'm thinking the Mom had something to do with the restraining order when Mr. Boyfriend got a little forceful on Kelly. He has a rape case that he was acquitted of on his wrap sheet, too."

"Do we have an address?"

"No, I spoke to his Parole officer. He hasn't seen him in weeks."

"We need to get Kelly's cell phone."

"What? Why?" Lindsay asked.

"You don't think that she has his cell phone number, we can track his whereabouts."

"I knew I loved you for some reason" Lindsay smiled as she kissed him on the cheek as they headed to evidence together.

--

--

"Come on, come on!" Danny spat at the screen "Nail him"

"Got it" Lindsay beamed up at Danny. "He's in a warehouse just outside of Queens. Call Flack, get him to meet us there."

--

--

Lindsay tightened the Kevlar as she glanced over at Danny, mimicking her actions.

"Danny, be careful, alright."

"I was just about to say the same to you," he smiled as he pulled the safety cap of his gun.

She copied him, and glanced over to Flack and back up, and nodded her head as they headed in together, back up behind them.

"Adam Jenkins? NYPD, come out with your hands where we can see them" Danny called.

"Mr Jenkins? NYPD" Lindsay called.

Suddenly they heard a loud crash and a figure in the shadows dart further into the warehouse.

"He's running" Danny called. "Flack, go catch him on the other side. We'll high tail it after him"

Lindsay and Danny took off running after Adam Jenkins, "NYPD" Danny yelled, "Drop your weapon, Adam."

"I didn't mean to kill her!" Adam screamed as he stopped abruptly, "It was an accident"

"I'm sure it was, Adam." Danny agreed, trying to catch his breath "But you did kill her, you shouldn't have even been anywhere near her – she had a restraining order against you."

"She loved me!"

"I'm sure she did, Buddy. Now, just drop the gun, and slide it along the floor to me," Danny said, soothingly, stood at the side of Lindsay.

"I can't go to prison. I don't want to go"

"You don't have a choice, Adam" Lindsay said, "Don't make any decisions you're gonna regret."

"I won't go back to prison, alright, you can't make me"

"Adam," Lindsay called to him. "You honestly don't have a choice, the minute you shot and killed Kelly and her friends, you lost the right to freedom. Now, come on, we can cut you a deal if you come with no resistance."

Adam shook his head. "No."

Lindsay sighed "Adam, don't make this harder for yourself. I know you didn't mean to hurt anyone-"

"You don't know anything!" Adam barked, raising his gun.

Danny's heart rate increased, and the breath hitched in his throat. That gun was aimed at his life, Lindsay.

"Adam, come on, you don't want to do this" Lindsay said soothingly, trying to calm Adam down.

"SHUT UP, you don't know what I want!" He screamed, finger hovering over the trigger.

Danny was shaking, he could see what was about to be played out in front of him, and wasn't about to let that happen. He had promised her to love her, cherish her, honor her, and most of all, protect her.

He heard the shot ring out, and dived for her, knocking both of them to the ground.

And he held on to her, tight, hoping and praying he had kept his promise.

**_Don't kill me,_** **_please?_** **_LOL. Dare I ask for R&R's? LOL_**


	106. Case 3, part 3

**_A/N: WOW! thanks for all of your reviews from last chapter - _****_Little warning, few swearies. Damn Flack and his potty mouth. :)_**

Flack heard the shots ring out.

"Three shots fired" he cried, "Move in, suspect armed" he pushed through the doors, and instantly, he felt tears rise in his eyes.

"Danny, Lindsay" he gasped at the sight of them on the floor.

He turned and saw the suspect laid on the floor, a hole and blood seeping out of his chest.

Flack broke out into a run over to his two best friends.

"Dan, Linds?" They didn't respond and Flack felt physically sick, all he could think of was Amanda... "Danny, Lindsay. Stop being fucking wiseasses, I know you're shitting with me, get up."

They didn't respond again, and Flack dropped to his knees to check them. He checked both pulses, and they were racing. Flack took a deep breath. He was no good with this medical crap, the chasing suspects – he'd perfected, the interrogations – he was the go to guy. Hell, even the scientific crap was making more sense to even a high school kid, like him.

But when it came to the medical aspect of this job - he was clueless - and panicked.

Lindsay coughed and Danny moaned. "We're good Flack, he missed us." Danny muttered as he moved slowly away from Lindsay.

"Danny, your arms' bleeding, and Linds, your forehead"

"The bullet grazed me, that's all" Danny shrugged as he brushed down his clothes.

"I just hit my head, I'm fine, Flack. Danny saved me" Lindsay said, eyes never leaving Danny's.

"You two scared the living crap out of me, you know that. Answer me next time" Flack spat "I need EMS over here."

"Flack" Danny sighed as he pulled Lindsay to her feet, carefully and pulled her into a tight hug as he kissed her forehead "We're fine. It's just a bit of blood"

"Danny, she hit her head and a bullet grazed your arm. Shut up. EMS – over here" Flack yelled, signalling with his hand, as Danny moved Lindsay's hair softly to investigate her cut.

"Who shot him?" Flack asked as he turned to look at Adam Jenkins.

"Shot who?" Danny and Lindsay asked together

"The perp. He's dead, who shot him?"

Danny and Lindsay looked at each other "We thought it was you."

"What, get out of here. It wasn't me or my guys" Flack insisted.

"It was me," a voice said, from the shadows. "I wasn't about to let him kill two more people"

"Jane?" Lindsay gasped

"I got your message about you finding out who it was, and I knew he would be here, he always used to bring her here. And when I saw him shoot, I lost it. I needed to get justice for Kelly. I don't care what happens to me anymore, but he wasn't about to kill two NYPD detectives, no way" Jane Nicholson insisted as she walked towards Flack and slid the gun over to him, she walked closer to them and held out her hands for Flack to put handcuffs on her.

"Thank you for finding my daughters killer, Lindsay." Jane said, solemnly. "I'm sorry that he wont be tried, but I wasn't going to allow your child grow up without a mother, or a father." Jane said as she glanced towards Danny.

Lindsay's eyes widened. "How did you know?"

"Mother's intuition. I saw the pain in your eyes on how you would feel if this was your child. And how your husband dived to protect you." Jane took a deep breath. "It's worth giving my life to a jail sentence – you did the hard work in finding the killer. I got the girls justice."

Lindsay closed her eyes and fought the tears threatening to fall as Flack cuffed the woman and led her to squad car.

Danny shook his head and pulled Lindsay into a embrace in the middle of all the chaos, the two of them stood there, gripped to each other, not willing to let the other go.

--

--

"Lindsay, we need to get you checked out," Mac insisted, rubbing her hand lightly while Danny looked on from the ambulance where the EMT on scene were looking at his arm,

"I'm fine. It's a cut. I've had worse. I want my daughter, Mac. I want to go home and hold her while Danny holds me, I don't want to go and sit in a hospital room while they tell me I'm fine."

"At least let Hawkes look you over"

"I'm fine!" Lindsay yelled, "Stop fussing over me, if there was something wrong, I would say, alright." She spat as she pushed past them and headed over to the ambulance where Danny was sat.

"Could you take a look at this?" She asked politely, pointing at her head.

"Sure thing, honey. You sit there just while we finish up with detective Messer, here."

Lindsay nodded and glanced over at Danny. "What's the verdict?"

"They're deeming it a crappy shot" Danny smirked as the EMT put a bandage on his arm to stop the bleeding "I'm fine, might leave a little scar, but I'm good to go."

Lindsay nodded and sighed as she rested her hand on her slacks, nervously. Danny glanced down at her hand, and then looked up at her. He could tell she was itching for him to take her hand.

"It's not your fault she shot him, alright." He said as he took her hand "Stop beating yourself up about it. I'm sure there was millions of times your Mom and Dad wanted to do nothing more than hunt down Cadence's ass and beat it."

Lindsay nodded as he kissed her knuckles.

"I just feel like I could have done something more."

"Like what? Shoot him yourself?"

"No, just disarmed him."

"Lindsay, he wasn't right in the head, you could tell from how he was screaming that he was a whack job. Yeah, he's not going to prison for what he did, and that sucks. It royally sucks. But, I would rather him lose his life, than me lose you. All right? So while I understand that you're upset about this, I'm not letting you beat yourself up about it"

"I'm not beating myself up about it," she assured him "I just wished I could have got him into interrogation and made him confess, and face up to his sentence."

"I know baby, but well, this time it wasn't meant to be. He got what he deserved, in a way."

"Danny, two wrongs don't make a right."

"An eye for an eye, Linds"

Lindsay shook her head "I don't know. I just –"

"There is nothing" Danny started as he gently touched either side of her face and turned her towards him "more you could have done." He said as he kissed her nose. "He was going to shoot you, Lindsay. If she hadn't of shot him, I would have"

Lindsay sighed as the EMT pushed her hair out of her face so that she could look closer to the cut on Lindsay's hairline. "I feel as though I failed them girls, Danny."

"Lindsay, he wouldn't have lasted two minutes in prison, he would have topped himself – he made that much clear. What good what that have brought?"

"At least he would have been punished for what he had done."

"Maybe so. But the higher powers had a different idea, that's all. It was out of your hands."

Lindsay looked on, and winced a little as the EMT dabbed a little alcohol on her cut to clean it. "I think you'll be fine. Just keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn't go to sleep straight away. If you start getting dizzy head down to the hospital, and we'll take a more in depth look." The lady smiled.

Danny and Lindsay nodded and thanked the EMS as they jumped down from the back of the ambulance. Danny instantly took her hand and squeezed it tight as he placed a loving kiss on her forehead and rested his hands on her flat stomach.

"Detectives?" The lady called after them as she jumped down the from ambulance, "If you want my two cents, I think you did the right thing. You did the badge proud in there, remember that."

Danny pulled Lindsay into his side protectively as they both smiled.

"It's all in a days work, I guess" Lindsay smiled as she wrapped her arm around Danny. "Take me home, Danny."

**_R&R? It's much appreciated. :)_**


	107. Driving Lessons

**_A/N: So the evil computer and neighbours decided to hack into my internet earlier, when i wanted to update, so after swearing revenge on them, chucking the laptop out the window, nearly. And a few phonecalls to the phone company, i fixed it myself. THANKYOU TECHNICAL SUPPORT, you can go and die now. Kidding. But yeah. Felt i needed to vent that out. lol Enjoy. _**

**_--_**

"Seatbelt, Amanda."

"Dad, give me a chance."

"I ain't moving this car until you're buckled in"

"Yeah, well, I'm supposed to be the one moving the damn car" she muttered as she thrust the seatbelt into its holder.

"Amanda, your mom told me to take you out in the car, not let you crash it."

"Dad!" Amanda whined, "How do you honestly expect me to be able to drive if all I'm doing is watching you."

"M&M listen. Just humour me, alright? Your dear old Dad is still finding it hard to deal with you driving."

"You find it hard me tying my own shoe laces."

"Yeah, well you're my baby."

"So you keep reminding me" Amanda huffed as she folded her arms across her chest. "I'm not an idiot, Dad."

"I know baby. I just want you to know what you're doing before I put both our lives in your hands."

She swatted him on the arm as he pulled out of their driveway. "Wiseass"

"Bite your tongue, Amanda. What happened to you saying wisebutt?"

"Wisebutt?" Amanda laughed, "I've never said that in my life."

"You did" Danny nodded, as he came to a stop sign at a cross road "What do I do here?"

"Stop" Amanda huffed, "I can read you know"

"Good girl" Danny smiled as he squeezed her kneecap. "Just checking"

"I have never in my life said wisebutt, for the record."

"You did" Danny laughed, "when you were a baby it was one of your first words after Mommy and Daddy"

"Liar" Amanda laughed, easing into the conversation, letting the barrier she had up down, slowly.

"Ask Grandpa Mac, or Flack. They'll tell you. Or Mom. Mom will tell you."

"She'd agree with anything you said" Amanda chuckled, "You guys are way too in love"

"No such thing, M&M"

Amanda shook her head as she stared out of the window. "As much as I complain about you two, it is kinda sweet" she shrugged.

Danny smiled warmly at his daughter.

--

"Get out" Danny smiled as he killed the engine in the middle of an empty parking lot.

"Who, me? Why?"

"You're driving" Danny smiled

"Daddy? Seriously?"

"Yeah" Danny nodded, "go on, switch seats with me, M&M."

"Daddy, I love you." Amanda giggled excitedly as she kissed his cheek and jumped out of the SUV.

Danny shook his head and chuckled as he saw Amanda race round the car to the driver's side

"Please don't make me regret it, M&M. Please?" Danny grinned as he ruffled her dirty blonde loose curls.

"Would I?" she smiled as her bright chocolate brown eyes sparkled up at him.

"Probably" he mused as he jumped down from the drivers seat. "Your mom really likes us, alright. Don't go crazy"

"Calm down, D. I ain't gonna run us off the road or something."

"D? Who you been talking to? You never call me that"

"Uncle Don. He told me it piss-"

"I dare you to finish that sentence, Amanda."

"It annoys you intensely." She smirked

Danny shook his head as he walked over to the passenger side of the car. "And for the record, it's Dad, Daddy or father dearest, to you, M&M"

"Noted" she grinned "Keys" she smiled sweetly with her crooked smile.

Danny shook his head as he took a deep breath and handed them to Amanda. "That smile still kills me."

"It's the Monroe in me, it's a Messer weakness; the Monroe grin." Amanda teased as she started up the engine.

"You're a riot, M&M. Now, put it in-"

"Dad, I'm not an idiot. I know how to put a car into drive, alright."

"Just checking."

Amanda shook her head as she adjusted the rear view mirror. "So, for my birthday are you buying me a car?"

"We'll see" Danny sighed as he checked the wing mirrors.

"Not even for your baby girl?" Amanda grinned, "Because I know you want to, its mom I need to talk to, isn't it?"

"Your mom needing encouraging to spend my money?"

"Yeah, I heard it after I said it." Amanda chuckled. "Please Daddy" Amanda smiled as she pulled out into the intersection.

"Later, alright. Concentrate on the road."

"I've driven down here like a million of times" Amanda sighed as she changed lanes.

"Well, I don't know how. We've only been out in the car twice, Amanda."

"Yeah, well, Jesse took me."

"I knew that boy was no good. Amanda you do know-"

"We had Noah in the car with us, dad. They asked me if I wanted to drive home, and I said yeah. Practice makes perfect after all, right. That's what you keep telling me"

"Whenever you pull up from going out with them, you're in the back"

"We change at the end of the road," Amanda grinned sheepishly.

"Remind me to kick Noah's ass."

"Don't be silly Dad, he's awesome."

"Don't remind me, I still think that boy of his corrupts you."

"You've thought that since forever, like that time you nearly choked on birthday cake 'cause I smiled at him."

"What birthday?" Danny laughed, "Turn left."

"That time when it was my birthday,"

"Yeah, I heard that the first time, which birthday? Your first birthday?"

"No silly, third. When Jennifer was round we were going to Coney Island"

"Ah, yeah. Baby, you were smiling at that boy when you were one. Me and mommy had a argument about me freaking out once."

"Why, cause I smiled at him?"

"Well, no, it was more of a-"

"Whatever, Dad." Amanda grinned. "Pull up here?"

"Yup" Danny nodded as he stepped out of the car. "Nice parking" he smiled

"Well, I do what I can" she smirked as she locked the car.

"You got Mommy's list"

"Yup" Amanda nodded as she waved it in the air. "She asked me like fifty times to make sure I had it, and just as we were leaving I nearly forgot it. She was inches away from kicking my ass."

"I should wash your mouth out. What happened to you being against cussing?"

"Have you seen who my parents are?" Amanda chuckled as she snuggled into Danny's side and wrapped her arm around his waist.

"You wouldn't trade us for the world" he smiled as he placed a kiss to her temple.

--

-

"Danny, will you go and get Amanda, she's crying."

"Linds, I just took her out. You take her driving."

"What," Lindsay asked, rubbing her eyes, "She's crying, could you go change her diaper, I'm exhausted. I've been up 3 times already"

Danny's eyes shot open as he looked around his dark bedroom "How old is she, Linds?"

"Are you actually asking me that?"

"She isn't fifteen?"

Lindsay laughed as she turned over and snuggled into his pillow. "I think it must be because I'm dead tired, but you still amuse the hell out of me with your little jokes, fifteen, good one, Dan."

Danny blinked as he stood up and rubbed his eyes "So she isn't fifteen?"

"No, and you standing here isn't gonna get her to stop crying."

Danny shook his head as he made his way into Amanda's bedroom. "M&M? What's the problem?"

"Daddy"

"You have a bad dream baby?" Danny asked as he turned the dimmer on.

Amanda nodded as she sniffed heavily. "Daddy" she whined, as she reached towards Danny.

"Well, Daddy here had a good dream. God help me when you're older, kid."

Amanda giggled as she kissed Danny's cheek.

"Feel better now, baby?"

Amanda nodded and yawned, before she rested her head on his chest gazing at the white bandage that was wrapped securely around his arm from the earlier "incident" in the warehouse.

"You just wanted your Daddy, didn't you?"

Amanda smiled as she sucked her thumb contently.

"Let's get you back to bed," Danny smiled as he slowly stood up off Amanda's rocking chair she pulled away from him and flashed him a little crooked smile.

"Damn kid," Danny smiled as he lowered her carefully into her crib "You melt my heart with that Monroe smile of yours."

Danny kissed her on the forehead as she closed her eyes and he moved towards the door, and turned her light off. He stood there, watching the moonlight shine across the room, as it highlighted her blonde baby curls.

"I love you, baby girl," Danny whispered as he pulled her so that it was nearly shut

"Love Daddy more" Amanda called out to him just as he started to move down the hallway.

That's my wiseass little girl, Danny mused to himself – always having the last word.

He crept into his and Lindsay's bedroom and pried his pillows from Lindsay's stronghold grip and nudged her back onto her side of the bed

"She okay now?" Lindsay murmured as Danny climbed back into bed

"Yeah, she's fine. Just had a bad dream"

Lindsay nodded as she rested her head on his chest "Did Daddy scare all the monsters away?"

"What else do Daddy's do?" Danny mused as he kissed Lindsay softly "Go back to sleep."

"You're gonna lay and watch me again, aren't you?"

"When do I not?" Danny smiled

"I'm too tired to even argue. Have fun watching me sleep." Lindsay chuckled as she snuggled into his side even more.

Danny sighed contently as he watched Lindsay's chest rise and fall as she fell asleep.

"Doesn't get much better than this" he smiled to himself as he slowly closed his eyes.

**_So, how many of you thought i was crazy skipping 14 years in Amanda's life :P lol._**

**_Hope you liked it, R&R? It's much appreciated :D_**


	108. Ticklemonster

**A/N: Meg, enjoy your Naley DL scene :P**

Danny rubbed his eyes as he stirred lightly at the soft cries coming from the baby monitor. He opened one eye to glance at the clock, and realised it was 7AM.

Boy, was he going to kick Amanda's ass.

He rolled out of bed, carefully, trying not to wake the sleeping lump next to him that had stolen the covers about 3 hours ago, leaving him freezing, in his sweatpants. How he loved her, well he must have done, to let her get away with crap like that…

He sighed as he made the short walk from their room to Amanda's room.

He opened the door, then peeked his head round the door and smiled broadly at her.

"What the heck are you doing up, kid? You nocturnal or something? Go to sleep"

"Hungry"

"Hungry? How can you be hungry, usually you don't wake up till nine, you lazy butt."

"Mommy."

"Asleep" he said simply

"Wake up Mommy"

"Asleep" he laughed at the use of one word. "I need to stop spending all my time with you, I'm talking like a one-year-old."

Amanda giggled as she reached up for Danny and snuggled against the crook of his neck once he had picked her up.

"I know, how about we go and lay in Mommy and Daddy's bed?"

"Eat?"

"Oh my god, yes Amanda. Yes I will feed you." Danny laughed

Nodding, Amanda glanced down on the floor, and then pointed, to the floor. "Walk"

"Since when have you walked anywhere, princess?"

Amanda giggled and shrugged as Danny put her down and reached for her hand, but before he knew it, she had taken off running towards his and Lindsay's bedroom, chuckling he chased after her, and saw her duck into the bedroom and close the door.

He crept quietly down the hallway, and nudged the door open and bent his finger, and glanced at Amanda as he indicated for her to come out into the hallway

"I thought you were hungry? Amanda, don't slam the-" he whispered as she slammed the door shut

"Door" he sighed as he picked her up "You better hope that didn't wake Mommy up"

"Didn't," she grinned as she reached up to him "Carry"

"Wisebutt" he muttered as he started down the stairs.

--

--

"Right M&M, what are we gonna do?"

"'Sper"

"That's right, whisper." Danny smiled as he held Amanda's hand as she slowly took the stairs one-by-one as he carried the "Barney" breakfast tray.

"Hungry" she whined, looking up at the tray

"On the stairs? Let me set it down, M&M. you can eat as soon as the tray touches the bedroom floor, alright?"

Nodding, Amanda stepped quickly up the stairs, trying to get out of Danny's stronghold grip he had on her.

"Don't make me kick your butt kid, I kick your Mom's all the time."

She stopped and turned to glare at him "metaphorically of course" Danny assured her as she scrunched her nose up and carried on up the stairs.

"I need friends," Danny sighed to himself "Actual real grown up friends"

--

--

"Ssssshhhh" Amanda grinned, finger over her lip as she crept through the bedroom door, and stood on her tiptoes, gazing at a sleeping Lindsay, only to lose her balance, and fall on her butt.

"Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry" Danny whispered to himself, as he held his breath.

Quickly, Amanda stood up and glanced up at Danny and smiled, proud of herself for staying quiet.

Danny nodded and set the tray down on the floor, and smiled as Amanda glanced over at it, but seemed hesitant.

"What, you changed your mind now?" He mused as he moved towards the bed.

Amanda stood on in the middle of their fluffy carpet, and sighed heavily. She scrunched her nose up, looked at Danny, the scurried off to the other side of the room.

Chuckling, Danny lay back down, and closed his eyes for a second appreciating the silence overtaking the room.

Until he felt a dip in the bed.

He craned his neck onto the floor, and couldn't see Amanda, so he figured she was playing with a toy or something.

He closed his eyes again, and smiled to himself at how Lindsay's soft breathing was lulling him back to sleep.

"Danny, stop moving" Lindsay moaned as she turned to face him

"I'm not" he grumbled, "I thought it was you."

Lindsay opened one eye, "Where's Amanda" she mouthed

Danny lifted his head off the pillow and saw the said "dip" in the bed, hiding underneath the blanket.

He prodded Lindsay in the nose to get her to open her eyes, and pointed at the blanket, that was steadily moving up and down.

Giggling, Lindsay bit her lip to try and control her laughter

"I don't know, Mommy. Where could M&M be? I'm sure I left her with some coco pops on the floor. Maybe she ran away, went to join the circus."

"Yeah, maybe" Lindsay chuckled as the parted slightly to make room for Amanda coming up between them

"Oh well, we could rent her room out to monkeys maybe" Danny shrugged as he too bit his lip in attempts of stopping from laughing.

"Or we could just-"

She was cut off by sounds of uncontrollable giggling coming from underneath the blanket

"How the hell did she get up here?" Lindsay mouthed to Danny

"I have no idea" he mused as he watched his baby girl try to scare Mommy and Daddy.

"Mommy, are you laughing?"

"No Daddy, I thought it was you" Lindsay chuckled at the sight of Amanda crawling further up the bed.

"Well, I don't know. Maybe it's a gigglemonster, coming to eat Amanda's Mommy and Daddy"

Suddenly, the giggling and crawling stopped, and Danny and Lindsay couldn't help but giggle.

"Maybe you scared the gigglemonster away, Daddy?" Lindsay mused, loudly, so Amanda could hear

"Yeah, I chased him away."

And, like they expected, the giggling and crawling started again, and Lindsay began to lose control on her giggling

"Oh no!!" Lindsay laughed as she sat up, and grabbed the area where Amanda was covered by the blanket and tickled her "It's the ticklemonster, Danny."

"Oh no!" Danny laughed as he joined in with Lindsay tickling Amanda, all the while, being consciously (and almost painfully aware) of her being underneath the covers.

"Mommy! Daddy! STOP!" she screeched in between giggles

"Whoa, whoa, Daddy? Did you hear that?" Lindsay laughed grabbing hold of Danny's hands

"I thought I just heard our baby girl, Mommy."

"Me too, but I don't see her"

"Here" Amanda giggled from under the blanket.

Patting down on the blanket, Danny shrugged in Lindsay's direction "Nope, don't see her"

"Here!" Amanda giggled a little louder

"Where?" Danny asked, still patting down on the blanket

"HERE!" Amanda screeched as she jumped up off the bed and revealed herself

"Oh my gosh" Lindsay mock gasped in shock "Amanda, I didn't know you were there!"

"Kiddo, didn't the ticklemonster get you?" Danny laughed

"Nope, Mommy and Daddy."

Danny and Lindsay both looked at each other, then back at Amanda "us?"

"Mhmm" She nodded insistently. "Tickled M&M"

Lindsay's eyes widened and filled with tears and Danny chocked back a sob

"Baby" Lindsay gushed as she pulled Amanda up the bed and cuddled her. "Dan, did you hear that"

"I did" Danny grinned as he pulled Lindsay into his side, while she snuggled Amanda. "You like that nickname, baby girl?"

"Me M&M" she smiled as she kissed Lindsay's cheek, and moved Lindsay's bangs out of the way, and gasped "Mommy!"

Lindsay smiled and pulled Amanda close "It's okay baby, it's just a boo-boo. Mommy's okay. Daddy kissed it better for me."

Amanda turned to look at Danny almost as if for confirmation.

Instead of nodding, or telling her that Mommy was right, Danny leant over Amanda, and kissed Lindsay's hairline softly, where she still had a cut from the takedown the day before.

"See" Lindsay smiled "All better now"

Amanda smiled and leant up to kiss the cut herself. "Good?" Amanda smiled

"Better then Daddy's" Lindsay whispered, making Amanda giggle

"I heard that" Danny glared at her, as he inched towards them. "You better run, I'm gonna get you."

Lindsay and Amanda screeched as Danny edged closer to them, hands poised in the "tickling position" Amanda had perfected months ago.

"Daddy's gonna get you," Danny chuckled as Amanda screeched and tried to hide in the crook of Lindsay's neck.

Lindsay moved into the middle of their huge bed and threw Amanda against the pillows "Save yourself M&M, Mommy's a gonner" Lindsay giggled as Danny tickled her sides, and tummy

"MOMMY!" Amanda screeched as she jumped onto Danny's back and started tickling his neck, trying to get him to let go of Lindsay

"Dan, get off" Lindsay gasped in between laughing "I can't breathe"

"Daddy" Amanda scolded

"Alright, alright" Danny sighed as he moved off of Lindsay

"I'll tickle you instead" he grinned as he grabbed Amanda and pinned her down on the bed.

Lindsay smiled for a second, watching her husband and daughter battle each other, trying to "out-tickle" the other.

She edged closer towards them, and pounced on Danny, holding him to the bed, while Amanda climbed onto his chest and tickled him.

"M&M, Montana – get off" he whined as he wiggled underneath them

"Got'cha" Lindsay smirked as she tickled Danny's sides

"Hey- whoa- Love handles off limits" Danny scolded as Lindsay chucked

"Amanda, here look," Lindsay smiled as she pinched Danny's love handles "Daddy likes it when we tickle him here"

"Daddy doesn't" Danny insisted as he squirmed "Girls, come on – get off me"

Amanda glanced at Lindsay who shrugged "What'cha think, baby girl, you think Daddy should make us-"

"PANCAKES! Amanda squealed in excitement,

Danny sighed as he rolled off the bed, and landed in a heap on the floor. "The things I do for you two. It's a good job you're my girls and I love you."

"You couldn't survive without us" Lindsay smiled as Amanda blew him a case.

Shaking his head Danny pulled on a NYPD shirt from his dresser, and headed downstairs.

Knowing full well, Lindsay was totally right.

He couldn't live with them, but most definitely didn't want to live without them.

--

**R&R? it's much appreicated. :D**


	109. Shopping with Daddy's money

**_A/N: So the muse really wouldn't let go of this future thing. Figured you all wouldn't mind, right?_**

"Amanda" Lindsay sighed as she called up the stairs, "I would love to see that pretty face of yours, TODAY!"

"It ain't my fault you told me to change, Mom, I'll be two minutes"

Lindsay sighed as she rested against the handrail "You said that ten minutes ago"

"I heard that" Amanda grinned as she started down the stairs. "Better?" she asked pointing down at her outfit.

"Perfect" Lindsay smiled "You know I love that skirt, but Daddy-"

"He would have a coronary"

"Exactly" Lindsay nodded as she picked her purse up

"What time are we meeting him?" Amanda asked, as she started heading down the stairs

"Four" Lindsay said "Late lunch"

"Ha, early dinner more like"

"Wiseass, you got the-"

"I got it"

"How did you know what I was talking about?"

Amanda dug her hands into her pocket and pulled out two pieces of paper.

"Exhibit A" she grinned as she unfolded it, and dangled it in front of Lindsay from the top of the stairs "The grocery list, exhibit B-" she smirked as she unfolded the other piece of paper "the price and reservation number for my jeans and C, a kiss for Mommy." She smiled as she slid down the banister, and kissed Lindsay on the cheek as she headed towards the front door.

Lindsay chuckled as she followed Amanda towards the front door "You aren't getting that three hundred pair of jeans baby girl, but I like your efforts, and they have been noted."

"I try" Amanda sighed as she closed the door behind them.

Lindsay laughed, "You kid, are just like your Dad."

"Don't say stuff like that, Mommy."

"You love him really." Lindsay smiled as she tossed Amanda the keys

"With all my heart" Amanda grinned, "Although you might be a little dead if he finds out you let me drive all the time"

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him"

"I love you, Mommy" Amanda grinned as she jumped into the driver's side. "You're made of awesome"

"I know you do," Lindsay smiled as she buckled in "And I know I am" she smiled as she turned to Amanda with a mischievous grin on her face

Amanda put the key in the ignition and smiled "I know that look, you got the card, didn't you?"

Lindsay shifted up in her seat, and revealed a MasterCard credit card from her skirt pocket.

"Danny Messer getting a kiss off his wife in the morning – one hundred dollars," Lindsay smiled as she fluttered a Benjamin in front of Amanda, who was giggling as she fiddled with the radio,

"You bribed him with a kiss, Mom, are you advocating this type of behaviour?"

Lindsay raised her eyebrows, then giggled and shrugged "Danny Messer being wrapped around his daughter's little finger – seventy-five dollars." Lindsay smiled as she handed Amanda her jeans money.

"Never mind, I'm all for the bribing"

"Danny Messer being completely oblivious to me raiding his jeans pocket, priceless."

"You're such a dork, Mom." Amanda laughed as she put the car into reverse.

"Hey, I'm the one that got us the money, I can't be that much of a dork."

"You're gonna be sleeping on the couch, Mommy" Amanda smirked as she pulled up at the stop sign at the end of their road.

"Honey, if it means I get to buy half of Macy's I'll get over it."

"Daddy's gonna kill you" Amanda laughed as she shook her head.

"So be it, I had a good run with his money" Lindsay laughed as she rolled down the window. "It hasn't been this hot since I joined the NYPD a million years ago."

"Why you whining, Mom?"

"Because your father's gonna push for that pool he wants."

"Which is a bad thing because?" Amanda laughed as she switched radio stations.

"Both hands on the wheel, M."

"Fine" she sighed "But don't you dare touch my radio," Amanda warned "Mommy dearest" she added after Lindsay glared at her.

"I know, your car, your radio. I set that rule remember."

"Yeah. Ooh Mommy, turn this up, I like this one."

"What is it?" Lindsay asked, brow wrinkled, "It sounds old"

"It is, from like 2007 or something, ages ago."

"It's not that long ago, M."

"Mommy, I was born in 2008 – I wasn't even around when this was out, to me, it's a long time ago."

"And yet, it seems like yesterday." Lindsay sighed as she listened to the song. "This sounds familiar"

"Probably." Amanda nodded "You were around back then, Mommy."

Lindsay rolled her eyes, and chuckled "Hang on" she said, a little more serious. "What's it called?"

"Change" she said simply.

"Change? By the Sugababes?"

"Mhmm" Amanda nodded "Why, you know it?"

Lindsay chuckled "Yeah, the first time me and your Dad broke up-"

"Whoa, just wait a minute, you and Daddy broke up – more than once?"

"Yes Amanda keep your eyes on the road. Contrary to what you probably think, not everything has been fun and games"

"And pool table sex" she smirked

"I'm not even gonna ask you where you heard that."

"Mommy, Uncle Flack and Aunt Stel talk, and not so quietly, I might add. They gave me-"

Lindsay raised her eyebrows at Amanda's sudden silence "What was that?"

"I need to concentrate on the road, I think" Amanda said, gripping the wheel.

"Yeah, maybe you need to" Lindsay scolded, while biting her lip to stop herself from laughing. "No, this was on the radio when he came to my apartment to apologise." Lindsay explained

"Did you give him hell?" Amanda grinned, getting excited at the story of her parents.

"When do I not?" Lindsay smiled "You need to be in that lane, M" she said, pointing to the left of them

"I'm working on it, you know traffic, it's a killer."

"No honey, that's just in midtown." Lindsay smirked "You spend too much time with Aunt Stel."

"And?" Amanda laughed "Your point."

"Just saying" Lindsay shrugged as she listened to the radio "Gosh, I remember this one."

"What? You do?"

"Yeah, Let's just say Uncle Don teased me to no end about it,"

"Mom! Did you kiss a girl?"

"Amanda, please. No." Lindsay laughed "Although, I am quite fond of cherry chap-stick"

"And you wonder why they tease you, country girl"

"It's not my fault." Lindsay sighed

"Poor Mommy" Amanda teased as she squeezed Lindsay's knee. "I'm sure you kicked their asses though"

"Amanda!" Lindsay scolded, "Mind your mouth"

"It's the Italian," she said quickly.

"I'm not your Dad, that one doesn't work with me."

"Do I get points for trying?"

"No." she said simply "Turn here, parking in the city is like trying to nail an unknown in AFIS and CODIS."

"Impossible?" Amanda asked

"Mhmm"

"Where to first?" Amanda asked as she pulled nicely into a parking space and jumped down from the SUV.

"Where ever you want kid, it's our shopping day."

"With no Daddy in sight." Amanda added.

"You and me baby girl" Lindsay smiled as she hooked her arm through Amanda's and made their way towards the hustle and bustle of Broadway.

--

--

"What do you think of this one?" Amanda asked, holding a shirt up over the rails.

"I think your Dad would have a fit, have you seen how low cut it is, M?"

"But Mom, Dad likes it when you wear-" Amanda laughed as she put the shirt back on the rail "Never mind, I heard it after I started saying it."

"Mhmm" Lindsay chuckled as she shifted through the rails in Junior Miss. "What about this one?" she asked as she held up an aqua color shirt in Amanda's direction.

"Put it in the basket" Amanda smiled "I can try it."

"That's my baby" Lindsay smiled as she threw it into the basket "I've trained you well."

"That you have." Amanda smiled "I'm hungry, is it near four yet?"

"No, but we can try these on, and by the time we're done, we can head over to the café."

"Good, I'm dying for a blueberry muffin"

Lindsay could only smile.

--

--

"Daddy" Amanda whistled as Danny pushed through the doors of the coffee shop, sweat dripping off him.

"Hey girls" Danny smiled as he nodded at the owners, "Please tell me you robbed a bank, and didn't use my money to buy all them bags."

"Yeah, we arrange bank heists after I finish school" Amanda laughed. "Don't worry Daddy, it's all on the-"

Lindsay kicked Amanda under the table to shut her up.

"Ow! Mom, what you do that for? Wait, never – shutting up now," she grinned sheepishly as she excused herself to the bathroom.

"At least tell me you didn't buy her them jeans" Danny sighed as he bent and met Lindsay who was stretching up out of her seat to kiss him.

"Ew, you're all sweaty," she laughed "And, no, I didn't. We had decided together that she wasn't getting them, things we decide on together, I don't change my mind on."

"Good" Danny smiled "Please don't tell me that's mine" he laughed as he glanced at the table. "Is it some kind of joke?"

"It's Amanda's, I figured you would want something more." Lindsay smiled as she broke a bit of Amanda's muffin and popped it in her mouth.

"I blame you for that, I can't believe she still eats them in all honesty. I tried so hard to push chocolate muffins onto the kid."

"Old habits die hard" Lindsay shrugged, "What do you want, I'll go get it for you."

"Can I not get my own food?" Danny asked moving away from the table.

"No, because I was going to sweeten you up before I informed you how much we've spent today" Lindsay said simply.

"Hit me," Danny smiled as he offered his hand to Lindsay to help her up "Come on, I can deal with it"

"Five hundred." Lindsay said, quietly.

"What did you do, buy the whole of Macy's, she's going to camp for the summer, Lindsay. She isn't moving away and needs clothes to last of her the rest of her life."

"You have no concept of money or fashion, Danny."

"No, clearly you don't either, with the money, I mean." Danny smirked as he pulled her into his side "It's a good job I love you a damn lot"

--

--

"Montana" Danny grumbled "Linds" he said as he nudged her "Lindsay!!"

"What?" Lindsay asked, as her eyes shot open "What?"

"Your phone" Danny said, as he turned over

"What about it,"

"It's buzzing, it's driving me crazy."

Lindsay blinked as she glanced over to the bedside table and saw it said 9AM, she flipped open her phone and looked at the caller ID.

"Hey Mac."

"Lindsay, might your husband be there next to you."

"Well, I'm in a spot of trouble if it ain't him" Lindsay smirked "What can he do you for, Mac."

"He could turn up for his shift." Mac said simply

"What time was he supposed to be in?"

"8AM."

"Oh" Lindsay laughed

"Tell him he's dead, and he needs to get his ass into work, ASAP."

"Quick question Mac, why'd ya ring me?"

"I knew you'd answer. I'll see you at 10, Lindsay."

Lindsay chuckled as she hung up and turned over to Danny who was laid with his eyes closed.

"I'm supposed to be in work, aren't I?"

"Oh yeah, little bit." Lindsay giggled. "Mac said, and I quote you're dead and you need to get your ass into work ASAP."

"I'm taking you home then, seen as I'll be staying a hour extra" Danny sighed as he turned over so he was facing Lindsay.

"Guess so" Lindsay shrugged. "You better hurry up, baby. Mac's hell bent on kicking your ass."

"No rest for the cities finest." Danny sighed as he moved over to his wardrobe. "You seem happy Linds, you have a good dream or something."

"Kinda" she said as she shifted up the bed "You know how you said to me the other day that you had a dream about M&M when she was older."

"Yeah I took her driving, why?"

"Well, I took her shopping."

"Sounds about right." Danny smiled as he pulled a shirt over his head, and moved into the en-suite.

"We still going for dinner tonight, Linds?" he called.

Lindsay took a deep breath, "I'm not sure Dan, can we talk about it later?"

"Why?" he asked as he poked his head around the door, dribbling as he brushed his teeth, "I thought you wanted to."

"Not tonight" she shrugged, "Later on in the week"

"Whatever" he smiled as he rinsed his mouth out. "I'll make the reservations"

"Dan, you don't need reservations to Frankie and Benny's."

"Alright, wiseass" Danny chuckled as he gelled his hair

Lindsay carried on taking deep breaths, trying to keep herself occupied from the overwhelming feeling in her stomach.

"I'll see you at 10 then?" Danny asked as he moved towards the bed

"Sure, yeah" She smiled as she leaned up to kiss him. "Bye"

"You okay?" Danny asked,

"Fine, just tired. Gonna go make some coffee I think" Lindsay smiled

"Okay, well I'll see you soon." Danny smiled "Just gonna go kiss Amanda, and I'm going. Want me to turn the coffee machine on for you?"

"Please" Lindsay smiled as he moved towards the door. She hesitated a minute, before calling out to him "I love you, baby"

"I love you too, Linds." He smiled

He shut the door, and quickly, Lindsay leapt up out of bed, and headed to the toilet.

There was no way she could put it off anymore, she _had_ to get a pregnancy test.

--

**_R&R?_**


	110. Newcomer

**_So, it was a toss up between replying to reviews, and updating. I went with updating. :) But thankyou all for your reviews :D They made my seriously sucky day :)_**

Lindsay's eyes narrowed as she stepped off the elevator and shook the snow off her coat and unwrapped her scarf from around her neck "Can I help you?"

"Oh, hey. You don't know where Mac Taylor's office is, do you?"

"No, sorry" she smirked, and the man stood opposite her frowned

"Oh, damn."

"Kidding" Lindsay smiled, realising that whoever this was, didn't understand her's, Danny's and Flack's humour "Can I ask why?"

"Interview" the man said simply. "I know you've just got here, but you wouldn't mind showing me, would you?"

Lindsay glanced down at her watch and realised she was 10 minutes early anyway, "Sure"

They walked in silence as the middle aged man walked beside Lindsay as she threw her soaking coat over her arm. She glanced up at him staring at her, and found it slightly humorous, but at the same time, hoped to God Danny didn't come sailing around the corner.

She turned down one hallway and indicated for the man to follow her.

"Where you from then?"

"Montana" she said simply.

"Cute" he replied, as he smiled at her. Lindsay chuckled, and felt like she needed to change the arm her coat was on, so he could see her wedding ring.

"Well, here we are." Lindsay smiled. "Looks like he's waiting for you."

"Yeah" he nodded as he narrowed her eyes at her "I'm sorry, you just look familiar"

Lindsay smiled politely and felt herself turn slightly red "I'm sorry – I don't know who you are. I didn't catch a name, either."

"Sorry, where are my manners? I'm a CSI from-"

"Nick! What you doing here? My wife treating you good?"

"Danny! Hi!"

"Nick?" Lindsay smiled as Danny kissed her on the cheek, "You know each other?"

"Yeah, Lindsay this is Nick, remember from the-"

"Lindsay? As in, your wife Lindsay?" Nick gasped

"Um yeah, that's what the marriage licence says at least" Danny smirked "Why?"

"No, I just – I didn't realise she was your wife"

"Were you hitting on her?" Danny asked pulling her into his side, defensively as he glared at Nick

"No, no. I just – I didn't know she was Lindsay. I mean, you're Lindsay" Nick said in realisation

"Yeah, so people tell me" Lindsay laughed as she glanced at Danny and narrowed her eyes in a very "um, what the hell is he talking about, and how the hell do you know him?" tone.

"I see you've met the terrible twosome" Mac smiled as he stood next to Nick "Glad to meet you Nick, finally."

"Sorry, I was here earlier, I just got-"

"Lost?" Mac suggested "Don't worry, Lindsay had the same problem on her interview-"

"Hold the phone, you got lost?" Danny smirked "Mac, tell me you're lying"

Lindsay turned to glare at Danny. "And what?"

"It's just you – country girl, little Montana, -"

"Would you like to reacquaint yourself with the couch tonight, Daniel?" Lindsay glared

"No ma'am" he shook his head

Nick glanced at Mac, to see how to react to the little "tiff" between the two. Seeing that Mac was smiling at them and their banter back and forth, Nick relaxed slightly.

"Well, if you excuse us," Mac smiled as he led Nick into his office "I'm pretty sure the city's crime rate hasn't fallen to zero, so you two have work to do,"

"Good luck, Nick" Lindsay smiled into the office before she turned to glare at Danny and head towards the locker room.

Danny glanced into the office, smiled at Nick, sighed then ran after Lindsay.

"Montana, come on – wait…"

"Sorry about that, you'll realise that they're harmless really" Mac smiled as he closed his office door and took a seat opposite Nick.

"Well, I know Danny from the case in Vegas, and Detective Flack – they're a riot. Real nice guys, one of the reasons why I didn't hesitate when you called me."

"I spoke to a Gil Grissom, well, it was Gil and then another supervisor,"

Nick sighed, "There's been a lot of changes in Vegas. I feel I would be better off if I too moved on"

Mac nodded, realising that Nick probably didn't want to go too much further into it.

"I know you will have seen in my files about the time I was buried underground" Nick started "I just want to assure you that I have been through counselling, and although, I'm probably not really over it, entirely, I'm passed it, and I can assure you that it does not in any way affect my work, and I-"

"Breathe" Mac smiled "I know, I've seen the case file about the crime. I've seen the therapist documentation. I wouldn't have called you for a interview Nick if I wasn't serious on hiring you."

Nick relaxed a little "Oh."

"Yeah, oh" Mac smiled "And, I'm sure you will learn how we all in the New York crime lab have suffered our own fair share of ordeals. You're not on your own."

"Good to know, I think" Nick smiled

"Hair and fiber analysis?" Mac commented

"Yeah, usually I-"

"Nick, it wasn't really a question. I know what hair and fiber analysis is."

"Oh." Nick sighed, "I'm screwing this interview up, aren't I?"

"Actually, no." he said simply

"Are you sure I can't just start again? Make a better-"

"Alright then, let's start again." Mac said, solemnly as he stood up and nodded towards the direction of the door.

Nick looked at him, and slowly stood up and walked towards the door and closed it again, feeling incredibly stupid.

Mac sat down, and looked a case file he had on his desk, leaving Nick to glance around the bustling lab for a minute, finding the whole situation humorous, slightly. He took a deep breath and knocked on the glass door.

Mac glanced up and set the case file down as he moved towards the door "Can I help you?"

"Mac Taylor? Nick Stokes."

"Come in" Mac said, as he closed the door behind Nick and smirked at Stella who was sat in trace.

--

--

"I'm sorry, Montana, the Brooklyn bridge so is the biggest iconic feature in New York" Danny laughed as he labelled some DNA in his messy handwriting.

"The Brooklyn Bridge, Yeah, for us maybe, you pulling that Sam McFarland stunt on me, but Danny, the Brooklyn Bridge? What about the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and Rockefeller centre, Times Square, Grand Central Station, Ground Zero?"

"And, what?" he grinned as he focused his microscope.

"And, out of all them you think that the Brooklyn Bridge wins? You're crazy," she laughed as she glanced under the microscope he had been focusing

"Does that look like tree sap to you, Mrs Messer?"

"Indeed it does, Mr Messer. I think we have a match."

Danny grinned as he helped her take her lab coat off, and kissed her neck lightly.

"Danny!" She scolded, "Remember where you are."

"In a room with my wife, with no- one else." Danny smirked as he moved her hair out of the way so he had better access.

"Danny" Lindsay scolded

"Linds, just give us five minutes"

"We're on the clock, Dan" Lindsay grumbled as she leaned into him kissing her shoulder.

"Well, why you still stood here then?"

"Well, I'm only gonna tell you no" she shrugged

"Reconstructing are we, kids?"

"Flack" Lindsay gasped

"What you want, wiseass?" Danny sighed as he let go of Lindsay

"Come on, Mr and Mrs Crimestopper, we've got somewhere we have to be."

"We do?" they asked, together

"Yeah, lunch. Stella's driving" He smirked as Lindsay flung her lab coat over the hook with Danny's.

"I thought that meant we didn't eat?" Danny asked as he took Lindsay's hand.

"Wiseass"

--

--

Danny smiled and waved at Lindsay across the coffee shop where he and Flack were playing pool

"He finds a pool table everywhere that husband of yours, doesn't he?"

"He has a radar, I think" Lindsay smiled

"S'up?" Stella asked as she took a sip of her coffee.

"Nothing, why?"

"You're quiet. And lying." Stella observed.

"I'm not, I'm just thinking,"

"And you claimed nothing was wrong? Spill." Stella said as she moved seats and sat next to Lindsay

"I can't." Lindsay sighed

"Why?! God, this doesn't have to do with this Nick guy, does it?"

Lindsay looked at Stella then whacked her arm "Are you crazy? Please don't suggest to me that you're thinking that I would seriously consider that guy, when I have him" Lindsay glanced over to Danny's direction "waiting for me at home"

"Just testing," Stella shrugged "Come on, what gives?"

"I bought a pregnancy test today" Lindsay said, quietly "I don't know how to tell him"

"Um, I don't know off the top of my head, how about, 'hey, Dan. I bought a pregnancy test would you wait outside the bathroom and hold my hand while we wait for the result.' Or you know something to that affect perhaps,"

"Easy for you to say, you sarcastic ass. You need to stop hanging around Flack."

"Says you, wiseass."

"Alright, alright. I know, I'm freaking for no reason, right?"

"Yeah" Stella said simply

"You don't have to be so quick with that, you know."

"Sorry, habit." She shrugged "Go home, you're done for the day anyway. Your case is at a dead end, seen as Adam called you and told you it wasn't tree sap."

"I know but"–

"But what, you're a wimp?"

"I'm not a wimp, Stella."

"You are, go home and take the pregnancy test."

"Five." Lindsay corrected

"Alright, go home and take five pregnancy tests," Stella smiled as she stood up and wiggled Lindsay's seat, to make her get up.

"I'll take a hint" Lindsay sighed as she grabbed her's and Danny's coat,

"Oh, you going?" Stell laughed as she ducked Lindsay's flying slap to her arm.

"Yeah, guess so, seen as you all but threw me off my chair"

"Drama queen" Stella laughed, "Danny, you're going" she called over to Danny and Flack then turned to smile sweetly at Lindsay

"You're dead" Lindsay said, shaking her head.

"Yeah, whatever. Call me."

"Will do." Lindsay smiled as Danny walked over and kissed her on the cheek

"Where's the fire?"

"Lindsay's got plans" Stella said simply "Bye" she threw in their direction as she high-tailed it over to Flack, who was stood at the pool table still.

Danny glanced at Stella, and then turned back to Lindsay "Do I want to know?" he asked simply.

"No."

--

--

Danny's eyes widened as he opened the front door and Lindsay pushed past him and headed straight upstairs.

Shrugging his coat off, he glanced around the house, and pondered for a second. He kicked his shoes off and threw the keys on the side table.

Then, it hit him

He ran up the stairs two at a time, and banged on the bathroom door. "Lindsay, open the door."

He stood for a second, waiting for a response. "Linds?"

"Lindsay if you don't open this door, I'm gonna-"

"Its open, you moron."

Danny closed his eyes for a second and let out a chuckle as he opened the door. "Sorry" he grinned, sheepishly.

"I'm scared," she said simply.

"Of what?" He asked as he moved to sit next to her against the bathtub on the floor.

"Everything, anything. What if I am, what if I'm not."

"You know that's contradictory, right?"

"Yes," She sighed as she slugged him on the arm "I don't know what to expect."

"Let's hope for positive then." Danny smiled as he took her hand and squeezed it. "You want me to go out?"

"No, just, you know. Close your eyes."

Danny shook his head as she stood up "You're something else."

"What?" She asked as she opened one of the tests and set it on the bathroom counter,

"You, you'll let me see you naked, make love to you, be the mother to my child but you wont let me see you pee on a stick"

"Close your eyes" She said simply, "You're lucky I didn't kick you out."

"Whatever" he smiled as he closed his eyes. "You done"

"Give me a second, I can't pee under pressure, Dan"

"Oh my god," He laughed, "Are you for real?"

"Shut up" She spat. "Fine, open them"

Danny smirked as she washed her hands. "How long do they take?"

"Couple of minutes" she shrugged as she threw him the box

"Three, to be precise"

"Wiseass" she smiled as she sat next to him

"So?"

"So what?"

"What do you think, Linds?"

"Would I have brought a pregnancy test if I would have thought, no?"

"Well, no. But still."

Danny could hear her taking deep breaths next to him. "Everything okay, you seem as if you're freaking out a little there, Montana"

"I am! What if I am?"

"You're acting as if we didn't plan this."

"Well, it's a little bit of a shock to me, that's all."

"A shock, Lindsay, would you like me to explain the process of reproduction, usually when two people have sex-"

"You want me to kick your ass, Daniel?"

"Not really," he smirked as he wrapped his arm around her and kissed her cheek "Whatever the outcome, I love you, and we're in this together, as a family."

Lindsay nodded against his shoulder, and her hand took his. "How long's it been?"

"Two minutes, 55 seconds."

"You look" Lindsay gasped as she turned into Danny's chest, and gripped his shirt "I can't do it"

"You can" Danny whispered into her hair as he kissed her "We can do it, together," he smiled as he picked them both up and moved towards the five pregnancy tests.

"Trust you to line them up in a row," Danny smirked

"Shut up," she said into his chest " I can't look, Danny."

"Come on, we'll both look, on three, alright."

"One…"

"Two…"

"Three…"

The both looked and took a deep breath. Danny turned to Lindsay who had tears rolling down her face

"Baby, I'm sorry," he said, as he pulled her into a hug, "I'm so sorry, baby"

He pulled her close to him, and rocked her while she sobbed against his chest "It was only the first attempt, Linds, it's fine. We can try again. It's not the end of the world, honey."

"But Danny, I really hoped I was."

"I know, baby. I know. I did too."

"It's not fair," she sobbed as she beat into his chest "It isn't fair"

"I know sweetie, I know" Danny soothed as he hugged her "I wanted this baby as much as you did, honey."

"What baby? I was never pregnant," she sobbed.

"Linds, it's alright. I'm not magic, alright. It'll take us a few times. Maybe you weren't fully off your pill. Maybe you still had that in your system" Danny said, reassuringly. "We can try again."

"I don't get it though. I've been feeling sick, haven't come on in like two weeks."

"Your body can sometimes do crazy stuff if your mind convinces itself of something. You were thinking you were pregnant, so you started seeing the signs and symptoms. It's alright baby, we can try again, like as in now."

"We need to go and get Amanda though." Lindsay glanced down, and let a tear fall from her face "I just – I – I'm – I"

"Don't you want to, because I understand" he said, softly as he wiped her tears from her face. "I could just cuddle you for a while, let you cry on me."

"It's not that" she said quietly, "It's just that-"

"You don't know whether we should"

She nodded and rested her head on his shoulder "I want to, but I don't think I could take the heartbreak again."

"If we don't try Linds, we won't get pregnant."

"True"

"I'll call Beth. She won't mind keeping a eye on Amanda for two hours."

"Are you sure?" Lindsay asked, as he wiped her tears away

"Am I sure I want to have sex? Need you actually ask?"

Lindsay rolled her eyes and flicked him on the arm

"You go and get yourself all sorted and I'll be up in like five minutes. I'll run round to Beth's and have a word."

"Danny! You cannot tell her we're-"

"I'm gonna tell her that you took a test and you're upset. Wasn't the outcome we wanted, and you want to be with just me right now, you don't want Amanda to see you upset. She doesn't need to know, Linds."

"Thank you, Dan." Lindsay smiled

"Go on, get-" Danny smirked as he turned her around and swatted her ass. "Go make yourself irresistible."

"Whoa, I'm not irresistible right now?" She questioned, hands on her hips.

"Just, go." Danny smiled as she headed for the bedroom and he headed down the stairs.

--

--

**_Don't throw burning torches and pitchforkes at me just yet. 111 is a contination chapter, and well, just wait and see ;). You all might like it. _**

**_R&R? It's much appreciated, as always. :)_**


	111. Round one M RATED!

**_A/N: Right, This chapter is rated M and a continuation from last chapter..- yeah okay, it only took 111 chapters, but we got there... There's a few swearies too... So imagine flashing sirens and warning signs as your warning. And enjoy? :)_**

She settled into him again as he kissed her neck lightly. "Dan, I'm ticklish there," she giggled as she tried to squirm away from him.

"Come here, you little rascal" Danny teased as he pulled her across the bed, back towards him and he wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay you know, that it didn't happen the first time."

"I know, but I mean, it's just I feel-"

"Like what? We get to have sex for a reason."

Lindsay laughed as she whacked him on the arm, "You're so juvenile sometimes. No, I just feel like I let you down"

"Let me down? Linds, what you talking about?"

"Well, I didn't get pregnant."

"And when did this turn into a one man show? You know something I don't?"

"Well" she stuttered, "I just meant that-"

"That you're a worrier, and you just want us to have a baby?"

"Yeah" she nodded as he kissed her neck "That was what I meant"

"Thought so." Danny smirked "These new?" He asked, glancing down at the aqua blue bra and panties she was wearing.

"Well, I kinda bought them a few weeks ago, so I guess so" she shrugged as she placed a kiss to Danny's chest.

"Spending my money again?" he chuckled as he kissed her temple. "Typical"

"Do you want me to have nice underwear?"

"I'd like them on the floor"

"Wiseass." She smirked as she kissed his lips lightly. "I'm sorry about earlier."

"Lindsay, time and place" Danny said simply as he flipped them over. "I got bigger things on my mind"

She shook her head and kissed his the tip of his nose, then his jaw line, then his neck, and then moved to his shoulder.

"Knock it off, you're giving me goosebumps" Danny moaned

"Give up whining" she retorted as she attempted to flip them over again. "I'm crap at that, I don't know how you do it," She sighed

"Do what?" He smirked as he turned so that she was on top

"That" Lindsay said simply as she kissed down his chest.

"Linds" Danny warned as she placed a kiss dangerously close to his boxer shorts line. "If I were you, I wouldn't"

"Why's that?" She smirked as she kissed back up his chest

"Because I might just do this," he laughed as he grabbed her hips and flipped them over. "That's why"

"You're such a wiseass. You can't even be serious here."

"Why, what's the point in being serious? If it's playful and loving, what does it matter? Why change who we are in the bedroom?"

"You know, sometimes you're actually smart"

"No shit?" Danny laughed, "Crap Linds, you should be a CSI or something with them observational skills."

"Fuck you, Danny." She smirked

"Wash your mouth out, Monroe."

"Messer" she corrected, "It's Lindsay Messer."

"Noted" Danny smiled as he slowly pulled on of her bra straps down her arm "And for the record, I hope you do."

"You hope I do, what?" she asked, then smiled "Wait, I got it, never mind"

"Seriously Linds, CSI – look into it."

"Ha-ha. You're a riot."

"I try" Danny smiled as he leaned into kiss her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him closer to her, as he fell softly onto her slender frame, and tried to support his weight on his arms, by the side of her.

"I won't break, you know."

"I didn't say you would."

"You can lean on me, you look so uncomfortable."

"I'm good" Danny smiled as he kissed her nose "Stop worrying, just let yourself go once in a while"

"I'm a mommy. I don't stop worrying, Dan."

Danny smiled and kissed her cheek "Then let me help you."

He crashed down on her lips, a little more feverishly than all of their previous kisses. He knelt up, and pulled her up with him, not breaking their contact, as he attempted to unhook the clasp of her bra. She turned them slightly, and pushed him down, so that he was on his back, and she laid down on his strong chest as she beat his hands away, and unhooked her bra herself, all the while not breaking their kiss.

Danny pulled back, and grinned at her, and opened his mouth to say something, but Lindsay was too quick for him, after she chucked her bra onto the floor, she grabbed the back of his head, and pulled him to her lips, and deepened the kiss.

Danny reached towards Lindsay, and grabbed her small, slender hips, as he tried to turn them, so that he was on top again, but she dug her knees into the bed, and into his side, preventing him from doing so.

The fight for dominance, as it was.

He tried again, but she dug her knees further into the bed, making it harder for him. He moved slightly to kiss her jaw line, and once she had lost the determination she had before he tickled her, grabbed her hips and flipped them over.

"Got'cha"

"You're a dork," she said simply; as she reached up and pulled him back down to kiss her

"Yeah, but you love me"

"I'd love for you to shut up and make love to me" Lindsay retorted through her kisses

"You're such a girl" Danny smiled as he slowly pushed her panties down her smooth thighs.

"You sure about this?" he asked, staring into her eyes

"Does my break down in the bathroom suggest I've changed my mind?"

"No, but I just wanted to check." He shrugged as he flung her panties to the floor. "Lindsay" he whispered, "You're absolutely beautiful"

She smiled as she kissed him lightly on the jaw before hooking her fingers inside the waist band of his boxers and pushed them down his legs and flung them to the other side of the room

"Now, because you did that, I'm gonna need them in a rush" Danny grumbled as his eyes connected where they landed by her dresser

"Oh well" she shrugged "I guess I forgot to care"

Danny shook his head as he kissed her one last time, and settled between her legs. He glanced down at her, and saw the love she had for him in her eyes. He glanced towards her hands that were laid on the bed, by the side of her, and he took them and laced their fingers together, and placed their hands just above her head.

She craned her neck up to kiss him, and he returned the kiss as he slowly slid into her, giving her a few seconds to adjust to him.

"I love you," he whispered into her neck as he started getting more of a rhythm.

She kissed his shoulder and slowly raked her teeth across his skin, as he quickened his pace. She kept trying to move her hands, so that she could grip onto his strong arms, but he wouldn't relinquish his grip he had on her.

She shifted underneath him, as he switched from his slow, and then quick rhythm.

"Danny" she moaned as he kissed her shoulder lightly,

He moved their arms from above her head, where they had been locked and laced together, and he let go of one of her hands, and traced his index finger across her face and poked her nose, making her giggle.

"Dan" she whined "Come on"

"Sorry" he smirked as he took her hand again, but again, she was too quick, and her hands, instantly connected with his strong arms, gripping them tightly with her small hands.

"Danny" she moaned into his mouth as he traced his hands up and down her sides, causing goosebumps to attack her skin.

He chuckled lightly, and traced his finger across her flat stomach, and circled the area around her abdomen, and leant down to kiss her, and let one hand find it's way to her hair.

"I love you, Dan" she sighed into his mouth, as he broke away from the kiss, his lips still hovering over her's.

He glanced at her, her eyes spurring him on. He quickened his pace, and she gasped underneath him. Gripping onto his arms, her eyes widened, and her breath hitched in her throat

"Lindsay" Danny gasped, his emotions taking over him a little.

He picked her up slightly, in his arms, and she rocked against him, quickening the pace Danny had already set. He laid her back down, and kissed her collar bone, lightly, as sweat was starting to make their skin glisten in the sunset that was taking place outside of their bedroom window.

"I'm not gonna last much longer" she gasped as he kissed her forehead, then her lips

This was all the encouragement he needed to pick up his pace even more, and help her along.

He shifted forward slightly, so that their foreheads were resting against the others, as he retook her hands, and placed them in their previous position of being laced together and above her head.

He gazed down at her, as she fought with herself from falling over the edge too early. Smirking, Danny quickened his pace, then slowed down dramatically, and withdrew completely from her, before sliding in again, quickly.

"Danny" She writhed underneath him "Dan"

"Go on, Linds" he encouraged as he kissed her lightly, as he gazed into her eyes.

She shook her head and kissed him "Not yet"

"Believe me, you're gonna have more than one go at this, Montana" Danny whispered against her lips. "Just let yourself go."

That was all the encouragement she needed. She gripped onto his hands that were positioned above her head, tightly, and bit his bottom lip, with their foreheads resting against the others, as he felt her lose control, underneath him.

He slowed the pace down as she regained her composure, and he stared into her eyes.

"All right?"

"I think so" she smiled, voice failing her a little.

Danny nodded and slowly withdrew out of her,

"What you doing?"

"This" Danny smirked as he pushed into her, causing her to gasp.

"Asshole" she smirked as she traced his muscles on his arm.

"Sue me" he smirked as he nestled into the crook of her neck, and he carried on pumping in and out of her.

"Danny," she sighed against his shoulder "Dan"

"Busy" he mumbled as he kissed her neck

"I love, you." She smiled as he kissed her cheek.

"I love you, too." He smiled as he kissed her nose, and looked into her eyes.

She smiled, and decided that she had had enough of him setting the pace. She grabbed his strong hips, took a deep breath, and flipped them over, leaving Danny almost speechless

"What the fuck was that,"

"My impression of you." She said simply as she mimicked his previous actions and laced their fingers together and held them over his head

"What are you doing?"

"It's my turn to make love to you" she smiled, seductively.

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?" he asked as he closed his eyes

"I think you've mentioned it," she smiled as she kissed his jaw, as she positioned herself. "Why?" she asked, as she slid down

"No-" Danny gasped "No reason, I don't think, I dunno, I'm not having many thoughts right now."

Lindsay chuckled as she set her own pace, a little quicker then Danny's.

"You're gonna kill me," he said simply as she leaned down, on his strong chest,

"How'd you mean."

"You, there" he gasped, trying to move their hands to point at her "Taking charge. You're gonna kill me."

"Why?"

"Cause I think it's the hottest thing I've ever seen" he commented. As he shifted his hips towards her.

Lindsay shook her head, as she let her head fall into his neck and place kisses along his pulse points

"Lindsay" he moaned, "Linds"

"Busy" she smirked, copying his earlier line.

"You're a wiseass," he said, through gritted teeth, as she rocked against him.

"You just got that one?" She asked, her hair spilling all over his face

"No" as he tried to get her to loosen her grip on him. "Just- just, knock it off"

They carried on for a few minutes letting Lindsay set the pace until Danny had enough; he grabbed her hips, pulled her close to him, and rolled over, without breaking the contact.

"Ruin all my fun, why don't you" she sighed dramatically.

Danny just shook his head as he kissed her lightly, "It's a good job I love you, a lot." Danny smirked as the breath hitched in his throat.

He got his usual rhythm back, and stared at her as if to say 'move again, and I will kill you'

He rested his head against her shoulder, hovering by the edge. He continued his steady pace, until he felt Lindsay buck towards him

He felt a bubbling sensation in his stomach, and kissed her neck spurring her to carry on.

She deviated from quick and slow movements, in sync to his movements, finding their own rhythm together.

He moved to kiss the area that connected her neck and shoulder, and bit lightly as he felt himself quickly lose his control. She slowly rocked against him, for the last few seconds, before they both let out an appreciative sigh.

He laid on top of her for a second, as they both caught their breath, and he moved to kiss her forehead lightly, as he pulled out of her, and settled next to her, wrapping his arms around her, and pulling her tight to him.

"I love you, Lindsay"

She kissed his chest and settled her head against his arm. "I love you, too."

"That was kinda, wow."

"Kinda wow," she laughed "do you hear yourself sometimes?"

"Be nice, Linds" he laughed as he played with her damp hair.

"Alright, sorry. No wiseass-ness. Got it." She smiled as she draped her arm across his chest.

He placed a kiss to her temple, and wrapped his arms tighter around her.

"I thought you didn't cuddle."

"I don't."

"What's this, then?"

"Snuggling." Danny laughed, "Do you think it worked? You know, you think we-"

"No" Lindsay smirked as she cut him off "I think we need to try over and over again, in order to ensure that we have a good chance of-"

"And Amanda is still at Beth's, so we have-" he reminded her

"Yeah, I'm aware of that – and I was just about to go, get up, get dressed, and pick her up-"

"What about our baby making session, Linds?"

"Remember, said daughter? She might like to come home, Dan."

"Damn kids, I meant we could try for round two."

She scrunched her nose up in consideration, until she threw her legs over the side of the bed, only for him to pull her back down and cuddle her.

"No" he said simply

"Sorry, gotta go."

"Mine" Danny teased as he kissed her neck

"Alright, caveman." Lindsay smirked as she pried his fingers off her, "I will be back, aren't you hungry, anyway – you haven't eaten in like, all of 4 hours. You must be wasting away." She laughed as she prodded him in the love handles

"How did that start anyway, I mean I don't even have love handles. S'all muscle" he grinned as he prodded himself in the stomach area.

"Because it annoys you, and I like how you get all defensive," she giggled as she redressed herself in his NYPD sweats.

"Attractive" he smirked as she pulled her hair up into a loose ponytail.

"I have a million profanities for you right now. But I'm gonna go with a nice 'get stuffed'." She smirked as she pulled her slippers on

"Linds, do you need me to dress you? I'm sorry you aren't going out in that."

"In what?" She laughed

"That" he pointed "sweats and slippers. I don't know." He laughed shaking his head

"What do you suggest I wear then?"

"Put on them stupid boots you had to have that cost me like a million dollars, that sound like they're from the Stone Age..."

"My ugg boots?"

"Yeah, god they couldn't have thought of a more ugly name for a pair of boots. How did you know about them, anyway?"

"Saw them in a magazine. British one I think, but they're made in Australia. Thought they looked kinda cute. And warm."

"Well, so long as the piggies are warm, that's all that matters" Danny laughed "Go retrieve our daughter from the grasps of the nanny."

Lindsay rolled her eyes and kicked her slippers off "Anything else?"

"Yeah, put her to bed" he smirked as he stretched out in the bed. "And bring me something to eat"

"Wait 'till I'm pregnant. You're gonna wish you were never born with all my demands."

"Bring it" Danny teased as she shut the door behind her, silently hoping that all those demands she threatened would start soon.

--

--

**_Go on, what did you think?_** **_Reviews are greatly appreiciated :)_**


	112. Steamy shower scenes M RATED!

**_A/N: Thanks to all of those who have really encouraged/helped me with this chapter - you guys know who you are. It means alot :) _**

**_Like last chapter, this chapter has elements of "M rated" material - probably more so than last chapter, so proceed with caution ;). Feedback is welcomed and loved. So feel free - only takes a minute guys :D _**

**_Enjoy :)_**

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**_--_**

"You took your time"

"Amanda needed a bath" Lindsay shrugged as she glanced around the room "Although it seems like you made use out of yourself."

"That I did" Danny grinned

"You tidied up? You have a fever, do I need to get the Tylenol?"

"Funny." Danny smirked as he craned his neck up to see what was on the tray. "What are you feeding me with?"

Lindsay could barely contain a giggle as she balanced the tray with one hand and picked something up.

"Close your eyes"

Danny raised an eyebrow and shook his head, "Linds, I don't know-"

"Come on, don't you trust me?" she smiled sweetly.

"With my life, but well-"

"No buts come on baby, humour me."

Sighing Danny lay back on the bed and closed his eyes, "I'm trusting you"

"I know," she giggled as he felt her kneel on the bed and move towards him

"Open" she chuckled.

He hesitated for a minute, until she opened his mouth for him. "Linds I –" he was cut off from whatever she had shoved in his mouth.

"Just chew it." She said simply.

Complying, Danny slowly chewed whatever it was in his mouth. "Not bad" he mumbled as he swallowed

"Guess what it was" she chuckled

"I honestly have no idea"

"Blueberry muffin"

His eyes shot open, and looked at the half bitten muffin sat in her tiny hand. "I could kill you, Lindsay."

"But you wouldn't dare. You like me too much"

"You know I hate them" Danny huffed

"Seemed to me like you weren't minding it, actually."

"You fooled me."

"I didn't, I asked you if you trusted me,"

"You made me eat it under false pretences" Danny huffed "Unfair advantage"

"You're crazy" Lindsay laughed, "it's a muffin. We are arguing over a _muffin_"

"A muffin that you know I don't like"

Lindsay shook her head as she jumped on the bed and giggled

"What's with you? You're extra happy, Linds."

"I just got some," she laughed "What's with you, you're extra grumpy."

"Dunno. Tired. Hungry." He sighed.

"I brought you a muffin" she smiled

"I'd rather eat you," Danny chuckled as he closed his eyes as he laid back down on the bed, "And not the way in which you're thinking. Out of the gutter Montana" he warned as she curled up next to him.

"Since being married to you, I've taken up permanent residency in the gutter, Mr Messer."

"Go take a cold shower, Montana. I'm tired."

"Fine" she huffed, with a smirk across her face "I'll go get in the cold shower, all by myself."

"Yeah? Okay," He sighed into his pillow as he gripped it tightly, "Have fun"

"I will" she retorted as the bathroom door shut.

He rolled his eyes and slowly drifted back to sleep when he heard the shower spray hit the inside of the small shower cubicle they had in their en-suite.

Danny swallowed audibly as he turned over and pulled the pillow over his head.

_Must not think of Lindsay in shower. _

He lay on their bed for a few seconds, before whipping the covers off in attempts to cool himself off.

_You're fine_. He told himself. _She isn't even in the shower._

Until he heard the shower door open and shut again.

_**Now**__ she was in the shower_.

He turned over so he was on his back and tapped his foot against the wooden bed frame, in attempts of preoccupying himself. He glanced up at the ceiling, and decided to attempt to count the ceiling tiles. Failing miserably, he took a deep breath.

"That woman is going to be the death of me," he muttered to himself as he flung his legs over the side of the bed and headed for the bathroom.

"Thought you were tired" he heard Lindsay call as his hand touched the doorknob.

Rolling his eyes, Danny pushed through the door "How did you know-"

"How did I know you wouldn't last? The same way that if the tables would have been turned, and that had been me I wouldn't have lasted either."

Danny nodded and pulled off his wifebeater and quickly discarded his sweatpants and opened the door to the shower

"Danny, there's not enough room in here for the both of us" she giggled as she turned against the wall to make way for him

"I'll breathe in," he said simply as he pulled her towards him hungrily.

"Amanda's asleep." Lindsay reminded him as he kissed her neck as he stood behind her.

"She's a deep sleeper, like her Mommy." Danny chuckled as he kissed her shoulder blade

"I was trying to take a shower" Lindsay sighed

"I'll help"

Lindsay laughed and rolled her eyes, "Yeah. Right, with what exactly?"

"Dunno" he shrugged as he turned her around so she was facing him "Could soap you up maybe"

"The shower isn't big enough for the both of us, Cowboy."

"Just because I kicked you out of the gutter, doesn't mean-" Lindsay pinning him up against the wall, and hungrily kissing him, had cut him off.

"I thought you said-"

"Shut up" she scolded in between kisses.

That was all the encouragement he needed to pick her up, and turn her around, pinning her in the position she had previously pinned him in, except for now, he was holding her in his arms, with her legs wrapped around him.

"It's not the most conventional place to try and make a baby, Linds, you know that right."

"Unconventional, not impossible."

"True" Danny nodded, "But, even so-"

"Danny, do me a favour" Lindsay said as she shifted in her position slightly

"Anything, baby."

"Shut up."

Danny grinned sheepishly "Yes, Ma'am".

Her small hands traced his strong arms that were holding her up, and he teased her breathing hot and cold air onto her neck.

"Danny, I need you n-"

Danny had slid into her, mid sentence, catching her off guard. Lindsay wrapped her legs tighter around him encouraging him and spurring him on.

Nibbling slightly on his neck, Lindsay bucked against him urgently. "I said, now" she whispered in his ear as the warm shower spray beat down on his back.

Danny locked eyes with her as he quickly pumped into her, teasing her with the glint in his eyes. He knew that before in the bedroom they had been messing around, this time though, was more – there was more urgency. They didn't just want each other; they needed the other.

"You should have just said" he purred as he withdrew completely from her, and then filled her again, "How's this?" he asked as he slowly slid into her.

"Faster" she mumbled against his chest.

"I can't hear you," he mused, "What did you say?"

"You're a wiseass, I said faster, and you know I did. Stop screwing around and screw me."

He kissed her feverishly as he held her close to him and turned them, so Lindsay now had her back against the wall of the shower that was underneath the shower head, so the hot spray was beating down on both of them.

Her hands moved from gripping his arms, and slowly, she raked her fingers through his spiky wet hair, and pulled him back into a kiss as he supported her slender body with his strong arms.

She broke away from the intense kiss, and began kissing his neck, leaving a trail from his neck to his shoulder while she scraped her nails down his back.

"That's tickling." He scolded as he pinned her tighter against the wall, as he pumped into her, quicker than what he had been doing previously, making her breath hitch in her throat. "You like that?"

Lindsay let out an appreciative moan against his neck in response as she tightened her legs around his body, "Don't stop"

"No intentions of, baby."

Lindsay nibbled his neck as she felt herself run seriously close to the edge.

Danny nudged her head out of the way, with his own head so that he could have better access to her neck as he quickened his pace. He kissed the area around where he shoulder and neck met, and sucked lightly.

"Leave a mark, and I'll kill you" she breathed as he withdrew from her and then pushed back in, leaving her breathless.

He had all the intentions of retorting with a wiseass remark, but he could feel her begin to contract around him, her head instantly went to the nape of his neck as she bit his shoulder in order to stop her from crying out.

Danny moved his neck away quickly and met her in a kiss, as the warm shower spray beat down on them, which in effect intensified the kiss.

As her orgasm hit her, she bit down on his lip to stop her from crying out, but when he jerked his head back from the pain from her biting his lip, she had nothing to muffle her. She moaned his name as he stalled for a second, and then slid out of her, and then pumped into her quickly.

He backed up, and then turned so that they were pinned up against the wall they had been previously as her chest heaved as she was coming down from her high. "Don't stop, Dan," she whispered in his ear,

His lips found her neck, and he sucked a little more anxiously at her skin, as he could feel the usual bubbling in his stomach.

"I'm gonna come," he said into her neck

She kissed his temple and bucked against him as she arched her back, so that he was buried deep inside of her.

His breathing was beginning to increase more so that what it had previously been, and she nibbled his neck – spurring him on

"I love you, Danny." She gushed as she wrapped herself around him, which in effect pushed him over the edge.

She milked him until he was spent, and he let out a breath as he kissed her shoulder lightly.

"My arms are killing me," he said finally after a few minutes of silence.

"Shut up," she laughed as she smacked him on the arm, as he set her down "I didn't say you had to pin me against the wall."

"You telling me you didn't like it?"

"Did them words pass my lips?"

"You insinuated it,"

"Why don't we try round three, and I'll show you how much I didn't like it."

Danny grinned and bit his lip "You're seriously hot, Lindsay Messer."

She winked at him, and kissed down his chest, slowly, then made her way back up, and kissed his jaw line. "What you waiting on,"

"Nothing" he chuckled as he picked her back up, and stumbled back, knocking the stand with their shampoo and body wash all over the small shower floor.

"You're picking that up," she said simply before she pulled him into an urgent kiss.

She pushed them off the wall, so that Danny stumbled and was pinned underneath the showerhead all the while, keeping her tight in his arms.

"I thought for sure I was gonna be on the floor then" she smirked

"I was tempted to let go, but it might hurt baby boy Messer, that you will have growing inside of you now."

Lindsay rolled her eyes, "You're cute" she laughed as he pulled her into a kiss.

He stood, with her in his arms, for minutes, fighting for dominance in the kiss, exploring the others mouth. Lindsay finally pulled back, to catch her breath as he positioned himself between her legs, and pushed into her.

This time, it was more of an even distribution of who was 'doing the work' - they quickly found their own pace, which allowed both him and Lindsay to buck against the other.

"Danny, stop" Lindsay suddenly moaned into his neck.

Danny chuckled softly, as he nibbled on her neck and held her tighter against the wall of the shower.

"No seriously, stop."

He pulled away "What, why?"

"My phone has been going off for like 2 minutes, non stop, I think I'm needed at a scene."

"What? No, come on Linds."

"I'm on call, I'm sorry baby." Lindsay shrugged as wiggled out of his grip. She kissed him on the cheek, opened the shower door, and stepped onto the bathmat, and closed it again.

"Linds" he whined to the steamed up glass door "come on, you're leaving me hanging."

"I know," she said as a idea hit her as she opened the shower door with the towel wrapped her small slender frame "Me and you can have sex for the third time tonight, and you can call Mac to let him know I'm gonna be late because you have no self control and find me irresistible."

"Pass me the phone." Danny smirked "What speed dial is Mac on?"

"Funny" Lindsay glared at him as he shut the water off, and started to pick her strawberry shampoo bottle up off the floor.

"I can't believe you're leaving me high and dry, Montana. That's just mean"

"Mean? How old are you, six? And anyway, duty calls,"

"All I'm saying is-" he was cut off by the shrill rings from her cell phone.

Racing from the bathroom to her bedside table, Lindsay barged through the doors, trying to hold the towel up as she launched herself across the bed, and grabbed her phone, only to fall off the other side of the bed.

"OW." She moaned into the phone "Hello?"

Danny blinked as he edged out of the bathroom to see Lindsay in a heap on the floor, one leg still on the bed.

"Lindsay?"

"Hey Mac" Lindsay said, almost cheerfully, considering the circumstance as she sat up, pulled herself up so she was resting on the bed, to glare at Danny.

"_Everything okay?"_

"Fine, I stubbed my toe while I was running to the phone."

Danny snorted as he stuffed a towel in his mouth to stop him from laughing as he dodged one of her books from her bedside table she had launched at him.

"Sorry Lindsay, but it's all hands on deck, I'm swamped and I don't want to send Nick out into the field solo."

"You want Danny aswell?"

"_Not yet, but tell him to prepare himself to get called out."_

"Will do. Anything else, Mac?"

"No, you got a pen so you can jot down the address?"

Lindsay grabbed her pad and pen that she kept near her side of the bed, and pulled the lid off the pen with her teeth, "Go on."

Danny leaned against the doorframe, watching Lindsay, and admiring her from afar.

He tied the towel around his waist as he strolled into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed

"Don't say a word," she warned as she wrapped the towel around her again, and dropped her cell phone to the bed.

"Wasn't going to" Danny shrugged.

"Good" she said simply as she search through the walk in closet to find her work attire.

"Although, I cant help but wonder whether Mac knew he was talking to you while you were-"

"Finish that sentence Danny, I dare you."

"But I mean, it's Mac – he knows everything, surely he knew that-"

"Push me any further Danny, I dare you." She scolded as she chucked a pair of grey slacks onto the bed.

"You know" Danny smirked as he stood up off the bed and made his way over to the closet, "it would be really easy for me to just – well, -" Danny pulled Lindsay into his arms, and pushed her towel to the floor. "Oops" he laughed

"Knock it off, Danny. Mac's expecting me within the hour." She scolded as she pulled some underwear out of her drawers

"I can have you ready to go within thirty." Danny grinned as he wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her neck

"Danny, I'm going within ten minutes."

"Not if I can help it."

Lindsay pulled away from him "Don't make me lock myself in the closet."

Danny snorted "Make you do what?"

"Lock myself in the closet, so I can get dressed in peace."

"I'll break the lock." Danny smirked

"I'll arrest you."

"Empty threats" Danny chuckled as he lay on the bed.

"I am going, Danny." Lindsay sighed as she buttoned her shirt up. "No matter how hard you try to get me to cave, I am going."

"Did I say a word, Montana?"

"No, but I don't even need to look at you to know you're shit grinning at me."

"Shit what-ing?"

"Shit grinning - That shit eating grin you've got."

"Whatever. Mac say whether or not he needed me?"

"Said to tell you to prepare yourself."

"Awesome" he sighed "That's like the 90th double this week"

"Go to sleep while you can then" Lindsay smiled as she leaned down to kiss him. "I'll see you soon probably."

She headed over to the door as she pulled on her NYPD windbreaker on and zipped it up, and folded it under, so it wasn't hanging off her.

"I love you in that."

"Get back in the shower." She threw over her shoulder as she closed the bedroom door, giggling down the stairs.

--

--

"What we got, Nick?" Lindsay asked, cheerfully almost as she set her case down next to the bodies

"Two DOA's. Caucasian, One early teens, the other late twenties."

"Any connection."

"We're thinking brother and sister, as of yet, no connection has been established."

Lindsay cocked her eyebrows at him "What are you doing, writing a case report, or talking to Mac? You don't gotta talk like that"

"I thought you said you were from Montana?" Nick asked as he leant down by one of the body's.

"I am" she defended "Been living in New York for a while now. I swap and change, I guess."

"I worked with someone from Montana up in Vegas."

"Really?" Lindsay asked, excitedly almost, "Where in Montana?"

"Bozeman" Nick said simply

"What? No! Get out – seriously? What's their name?"

"Catherine Willows." Nick said, "Why, d'ya know her?"

Lindsay closed her eyes for a minute, racking her brain "The name sounds-" suddenly, there was a loud crash in the back of the house, and sounding like it was coming from the kitchen.

"Nick, who was first on scene?" Lindsay asked, hand instantly going for her gun.

Nick pulled out his memo book, "Johnson" I wrote down, and he says he cleared everything."

"Johnson?" Lindsay asked "We had a guy called Johnson on the squad, but he left." Lindsay said as she crept over to where Nick was knelt, hand poised above his gun.

"Do you think-?"

"Shhh, come on" she said, as she grabbed the evidence Nick had collected and her camera. "Nick, leave your kit" she whispered over her shoulder as she saw Nick quickly scrambling to get everything back into it.

"But Lindsay,"

"Nick" she whispered, "paper envelopes and sharpies can be replaced. You can't. Come on."

Nodding, Nick followed her lead, hand hovering over his gun, as they headed towards the front door.

Stopping just before the front door, Lindsay turned quickly as they heard, what seemed to be pots and pans falling from shelves onto the floor

"It's probably just a cat," Nick assured her, "I could go and-"

"You'll soon learn us New Yorkers have a way of going with our instincts," Lindsay said, as she opened the front door, "usually, said instincts are right," she finished as she stood up, and held the door open for Nick as she pulled out her cell

"Mac, it's Messer… No, the other one, wiseass…. Look, our scene wasn't cleared properly – Nick says it was a "Johnson"… I know, he did, that's why me and Nick are stood outside…"

Nick's eyes grew wide as he saw a shadow in the room they had just been in, and nudged Lindsay slightly, getting her attention and then pointing to the window.

"Mac, the perp is there, I can see him…" she whispered as they moved into a shadow, blocking them from sight. "No… But… I… Mac, I can't just let him… I have good aim, Mac… he wouldn't kill you… Alright, he would, but I need back up… Well, yeah – he's gonna see us stood outside…"

Nick put a finger to his lips and nudged Lindsay again. "Come on" he whispered, pulling her around the side of the house.

"Mac, I gotta go." Lindsay said "Send back up"

Nick pulled Lindsay round the house with by her arm, "Nick, what are we doing," she whispered.

"Whoever's inside heard us. He saw us stood there."

"So we come round the back of the freaking house?" she exclaimed, before lowering her voice "Nick, what are we doing?"

"Element of surprise" he said simply, as he pulled Lindsay close to his side, "Don't move."

Lindsay's eyes widened, "What? Why?"

"I said, don't move, Lindsay."

She swallowed, not daring to say another word. Taking a deep breath, she craned her neck around the corner where Nick was stood to see what Nick was looking at.

She closed her eyes as she tried to listen to what the perp was saying, "it says Narco test kit… I don't know –" he spat "there's some sprays – luminol, it says – isn't that for bloody spatter or something… I dunno, just saw it on NCIS."

Lindsay physically rolled her eyes as she listened more "Envelopes, and oooh, a sharpie, I'll have that." The perp said as he pocketed the pen.

"That's mine" Nick grumbled as he glanced in Lindsay's direction.

"I'll buy you a new one – I'm gonna go round the other side, surround him on both sides."

"Be safe, Lindsay."

Nodding, Lindsay took off, gun in hand, as she jogged round the side of the house, as quickly and quietly as possible.

Nick closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had to do this right, and make sure the perp looked at him first, and not Lindsay.

"Crap" he heard from the other side of the house "NICK!" he heard Lindsay scream

Nick's eyes flew open to see the perp heading in Lindsay's direction, gun raised.

"LV- NYPD" he bellowed, coming out from his hiding position "Drop your weapon"

The perp didn't even notice Nick and headed for Lindsay.

"NYPD!" he bellowed moving towards him "NYPD drop your weapon"

Nick edged his way around the side of the house, gun pointed in front of him; aimed at the perp. Nick could see how the guy had his finger hovering over the trigger.

"NYPD"

"Lindsay, MOVE!" Nick bellowed over the sound of a gunshot.

Nick's eyes widened, and his eyes transfixed on Lindsay, who was equally looking as shocked as he was.

"YOU!" the perp screamed in the direction of Lindsay as he gripped his arm "You shot me!"

"I didn't" she insisted, shaking her head, looking all over, until her eyes fell on a figure to the left of them.

She instantly turned to look at the perp again, hoping he hadn't realised where she was looking.

He turned, and his eyes fell on said figure, who had his gun aimed at the perp. "I said, NYPD"

The perp turned quickly, looking at Nick, then at Lindsay, then at Danny.

"What is this? A round up?" he yelled finger still hovering over the trigger.

"Exactly that buddy. Drop your weapon, with one arm, you'll be lucky if you keep the gun up much longer."

The perp narrowed his eyes at Danny, and turned to face Lindsay as he lowered his gun to her level.

Nick reacted instantly, and screamed for Lindsay to get out of the way, and dived onto the perp, disarming him and knocking him to the floor.

"Danny, get her out of here." Nick bellowed. "See where the back up is she requested, make sure she's okay," he ordered as he wrestled with the perp underneath him as he cuffed him and pulled him to his feet.

"Don't screw with me, dude." Nick whispered in his ear as he pushed him towards Danny's departmental SUV with a barrier between the front and the backseat passengers.

"Fuck you!" the perp yelled as he turned his head to try and spit at Nick.

"You know what that is," Danny smirked as he grabbed hold of one of the guy's arms "That's assaulting an officer – the hits just keep coming, don't they."

"I want to speak to my lawyer."

"Even before we've read you your rights? But that's the best bit" Danny whined.

"I need to speak to my lawyer"

"Whatever" Nick spat as he ripped the SUV door open and threw him in the back, with Danny's help.

"Thanks Nick," Danny smiled as he patted him on the back.

"What for, I took him down when I saw the opportunity"

"Not for that, for looking after my baby girl. I owe you, you kept her safe."

"You gotta take some for the team" he shrugged, "I only did what anyone else would have done."

"Yeah" Danny nodded "And you're definitely part of the team" he smiled as he patted him on the back again.

Nick watched Danny walk away towards Lindsay's SUV where she was sat, feet dangling facing the outside. He smiled as he watched him kiss her lightly on the nose and pulled her into a hug, supporting both their weight as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Just then, a million blue lights lit up the dark street they had been situated on, and Flack ran towards Nick.

"Mac called, where's the perp?"

"In the back of Danny's SUV" Nick said nodding in the direction of the SUV –

"Mac said he sent Danno-"

"Over there" Nick laughed nodding in the other direction.

"Well Stokes" Flack laughed "Don't go thinking every case is like this. You got lucky."

"Cities easing me into the grand scheme of things, wanted to start me off on a easy one"

"They okay?" Flack asked in the direction of Danny and Lindsay

"Yeah, shaken up, but I don't think there's a scratch on the either of them."

"Who shot him?" Flack asked, nodding towards the perp sat with EMS getting a bandage on his arm before he made a detour to the nearest hospital before getting to the destination of the precinct.

"Danny."

"Danny?"

"Yeah, he announced himself, and the perp looked like he was gonna shoot Lindsay, Danny shot before I could."

Flack nodded "So he announced his presence."

"Absolutely," Nick nodded "Why?"

"Just making sure," Flack smiled, proud of his best friend. For a moment, his mind travelled all the way back when Danny had "randomly" shot the undercover cop, Minhas, thinking he was a suspect.

Flack glanced over to Danny, who was currently cuddling his wife against his chest, whispering words of reassurance into her hair, and he couldn't help but swell with pride.

How his best friend had grown in 6 years.

"I'm guessing there's a bit of a back story," Nick asked, interrupting Flack's 'moment'

"How's about I buy you a drink down at Sullivan's after shift?"

"Sullivan's?"

"Gang watering hole on nights out," Flack filled him in "Bring you up to speed on everything."

"That'd be nice." Nick smiled

--

--

"Mac I swear to god, I'm _fine."_

Mac sighed audibly, "Lindsay,"

"Mac, No. I'm fine, let me finish my paperwork while Nick and Flack interrogate him."

"Why aren't you down there?"

"Didn't need three of us, thought Nick needed to have a go,"

"You say it like as if it's nothing."

"The guy's a moron. He didn't even leave the scene while we were there bagging up the bodies practically."

"What was the motive?"

"Breaking and entering gone bad. Totally random attack," Lindsay shrugged, "Parents were out on a night out, and one of the Vics was the babysitter."

"That's such a shame," Mac commented

"I'm trying not to think about it, actually." Lindsay said, weakly as she turned back to her case file.

"Still hurts, doesn't it," Mac asked as he squeezed her shoulders lightly and affectionately.

"Mainly kids. I can deal with everything else, just not kids and teenagers."

"Understandably." Mac nodded, before taking a deep breath "You did good tonight, Lindsay. I'm proud of you."

Lindsay snorted, "Me? Nick did everything. He saved me, I just called-"

"Lindsay, you got him out of there, you went with your instincts."

"A rule we live by in the Messer household" she smiled

"Yeah well, once again, it's been proven effective." Mac smiled "After you finish that, go home. Sleep."

"I intend to." Lindsay smirked as she saw Danny head down the hallway. "Excuse me." Lindsay said politely as she stood up and headed for the office door, leaving Mac stood there.

"He's in AV, Linds." Mac smiled "And your scarf is showing the 'bruise' you have on your neck."

Lindsay blushed and opened her mouth to apologise, but Mac held his hand up "Next time, just make sure he does it where I can't see it."

Chuckling, Lindsay turned and heading off in the same direction Danny had gone.

"Pains in my ass them two," Mac smiled proudly as he watched her jog down the hallway

--

--

"Guess who" Lindsay smiled as she covered Danny's eyes

"Eva Rossi from Medical Investigations" he gushed, hopefully.

"Funny," Lindsay huffed as she slugged him in the arm, "Wiseass."

"S'up Linds, thought you would have been home by now."

She shrugged "Paperwork," then took a seat next Danny. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything,"

"How did you know we were in trouble tonight, Dan?"

"Mac called me, knew I was closer – I got dressed after you left and was drinking some coffee when he called. I had already called Beth, and she was asleep in the guest room. When he called me, I was in the car within, I dunno, 30 seconds."

"But you were there within like 5 minutes" Lindsay said, "it takes at least 15"

"Not when you have the lights on, sirens on, and break about 80 federal laws" Danny smirked.

"Dan!" she scolded.

He pursed his lips "What? And you wouldn't have?"

"Beyond the point" she snapped, "You could have gotten hurt."

"You could have been killed" Danny retorted

"Nick was there, we would have been okay"

"Yeah, because you both had him right where you wanted him" Danny laughed sarcastically.

"Yeah, well, shut up" Lindsay said, sticking her tongue out.

"Don't get me wrong, I just thought-"

"You thought I would be freaking out?"

"Little bit" Danny said, pulling her off her chair and into his side "Are you okay?"

Lindsay nodded "I am"

Danny nodded, happy with her answer. "I don't need to say that I'm here, do I?"

"No," Lindsay shook her head, "I know."

"I get off in a hour, apparently. Mac's cutting the shift short because of me teetering dangerously on the line to living here, apparently. So, if you can find something to do for a hour, we could go home together."

"Sounds good" Lindsay smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder. "I'll be in the office. Nursing the bruise on my neck" she said, eyebrows raised – her way of letting him know she had seen the mark he left on her neck, after their "session" in the shower.

"Right, sorry." Danny chuckled "See you soon, baby."

Nodding, Lindsay got up, kissed him on the cheek as she headed out the door.

"Lindsay?"

"Yeah?" she turned back to Danny.

"I'm glad you're safe."

"I'm not the one with work to do, Danny." She smiled teasingly.

"Wisebutt" he called after as she sashayed down the hallway, teasing him.

He turned back to his evidence, and let out a breath. Glad that he could believe her when she said she was all right.

--

**_R&R? It's much appreicated :D_**


	113. McDonalds, Boys and Toys

**_A/N: I just want to say a huge, huge thankyou to Twinkeyrocks, Browneyedgirl, Vickiboo, KTmac, and Brinchen for your support, encouragment and kind words from last chapter. I can't thank you guys enough. :) _**

**_EEEK! 24th of September - we all know what that means. SEASON 5 PREMIERE. _**

"Amanda, tell Daddy what you want."

"I told Mommy."

"Well, I'm saying tell Daddy, Daddy's in the car with you."

"Cheeseburger."

"M, you don't like cheeseburgers."

"I want a cheeseburger like Mommy."

"M, you prefer chicken nuggets."

"Cheeseburger." Amanda snapped

"Alright, jeez. What did Mommy say your brother wanted?"

"Cheeseburger." Amanda giggled

"Nuggets" Danny argued as he squeezed her knee before he pulled into the drive thru and leaned out of the window

"Can I get – Amanda, _do you want_ nuggets?"

"Cheeseburger."

"Can I have two chicken McNugget happy meals?" Danny said into the intercom.

"Drink?"

Danny rolled his eyes at the rudeness "Milk" he said waiting for Amanda's reaction.

But he didn't get one.

"Anything else?"

Danny glanced at the menu, and ordered his and Lindsay's dinner as Amanda sat happily kicking the dashboard in front of her.

"Knock it off" Danny spat as he glanced at her, and then turned back to the menu board.

Amanda wrinkled her nose in annoyance and kicked the dashboard one last time to see Danny's reaction.

"Make me tell you again, I dare you." He said as he put the car into drive. "I'll eat your dinner myself. Which would be a shame, seen as I got you a blueberry muffin"

"You wouldn't" Amanda gasped, eyes narrowed "Mommy wouldn't let you and you don't like them Daddy, remember?"

"Wanna bet?" Danny smirked "I bet you a dollar she wouldn't shout at me."

Amanda weighed up the proposition and shook her head "Too risky" she said as she pulled her hand away from Danny. "Mommy sides with you a lot."

"Good decision." Danny laughed, as he pulled up at window number one.

"Daddy, why do you get milk for us?"

"Because you and your brother shouldn't drink soda, it's not good for tummy's." he replied as he handed the cashier the money and drove to window number two.

"Uncle Flack and Aunt Stel give me and him soda."

"I'm sure they told you not to tell Mommy and Daddy though, didn't they?"

"Um, yeah I think so," she grinned sheepishly as she took the Happy meal Danny handed her.

"Careful M, hold onto it, don't drop it in Daddy's car." Danny warned as he set down his and Lindsay's food on the floor in the back, and put the drinks into the cup holders scattered around the car.

"Can I hold my brother's?"

"No, I'm gonna set in on the floor, I know you, you'll munch on his nuggets and steal his toy."

"But Daddy, he's too little to play with toys."

"Amanda, he's three. He can play with toys."

"But I'm five, Daddy. I'm more growed up than him."

"Yeah, and you remind me that you're five when you say things like growed" Danny mused to himself.

"He gets lots of toys," Amanda said quietly.

"You do aswell, M."

"Not toys,"

Danny rolled his eyes as he set the car into drive. "We aren't having this conversation again, M. whenever you get a toy, he gets a toy. Whenever he gets a toy, you get a toy. You know me and Mommy treat you and him the same."

"His toys are always bigger"

"Amanda, that's because you get Dollies, boys toys are always bigger."

"Why Daddy?"

"Because Amanda,"

"But why?"

"I don't know why, ask Santa, he makes toys"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why does Santa make toys?"

"What else would Santa do?"

"Retire"

Danny laughed as he stopped at the red light. "Where the heckles did you hear that?"

"You nearly cursed" Amanda sing-songed.

"What?" Danny laughed as he squeezed her knee.

"You say heckles when you say hell."

Danny's eyes widened, "M, don't say that word, baby."

"But Daddy, you and Mommy-"

"Look M, KB toys, what Dolly was it that you wanted?" he said as he turned into the car park

"Is this so I won't tell Mommy that you swored?"

"It is, but if she asks?"

"I was a good girl at Beth's" Amanda smiled

"In one" Danny smiled as he pulled into a car park space.

"I get nuggets and a dolly all in one day?" Amanda gushed in realisation.

"I spoil you rotten" Danny commented as he unbuckled his seat belt, and helped Amanda out of her booster seat.

"You wub me though, Daddy."

"With all my heart."

Giggling, Amanda climbed over to the driver's seat from the passenger seat, and jumped into Danny's arms.

"We have to be quick M, Mommy's hungry."

"I already know which baby I want."

"That's a first," Danny muttered as he took her hand as she tried to pull away "Hold it, M. Stop pulling away"

"'Tay."

"It's okay. There's no T baby."

"'Tay"

Danny rolled his eyes as she plodded next to him. "Daddy," she said as she tugged on his hand, "Daddy"

"Yeah baby girl?"

"I love you Daddy."

Danny stopped for a minute, and picked her up "I love you too, sweetie."

--

--

"Danno, you're scaring me."

Danny blinked "what?"

"You've been staring at me for like 5 minutes with a crazy ass grin on your face? S'up?"

"Was I asleep?"

"No" Adam laughed, "Why?"

"No reason, - so I wasn't asleep?"

"No," Adam laughed, "Am I speaking English, Danny? What's your deal?"

"I need to go speak to Linds," Danny said standing up.

"Okay" Adam laughed as he humoured him. Glancing around the room Adam wondered whether someone else had just witnessed what he had.

--

--

"It's a boy." Danny panted as he pushed through the office doors.

Glancing up from her case file, Lindsay chuckled. "What's a boy?"

"Our next baby,"

"And you know, _how_ exactly?"

"Not important" Danny said, sitting on the edge of her desk. "I just know it's a boy"

"Right, well, awesome." Lindsay laughed as she turned back to her keyboard

"Don't you care?"

"Danny" she laughed "You've come in here like as if you've just run a marathon, telling me I'm having a baby boy," she laughed as she turned back to her computer again "You're crazy"

"We are though Linds,"

"Yeah, well as soon as the doctor informs me I'm pregnant, I'll believe you," she smiled

"Don't you believe me?" he asked incredulously

"No, not right now." She laughed, "Are you nearly finished?"

"Yeah" he sighed half-heartedly, "Just got some things I need to tie up. Shouldn't be long"

"Alright well, I'll be here" she smiled as she turned back to her computer screen.

Danny's eyes fell to her flat stomach, and he stood, gazing at it,

"Danny" she laughed,

"What?"

"You were going to finish up whatever you were doing?"

"Oh yeah" he nodded "yeah."

"Is everything okay, Danny? You seem a little- odd."

"Just thinking," Danny mused.

Lindsay rolled her eyes, "Please will you go and finish whatever you're doing, I'm running out of paperwork."

"Okay, right, I'm gone" Danny assured her as he turned and headed out the doorway, and made his way down the hallway.

She watched him go, and as he turned out of sight, her hand instantly fell to her stomach.

"A boy" she whispered, wondering if Danny was, in fact, right.

--

_**Read and review? It's much appreciated, and it keeps the muse happy. Lurkers, i would love to hear from you, drop me a line :)**_


	114. Interogations and confessions

**_A/N: So, who loved the season 5 premiere?_** **_;)_**

Nick glanced at Flack as he slammed his feet on the interrogation table and folded his arms.

"You sure you want to wait?" Nick asked, "It'd be better if you-"

"Nick, leave him. Means we get to sit and stare at each other. Best bit of the job"

Nick snorted "As pretty as you are Flack, I'll pass" Nick smirked as he got up and moved towards the window that had bars across

The perp, who they had now identified as 'James Miller' snorted.

"Lovers tiff, gentleman?"

"He wishes" Nick smirked

Flack rolled his eyes as he picked up the case file and started flicking through the pages.

"You just keep escalating, don't'cha?"

James shrugged

"I mean," Flack started "Drabbles in drugs, breaking and entering, 3 accounts, attempted rape, 2 counts of actual rape, GBH, and now, murder."

"And?" James asked.

"You've been a busy boy, that's all" Flack said,

James shrugged

"Is that all you do?" Nick asked, resting on the table with both hands, leaning in towards the perp, "shrug – don't you have any remorse?"

"Why would I?"

"Sorry, my mistake, clearly, animals like you don't feel." Nick spat as he moved the chair next to James out from under the table and rested his feet on it, as he sat on the table.

"Shit happens" James shrugged again,

"I don't buy that," Nick said simply, "Something's eaten you up in your past," He said, looking into James' eyes. "It haunts you."

"What is this? What are you, the department shrink."

Nick looked into Miller's eyes for about 50 seconds, without breaking eye contact.

"You were raped as kid, weren't you?" Nick said, suddenly – shocking Flack in the process.

"Nothing to do with you." James whispered looking at the table.

"You fell into the wrong crowd afterwards, the people around you – the people you loved didn't see it, did they? They didn't see your cry for help"

James' eyes shifted down towards the table "I don't want to – to talk about it"

"You came from a loving family, you were close… But the one time you needed them, they weren't there. Were they?"

"They had other things to deal with" James defended

"Maybe, but what I don't understand is why inflict the pain you felt on someone when you know exactly what it feels like, yourself. You trusted this person, and they broke that trust. Why do it to someone else?"

James blinked some tears back, refusing to let them fall. "I don't know."

"I need a better answer than that, James."

"I don't have one" He said simply "I just don't"

"Well, maybe it's time you came up with a reason" Nick said simply "Because I ain't leaving here until you do some serious soul searching,"

"Letterman's on in twelve hours, I got all the time in the world" Flack smirked

James looked at Nick hesitantly, "Why are you doing this, why haven't you just arrested me on a murder charge."

"You know the help you have always wanted from someone who cares? You found that someone who cares, now," Nick said, sitting next to Flack "Start from the beginning."

--

--

Flack shook his head as they watched James being cuffed and led to booking.

"How could someone do that to a nine-year-old. And no-one see it going on?"

"Happens all the time, unfortunately." Nick shrugged

"You knew a awful lot about this, Nick." Flack commented,

"I knew someone who was abused as a kid."

"Aw, man, I'm sorry."

"Don't be" Nick insisted, "He's over it."

Flack nodded "Were you close to him?"

"More than you know."

Flack pursed his lips, and closed his eyes "Didn't take as long as I thought it would."

"Sometimes" Nick said, standing up from the table "people need someone to listen to them. Once it's out, it stops eating you up. You can move on,"

Flack looked at Nick, realising that the person he knew that had been abused was in fact Nick, himself.

"You seem strong Nick," Flack said, letting him know that he knew that he didn't have to say anything, if he didn't want to "Like emotionally strong"

"I have a method of dealing" he shrugged as they walked down the precinct together.

"Most do," Flack agreed.

"We still on for Sullivan's?"

"Yeah, I'll grab Danno and Linds, meet you in the lab at like 7.30 ish?"

"I think they'll be going home, Flack. Mac's hell bent on getting them to sleep."

"What can I say" Flack shrugged "They're nocturnal and horny." Flack smirked "I'll call you, arrange a time"

Nick laughed as he and Flack went their separate ways. He pushed through the precinct doors, and let out a breath.

Just like when he told Catherine way back when, he felt a huge weight lifted from his shoulders.

He glanced around the busy NYPD building and got a strong sense of home – all the doubts he had previously had of moving to New York, melted away.

He was here to stay.

_**And those who reviewed last chapter, thankyou, i really appreciate your input , now... You guys know the drill. R&R? It's muchly appreciated ;)**_


	115. Somebody Like You

Lindsay smiled as she rested her head against Danny's shoulder as they walked leisurely down the pier. "It was nice of Mac to let us take the weekend."

"Yeah" Danny nodded as he wrapped his arm around her "I think he's so sick of seeing us there, he'd rather pull a triple to make up for us not being there."

"Mac pulls triples like it's an everyday occurrence," Lindsay laughed

"Because it is" Danny smirked as he kissed her temple and pulled her towards the railing that separated the beach and pier.

She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed the tip of his nose as he picked her up by the waist and set her on top of the railings, and stood in front of her.

"It's nice weather considering it's February."

"Yeah" Lindsay nodded as she kissed his forehead, "You better keep hold of me, Dan. I don't want to tumble backwards or something."

"I wouldn't do that to ya, baby," he said sincerely, before jiggling her hips slightly

"Danny" she warned

He chuckled, and pushed a strand of hair out of her face. They stood for a few minutes, enjoying the peacefulness that surrounded them, and enjoying the feeling of not having anywhere to be.

"What time is Beth bringing Amanda home?"

"Not until 6:30, Beth's daughter is in town, and she has a little boy a little older than Amanda, so Beth asked if she could keep Amanda a little later, let them play."

"Aw, that's nice," Lindsay smiled, "I like her playing with kids her age, I mean, it makes me feel – I dunno, I just don't want her to miss out on playing with other kids."

"You talk crap, Linds. But saying that, I do kind of get what you mean…"

"You do?" she laughed

"Yeah, like you don't want her being around adults all the time, want her to socialise with other kids."

"Exactly"

"Where's Beth's daughter from."

"North Carolina, I think. I dunno, she didn't say much. Just that they were visiting with their son."

"They?"

"Her and her husband."

"Oh"

"Hey Linds" Danny smiled "get down a sec, I got an idea"

Carefully, Lindsay jumped off the railing and took Danny's hand, as he headed off in the opposite direction from where they had come from.

"Dan, where we going?"

"You'll see,"

"I was afraid of that"

--

--

"How did you know that was there Dan?" She asked over his shoulder

"From my years when me and Louie used our fake ID's to rent them."

"You never cease to amaze me" she chuckled as she tightened her grip around his waist as he turned the corner and headed back onto the pier

"Danny, you can't bring one of them on here." She scolded.

"You can, Linds, there ain't no rules on what you can and cant have on here."

"Danny, a Harley?"

"Hey, Matthew McConaughey did in 'How to lose a guy in 10 days'."

"That was a movie, Danny. They probably had a filming permit."

"Yeah, well I'm Danny Messer."

"And what" she chuckled as he braked to a stop, and she swung her legs over the side, "They'll let you ride a Harley on here, because you're made of awesome?"

"Precisely" he concluded

"It's my turn" she smiled "I want you to teach me how to ride one of these."

"Would you give me a chance, I was just about to get you to swap with me, at least try and let me be romantic"

"Sorry" she laughed as she climbed back on the bike behind him. "Go ahead"

He sighed dramatically, "Hey, Linds"

"Yeah Dan?"

"Swap with me,"

"Aw, Danny" she gushed as she kissed his cheek "That's so romantic"

"I get that you're humouring me, Montana," he drawled in his thick New York accent.

"Just swap with me" she grinned as she climbed on in front of him, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tight. "What do I do?" she asked, turning her head slightly, so she was facing him.

"Brakes on the left, gears on the right, baby, and that there" Danny said, as he placed his hand over hers "Is the clutch"

She nodded against his shoulder

"Now," he started as he took both of her hands and kissed her shoulder, "You're gonna give a little bit on the clutch and go a little on the gas"

"Why am I getting a déjà vu from that movie?"

"Look, there's only one way I can show you,"

"Not complaining, just commenting"

"Right, so I want you to give a little and go a little."

"Give and go"

"Yeah Linds, quote from the movie, I knew it wouldn't take you very long"

"Sorry, I'm done," she grinned sheepishly.

"Go ahead Linds," Danny chuckled, "You can do it," he whispered against her neck.

She smiled as she squeezed the clutch, and twisted the gas, and shot off, a little quicker than Danny expected,

"Brake Linds"

"Which is the brake?"

"Brakes on the left" he instructed as he squeezed her hand to slow them down.

Danny's hands hovered over the gas and brake while Lindsay switched between the two of speeding up and slowing down.

"I think I got it" she squealed excitedly "I got it, Danny."

"Keep on going, baby girl. You're doing good," he smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist, protectively.

"I'm riding a Harley," she squealed excitedly as Danny turned them around so they could head back up in the direction they had come from.

"Well done, baby girl." Danny smiled proudly as he kissed her shoulder.

"You're a good teacher," she shrugged as she turned the bike to head in the opposite direction.

"I think it depends on the student" he smiled as he took Lindsay's hands as they steered together.

"Depends on the team," Lindsay concluded.

"Me make a good team," Danny smiled as he kissed her neck, causing her to swerve, "So maybe I'll keep the kissing to when you're not steering a bike,"

"Ya think?" She mused, "Want to swap," she asked as she slowed down,

"I was thinking we could head back," Danny said as he lowered his feet to the floor as the came to a stop, "Beat the rush hour"

"Sure" she nodded as he stepped off the bike, and kissed her nose. "It's been nice" she commented, "Spending time just us two, together. I miss being able to do stuff like this,"

"You do?" Danny asked, as he rested against the bike, "Could you honestly picture us without Amanda?"

"I wouldn't want to, but, I'm just saying its nice to be 'us' sometimes, how we were before we were Amanda's Mommy and Daddy."

"I'm just teasing you," Danny smiled, "I know what you mean. Being able to focus on why we fell in love, as opposed to the reason why we're still in love."

"Either that is really profound, Danny. Or it makes no sense"

"Probably the latter," Danny chuckled, "You know, it's the anniversary coming up soon, we have the hotel and everything."

"I'm going to speak to Stella about making the reservations and stuff,"

"They're already made, Linds. We just gotta turn up on the day,"

"How do you know," she questioned, as she glared at him, "You had a role in planning that, didn't you?"

"Maybe" he grinned sheepishly as he climbed onto the bike, "I told them not to tell you, I wanted it to be a surprise."

"You know what," Lindsay smiled, "I could really get used to loving somebody like you."

"Good job I feel like sticking around then, ain't it?" he grinned.

"You have no idea," she smiled.

**_Let me know what you thought - Reviews are muchly appreciated. And thanks to all that reviewed last chapter. :)_**


	116. Grocery shopping, huggles and snuggles

**_A/N: SQUEEEEE Best.week.ever, seriously. Huge congrats to Anna on her pregnancy. :D In keeping with my fluffy mood, have a fluffy chapter. :D _**

"Linds, I ain't sure about this." Danny warned as she pulled her jeans on.

"I'm going to have a coffee with Beth and her daughter. You can deal with Amanda, Danny."

"Linds, I-"

"She is your daughter, isn't she?"

"As far as I'm aware"

"You've been food shopping with her before, Danny."

"With you" he added.

"And what? You'll manage. I've written out the list. All you have to do is sit her in the cart. Get her a cookie from the bakery, and she'll be fine"

"Easier said than done," he muttered under his breath as he pulled his shirt on over his head.

"You're a moron," Lindsay laughed as she pulled his shirt off him, turned it the right way and put it over his head for him to put on again.

"What was wrong with it?"

"You had it on inside out." She said as she rolled her eyes.

"Exactly, and you honestly trust me with your daughter."

"Yeah. I do. Dan, I never get out of the house to talk to other people other than NYPD detectives, I want to know what's going on in the world, other than the GC/MS playing up again, and debate on how quick our cases would be solved if our AFIS and CODIS was as good as they make it look on TV."

"I didn't realise-"

"That my life revolves around, work. Yeah, me and Stella have scintillating conversations."

"You girls talk about stuff?"

"Like what?" Lindsay mused as she pulled her boots out of the closet

"I don't know, me, Flack, Amanda."

"Mac, Adam and Hawkes?" Lindsay finished as Danny fell silent, "Yeah, I thought so" she smirked. "I wont be long. Two hours at the most, can you handle that?"

"Yeah, sure" he shrugged, "for you, I can"

"Thank you" she smiled as she kissed him on the cheek and headed for the bedroom door.

"Where's the list?"

"Stuck to the corkboard, where it usually is" she threw over her shoulder

"Just checking, Love ya darlin'" he called down the stairs.

"Bye baby," she smiled sweetly as she grabbed a light jacket from the coat rack. "Be good Amanda" she called

"BYE" Amanda screamed from her bedroom.

Danny rolled his eyes as pulled his jeans on and headed into Amanda's bedroom

"M, you gonna let Daddy get you dressed"

"Barney"

"Who?" Danny laughed

"Barney" she repeated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world as she pointed at the purple dinosaur sat at the end of her bed.

"Kids still watch that?" Danny laughed out loud.

"Barney" Amanda said again,

"Baby, we're going food shopping."

"Cookie?" she inquired, wondering what was in it for her.

"Yeah, I'm under strict instructions from the powers that be,"

"Mommy" Amanda added

"Yeah, Mommy. Mommy has informed me I have to get you a cookie from the bakery"

"Big"

"No, a normal sized cookie,"

"Sprinkles"

"You don't like sprinkles" Danny reminded her as he lifted her out of her bed to get her changed.

She giggled as Danny pulled off her Pyjama pants and top and tickled her belly.

"I'm dreading the day you grow up, baby girl." Danny sighed sadly as he placed a kiss to her temple.

"Baby" Amanda giggled as she left a wet kiss on Danny's cheek.

"Yeah, you're my baby- you and Mommy. My girls"

"Dress" Amanda said, pointing towards the pink dress hanging in her wardrobe

"When the heckles did you learn how to say dress, kid. You getting fashion lessons from Auntie Stell?"

Amanda chuckled as she reached forwards to try and grab said dress. Laughing to himself, Danny set her on the floor while he grabbed her clothes. "This dress is new," he observed as he turned it in his hand, making a mental note to quiz Lindsay on it later.

"Come on bug" Danny smiled as he scooped Amanda up in his arms and blew a raspberry on her stomach "Let's get you dressed"

--

--

Danny pulled into the car park and sighed

Saturday morning at a supermarket was not the greatest idea in the whole world.

He took a deep breath as he killed the engine and turned to Amanda, who was sat, quite happily playing with Barney and Barbie.

"What an odd couple" Danny laughed

"Mommy and Daddy" Amanda smiled proudly at Danny as she wiggled in her seat.

"I'm taking that as a compliment, considering how much you love Barney, kid. And not taking it by the literal meaning of you calling me a dinosaur."

"Daddy" she whined as she dropped Barbie on the floor along with Barney. Danny glanced down at the floor and saw that Barbie had landed with her head in a rather 'compromising position'

"That is wrong on so many levels" Danny laughed as he climbed out of the SUV and headed for Amanda's side to unbuckle her from her car seat.

"You're corrupting Barney and Barbie, Kid. What would Ken say?"

"Ken?"

"Barbie's husband" Danny said, before he realised he was talking to a one-year-old.

He rolled his eyes at her turning her head sideways slightly as if you say 'What you talking about now?'

"Never mind," he smiled as he picked her up and snuggled her tight. "How about getting you that cookie?" he reminded her as she wrapped her small arms around his neck.

"Cookie" she giggled as Danny locked the SUV and made the 10-mile walk (or so it seemed) to the front of the store.

"Remind me, M" he started "To say no to mommy when she asks us to go shopping on Saturday, okay?"

"'Tay" Amanda nodded as she sucked on her thumb. Danny smiled as he watched her rest her head against his chest

"God you break my heart, kid" Danny said to himself as he kissed her temple

--

--

"Look, I'm just following Mommy's orders" Danny explained,

"I know sir, but-"

"Look, her mom told me that if I gave you this card, she would get a cookie, so I don't have to try and calm her down while I do the shop."

"Yeah, sir, but what I'm saying is-"

"If you want to listen to my daughter scream murder because I haven't followed the tradition of getting her a-"

"Which large cookie would you like because she's filled the card, and once she's filled the card, she gets a bigger cookie," the bakery assistant said all in one breath to try and get a word in edgeways.

"Oh" Danny grinned sheepishly, "Well, I guess the chocolate one," he shrugged as he looked at Amanda, who was grinning happily in the front of the shopping cart.

Thanking the woman, and taking the new card, he shoved it in his pocket as he handed Amanda her cookie, and turned the cart in the opposite direction

"You could have said something, M. You knew did you? That's why you said 'big' back at the house. Mommy told you, you were getting a big cookie, didn't she?"

Amanda giggled as she bit into the soft cookie. "Mhmm"

"Yeah, well keep quiet now." Danny said as he stuck his tongue out and pulled the list out from his back jeans pocket and opened it.

"How much stuff does she buy?" Danny said out loud, "This could feed a whole army, and the crime lab"

"Grandpa Mac"

"Yeah, and Grandpa Mac" Danny nodded

"Hot dogs?" Danny read of the list before looking at Amanda, "Since when have we had those?"

"Beth"

"Beth eats them? You sure, M?"

"Daddy, _mine_."

"Oh, you eat them" Danny nodded "Maybe I need to make your lunch more often." He said as he headed towards the meats section and picked up a pack of hot dogs "aren't these a little unhealthy for a little girl like you, M."

"One."

"Yeah you're one, well done baby girl" Danny smiled as he kissed her nose and threw the pack into the cart

"No, one."

"One what."

"One" she said holding up one finger "day"

"Oh, do you mean you get one a week?"

Amanda nodded excitedly.

Danny shook his head as he leant against the cart and nibbled on her nose, pretending to eat it. "You have to be the smartest one year old I have ever, ever met, seen or spoken to."

"Mommy" Amanda shrieked as she tried to get her nose out of Danny's mouth.

"Yeah. Because you sure as hell don't get the smartness from me."

"No, Mommy." Amanda squealed pointing behind Danny.

"Who?" Danny asked as he pulled away from her.

"How many people does she call mommy?" he heard as someone kissed his neck, sending chills down his spine.

"Just one" he mused as he turned round and kissed her softly on the lips "I thought you were going for coffee?"

"I said I would meet them later. I got there and realised I wanted to go food shopping with my family." Lindsay smiled as she leaned over and nuzzled Amanda.

"I'm glad you decided to take pity on us" Danny smirked as he took hold of the cart with one hand, and held Lindsay's hand with the other.

"You do know there is no way in hell you'll be able to steer with one hand." She informed him.

"Come here then" he chuckled as he pulled her in front of him, so she was pushing as he wrapped his arms around her, protectively "We can both push it now,"

"That works" she smiled as she craned her neck up to kiss his jaw.

They headed up and down the aisles laughing and joking, both of them throwing random items that weren't on the list into the cart as they leisurely made their way around the store.

"We need to do this more often" Danny declared as he kissed Lindsay's neck, and then poked Amanda on her nose.

"Are you getting sappy?" Lindsay chuckled as she wiggled out of his protective shield he had on her to grab some pasta sauce.

"Just appreciating what God gave me," Danny smiled as he took the bag of spaghetti she had in her hand, and switched them for pasta shells. "Spaghetti annoys me" Danny shrugged as she glared at him.

"Well, it's funny how I've bought spaghetti for forever and a day, and you've not said a word…"

"I love you too much, it'd hurt your feelings."

"It's pasta, Danny. I'm sure I would find someway of recovering."

"Funny" he mused as he glanced into the cart. "I don't think there's much more that we can buy, Linds. Unless we leave Amanda here."

"As tempting as that is, I think you would miss her."

"A tiny bit" Danny teased as he poked Amanda in her belly, making her shriek with laughter.

"What would you do without us, eh?" Lindsay smiled as she wrapped her arms around Danny, stood on her tiptoes and kissed his jaw line.

"I have absolutely, no idea." Danny declared.

--

--

Danny glanced over into Beth's driveway, as he pulled into their own. "How long has Beth had a basketball hoop on her driveway?"

Lindsay shrugged "Dunno, maybe it her grandsons?" Lindsay reasoned

"Maybe" Danny shrugged as he pulled the car into park, and opened the driver's side door.

"DADDY! Daddy, pass the ball to me."

He turned to look at Lindsay, and mouthed "Grandson" in her direction.

"You're so nosy" Lindsay scolded as she rolled her eyes, "Should get you signed up to the neighbourhood watch. Keep crime down on the street."

"I'm a cop" he shrugged as he popped the trunk. "It's my job"

"Maybe" she smiled as Amanda wrapped her arms around Lindsay's neck, "But you still should leave your job at work."

"Point taken" Danny shrugged, "When you can say you leave your work at work, I will do the same."

"Wisebutt" she smirked as she stuck her tongue out and grabbed a bag, and headed towards the house.

"Is that all you're gonna get, one measly bag?" Danny called after her.

"You're gonna eat it all, you carry it all in."

"Why did I know you were going to say that?" Danny sighed to himself as he picked up another bag and headed for the house.

--

--

"Amanda's asleep" Lindsay smiled as she sat on the couch next to Danny, and rested her head against his shoulder, "Out like a light."

"And it's only 8:00PM. Good job, Linds."

"Why thank you," she smirked. "The nights ours" she winked at him.

Danny nodded, and stared at the television screen, before reaching for the baby monitor on the table "Come with me," he said as he grabbed the brown blanket they kept on the couch and threw it over his shoulder, took her hand, and held the baby monitor in his other hand.

"Where are we going?" she laughed as he led her through the kitchen and out the back door. "Danny, Amanda's upstairs." She said, turning more serious

"I have the baby monitor, and like you said, she's out like a light. She's safe Linds."

"Danny, I don't know about this." Lindsay told him,

"We're just sitting on the porch, that's all."

"It's February" Lindsay said, "It's cold."

"And, hence why I brought-" Danny paused as they both sat down and he pulled the blanket from his shoulder "this," he said as he flicked the blanket into the air, and let it fall around them as she snuggled into his side on the porch bench.

She sighed happily as he wrapped his arm around her, and brought her close to his side as she curled her legs to the side of her on the bench

"It's not that cold out, baby."

"I suppose" she shrugged as she settled the baby monitor on the top of the blanket as they listened to Amanda's constant, steady breathing.

"What did I do to deserve you?" Danny asked as he kissed her temple, "Seriously?"

"You stood by me," Lindsay smiled as she leaned up to kiss his jaw line.

"That all?" he mused

"You brought a lot of joy into my life." She added

"Anything else?"

"You made all the wrongs into right. All of the dreams that you made come true."

Danny grinned as he tickled her side, "That all you got?"

"You saw the best there was in me, and lifted me up when I couldn't reach."

"Really?" he mused as he kissed her temple.

"You want to know the main one,"

"Go on," he smiled, "I'll humour you,"

"I'm everything I am, because you loved me."

"Lindsay Messer, you are officially the sappiest person I have ever met," Danny laughed as he tickled her.

"Oh yeah" She giggled as she tried to wiggle away from him, "And what have I done to deserve you then?"

"Baby, when you touch me, I know how much you love me…" Danny smiled

"Do I blow you away?" She laughed

"A little bit," Danny smirked, "The way you whisper in the dark"

"What, like how I've touched every place in your heart?" she mused as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I don't know how you do it, Linds."

"Do what, that's not part of the song." She laughed

"Amaze me, every little thing you do amazes me."

She rolled her eyes, "I stand corrected- it is part of the song."

"Remember the last time I said all this to you," Danny asked

"Yeah, Flack went and forgot to stand up and object to the wedding," she smirked as he flicked her on the arm "Ow, kidding." She giggled as she stuck her tongue out at him. "Your wedding vows were perfect, Danny."

"You're perfect." Danny whispered into her hair, "I love you."

"I'm far from perfect, I just try really hard to keep us together,"

"And in my eyes, you're perfect."

He felt her smile as she gripped onto his shirt lightly, as she rested her head against him, "We managed to do something right along the way, didn't we?" Lindsay said as she glanced down at the baby monitor.

"We did a lot of things right,"

"Yeah, I guess we did," Lindsay nodded against his chest, before turning her head towards him, and kissing him lightly on the lips.

The kiss soon intensified, as she laced her fingers in his hair, he shifted and picked her up gently by the hips, and placed her on his lap. Until the shrill cries of Amanda broke their moment.

"I'll go," Danny, told her, as he broke away from the kiss,

"You sure," Lindsay asked as she caught her breath

"Sure, you put her to bed, it's only fair."

Lindsay smiled and kissed his lips, "I love you more than words can say."

"Sometimes the best things are left unspoken" Danny smiled as he kissed the top of her head, "Meet you inside?"

"I'll be in, in a minute."

"You gazing at the stars?" Danny asked, looking up at the sky.

"My lucky star is out tonight," she explained, "Might make a few wishes"

Danny smiled as he kissed the top of her head again "Don't be long, I'm fixing on picking up where we left off, tonight could be the night, Linds." He said before he headed into the house.

"One of the reasons I'm wishing on the star," she said to herself

**_Let me know what you think, it's much appreciated. _**


	117. Messer fun at Pizza Hut

_**Well, I had a few problems with the muse this week. But, well we're back on track... fingers crossed**_

_Danny sighed contently as he leaned against the doorframe at the image of Lindsay laid on the couch with a smile dancing around her lips._

_He quietly closed the door, but not enough for it to actually close and smirked as he crept across the living room carpet, while avoiding Amanda's toys and leant over Lindsay on the couch. _

_She lay content, close to falling asleep, as Danny stood, mesmerised by her. The way her chest would rise and fall with each breath. The way her hand draped across her stomach protectively, like she did when she was pregnant with Amanda. How her honey curls shaped her face, with her bangs forever in her eyes, but never getting them cut. How her nose twitched, and how she smiled in her sleep. _

_Danny Messer came to a conclusion. He loved Lindsay Messer with every fiber of his being. He would do anything for her. He would lie down and die, or just as equally kill, if it meant he kept her safe. The man who had once vowed and declared to never fall in love was the chairperson of the club. _

_And he wouldn't change a thing. _

_He smiled lightly as he leant down so that he was inches from her face, and softly poked her nose, to try and wake her up. _

_She smiled lightly, but didn't stir, and Danny did it again. _

_Still, after no reaction Danny chuckled lightly to himself and slid over the back of the couch, to the third cushion where her feet didn't quite reach as she had herself curled up in a protective ball. _

_He smiled at her biting the insides of her cheek, trying her hardest not to scold him for 'ruining the furniture' and 'encouraging Amanda'. _

"_I guess you were tired" He shrugged out loud as he pulled her feet up, and settled them on his lap. "There was me thinking we could move this to the bedroom." _

_She let out a tiny snore, indicating to him that she was totally faking, because he knew Lindsay Messer like the back of his hand. And Lindsay Messer didn't snore. _

_Giggled? Yes. _

_Kicked him? Yes._

_Stole the covers and all but threw him out of the bed? Yes. _

_But never did she snore. _

"_I guess I will have to find a way of entertaining myself" he sighed out loud, as he watched her eyebrows arch. _

_Danny bit his lip to stop himself from laughing as he edged closer towards her on the couch. He moved his hands from his lap and let his hands hover by her hips._

"_I could really do with some inspiration, ya know, Linds." _

_Her eyes fluttered, pretending to wake up. _

'_Gotcha' he smirked to himself as his fingers went in for the kill._

"_DANNY! DANNY! Stop, please stop. You know –" She squealed trying to catch her breath as she desperately tried to squirm away from him, "You know-"_

"_What?" he mused as he tickled her. _

"_I'm ticklish there," she squealed, "Stop it, stop."_

"_I had to wake you up somehow." He mused as he changed his position as he lowered himself on top of her, sandwiching her between him and the soft cushions on the couch. _

"_I wasn't asleep," she giggled as he kissed her neck_

"_No? Really?" he winked at her, "Fooled me." _

_Lindsay rolled her eyes as she shifted lightly underneath him, "On the couch?"  
_

_Danny glanced around them, "Um, why not?"_

"_What about Amanda?"_

_Danny pulled away from her and stared at her, "What?"_

"_Amanda, she might-"_

"_Climb out of her crib, open her door, climb over the baby gate, run downstairs and catch us." Danny asked, "You know what Linds, I think we're safe"_

"_But-"_

"_How can you possibly have a but?" he asked incredulously. "She's smart Linds, but she's not Super M. There's no chance she'd know"_

"_I don't feel comfortable" she shrugged_

"_With me?" He asked, pulling away from her._

"_No, no…" She assured him, "Just not here- I don't feel comfortable on the couch"_

"_The first time we had sex we were on a pool table, Lindsay" _

"_But Amanda plays in here." Lindsay said, glancing around the room._

"_She showers in our shower with me sometimes. She sleeps in our bed."_

"_That's different." Lindsay declared, "This, it's- it's the couch. Our parents sit on here, our friends sit on here."_

"_It's our couch," he said as he nuzzled her neck, "We can do whatever the hell we want on it. We paid for it."_

"_Danny – I"_

"_You're something else, Montana." Danny laughed, "You know what?" he said as stood up. "I got a better idea." He smiled as he picked her up, and carried her through to the kitchen. _

"_Danny, where are we –"_

"_Hush" Danny smirked, as he set her on the counter. "Ever since Flack told us not to, I've had an unsightly urge to ravish you on here."_

"_You sound like a cheesy romance novel, Danny."_

"_And?" He mused as he unbuttoned her shirt, "Brace yourself, cowgirl," Danny whispered onto her neck, sending chills down her spine, "It's gonna be one hell of a night. _

_--_

_--_

Danny blushed slightly at the memory as he turned into the subdivision, and headed for home.

He had in fact been rather proud of his performance the night before. Nine times, in four different rooms…

Danny glanced into the rear view mirror and smirked at the dark circles under his eyes from not going to bed until 4AM.

"Well," he mused to himself as he flashed the indicator, "At least I still got it."

And he had taken great pleasure of informing Flack he wasn't eating at his house anymore. The joke however had worn off when Flack didn't get it right away.

And the highlight of the day was when he had been in interrogation, and he had received a text message from Flack.

You're sick.

Simple, yet effective; it only took him two hours to realise what the hell Danny had meant.

Danny let out a breath as he turned onto their road and slowed considerably. Ever since he and Lindsay had, had Amanda he adhered to all speed limits (unless it meant that it was a life and death situation – he made exceptions then) all health and safety regulations in work, and he wore that Kevlar vest, and made sure it was fitted properly.

Just in case.

He knew Lindsay did the same. It was almost an unspoken agreement. Something they had voiced between them through silent gestures.

They had a reason to stick around other than for just the other.

He pulled into the driveway and smiled warmly as Lindsay and Amanda waved excitedly, from their front porch with a blanket wrapped tightly around them.

He killed the engine and hopped out of the car "Ain't it a little cold to be sat out?"

"Daddy!" Amanda squealed as she wiggled out of Lindsay cuddle, untangled herself from the blanket frantically before running to the top of the stairs on the porch "DADDY!" she squealed as she jumped into his arms.

"Hey sweetie. You miss me today?"

"Mhmm" She nodded against his chest as she sucked her thumb.

"Has Mommy been good?" Danny whispered in his ear as he winked at Lindsay

"Mhmm" Amanda nodded again, "Cut" Amanda smiled

"Cut? Did you get cut baby? Where?"

"Mommy." Amanda corrected him.

Danny glanced over to Lindsay who had the blanket wrapped around her, "Are you okay?"

"Fine" she smiled

"What happened?" Danny asked, setting Amanda on the porch. "Did you cut yourself."

"I cut something," she smiled.

"Yeah, I heard. What did you cut?" he asked sitting next to her. "You didn't have to get stitches or anything did you?"

Lindsay rolled her eyes and moved the blanket.

Danny looked at her as she waited for a reaction.

"Linds…"

"Yeah?"

"Where did you cut yourself?"

Lindsay snorted, "Sometimes I worry about you," she laughed as she pointed to her hair, "I got my hair cut."

Danny's eyes widened, "Where's your hair gone, Linds?"

"Did you not just hear me?" She mused, sarcastically. "What do you think?"

Danny blinked, and Lindsay's face fell. "You don't like it, do you?"

"No, you're right, I don't like it." Danny shrugged. Lindsay glared at him, before chucking the blanket to the side of her, and stood up of the bench,

"Whatever Danny, I like it. Next time, feed me some bullshit on how you like it, alright."

"If you'll let me finish" Danny sighed dramatically as he grabbed her hand and pulled her onto his lap, "I would have told you I didn't like it, I love it. It really suits you."

"So you like it then?" she asked, with a sparkle in her eye

"Love it. I love the length, not as short as what you had it last time. It's like the same length it was after you let it grow for a while."

"Yeah, I prefer it shoulder length."

Danny picked Amanda up and set her next to Lindsay who was sat, cuddling up to Danny.

For a second, she observed her parents, lost in their own little world of cuddling and she smiled, before standing up cautiously and jumping onto Lindsay's lap, and snuggled into her as Lindsay wrapped her arms protectively around her.

"So, what did you girls do today then?" Danny asked as he ran his fingers through Lindsay's short locks and draped the blanket over the three of them.

"Maxed out the MasterCard in Macy's. Bought some blueberry muffins, the usual."

"I know you're shitting me," Danny whispered in Lindsay's ear.

"I've never fully understood that expression, but no I am not 'shitting you'" she smirked as she kissed his jaw line.

"You're so full of crap Linds, I bet you couldn't go two days without quoting something from a movie or a TV show."

"You know what's bad?" she laughed as she stood up and headed for the front door, "The fact you know I'm quoting."

"Comes with the ring," Danny shrugged, "What's for dinner?"

"Me and Amanda made the executive decision of eating out tonight,"

"Do I get a say?" Danny mused, "Being the Daddy."

"You're outnumbered." Lindsay shrugged, "We picked Pizza Hut. Haven't been there for a while."

Danny sighed, "Because we went there so often."

"They have good pizza." Lindsay shrugged.

"I'll take you to rays, show you what real pizza is." Danny chuckled as he grabbed the blanket Lindsay had just discarded, and wrapped Amanda up in it. "See," he mused as he gave her an Eskimo kiss. "Snug as a bug in a rug."

She erupted with giggles, and tried to squirm out of Danny's protective grip.

--

--

"See, this isn't so bad, is it?" Lindsay chuckled as the sat down in their booth.

"No, but I didn't anticipate driving across the city to find one." He sighed as he set Amanda in her high chair and pulled her towards the table

"How was I supposed to know the one we usually go to was closed for refurbishment?" she laughed, "Plus, it gave us some time to act like a family, getting piss- annoyed at each other, screaming at each other,"

"You nearly cursed" Danny sing-songed. "Dollar in the swear box when we get home, Montana."

She stuck her tongue out and covered her face from the oversized menu.

Danny rolled his eyes at Lindsay before turning to Amanda and helping her colour her children's menu that the waitress had given her.

"Danny, leave your 15-month-old daughter to colour in peace" Lindsay scolded from behind the menu.

He chuckled and handed Amanda the red crayon they had been battling over and pulled the menu away from Lindsay. "Wiseass"

"Dollar for the swear jar" Lindsay squealed excitedly. "You cursed."

"Ass isn't a curse word."

"Two dollars for the swear jar" Lindsay giggled.

"Whatever, wisebutt." Danny sighed, "What we getting?"

"What does everyone always get when they go to Pizza hut?"

"Meat feast stuffed crust?" Danny offered

"Not if you're vegetarian," Lindsay giggled,

"Really? Ya think, DiNozzo?" Danny smirked

"See- See-" Lindsay giggled pointing at Danny, "You do like Gibbs."

"I like Gibbs about as much as I like Mac."

"You love Mac." Lindsay told him, "I can see it in your eyes."

"Yeah, love of my life. I cant get enough of him when he calls me at 3AM asking to see my ass at the crime scene where some whack job decided of off someone."

"You better hope and pray no-one is listening – you'll get carted off. Talking like that. And another dollar, Danny."

"Might do me some good, have a little break from the craziness that is Lindsay and Amanda Messer."

"You better hope you're kidding, Messer."

"Damn right," he assured her, "I couldn't live without the either of you."

"You know it," she winked in his direction,.

"HUNGRY!" Amanda screamed as she chucked a crayon against the table.

"Since when has it been okay to throw things?" Lindsay asked Amanda. "And don't even get me started on that screaming, little girl. Knock it off. Daddy and me are ordering as soon as the waitress gets here. You know that isn't the way to tell Mommy that you're hungry"

"And Daddy" Danny added.

"And Daddy," Lindsay nodded. "I don't want to see you doing that again, you hear?"

Amanda nodded, bottom lip quivering. "Hungry" she whispered.

Lindsay nodded and reached over to the diaper bag, "Will crackers do?" Lindsay asked Amanda holding up the little packet of saltines.

"Mhmm, pwease." Amanda nodded reaching for them.

"Good girl," Lindsay smiled handing her the opened packet, "What do you say?"

"T'anks"

Lindsay smiled, kissed Amanda on the temple, and then turned back to Danny, "Where were we?"

"I honestly don't know," he shrugged,

"Why?"

"Because that –" he gestured wildly between Amanda and Lindsay, "You – she – how."

"We have a system," Lindsay shrugged, "We have a Mommy- daughter understanding, don't we princess?" Lindsay giggled as she smothered Amanda with kisses.

"You are way too perfect" Danny smiled as he watched Lindsay with Amanda.

"Nobody's perfect, Danny." She told him,

"No? Well, you're damn close." He smiled as his comment went unnoticed from her playing with Amanda.

"It's next week you know, Linds."

"What is?" she asked as she pulled Amanda out of her highchair and sat her next to her in the booth.

"Our anniversary?" Danny chuckled,

"Yeah I knew that," Lindsay laughed, "I've packed."

"You have?" Danny asked incredulously, "When?"

"Back end of last week. Started getting some things together."

"Stuff I've seen?" Danny asked,

Blushing, Lindsay glanced down at the menu, "Some… you haven't."

Danny bit his lip as he reached across the table, and lifted her chin up, "You sure we can't crack them out early?"

"You ready to order?" the perky teen asked as she smiled cheekily at Danny.

"Babe, what do you want?" Danny asked as he tried to read the menu upside down, "the usual?"

"Yeah, why not." Lindsay shrugged

"We'll take a half and half, one side plain cheese, the other" he glanced at Lindsay, then back up at the waitress "that Mediterranean meat thing,"

"The meats deluxe?" the teen giggled, at his order as she wrote it down, "You sure can, honey. What else can I get you?"

"Do you have any sippy cups? Or cups with straws, my daughter can't drink out of a glass just yet."

"Sure, what drink did you want sweetie?" the girl asked Lindsay.

"I don't know, I'll ask my daughter…" Lindsay smirked at Danny before tapping Amanda on the shoulder. "Baby, what do you want to drink?"

Danny couldn't help but laugh at the whole situation. He crossed his legs, and flashed a grin at the girl that was blushing from Lindsay's 'burn' seconds previous.

"Milk's fine, thank you honey. And can we have two diet cokes, please. In adult glasses" Lindsay added quickly.

"Mhmm." The girl smiled before turning around and dashing off to the kitchen.

"You're mean," Danny declared, "Couldn't you have me have some fun with that-"

"What a twelve-year-old crushing on you?"

"No, pretending I was your dad."

"Danny. You're sick, that's' all kinds of wrong right there."

"Linds, come on. She was a moron. It would have been funny."

"I'm two years younger than you, Danny." She reminded him.

"So, regardless. Apparently she decided to ignore the fact we have a baby sat with us."

"She nearly fell over the highchair to stand next to you." Lindsay giggled.

"I have that effect sometimes," Danny shrugged as a burly waiter appeared at the table.

"Milk?"

"Here," Lindsay smiled, trying to hide an animatedly look at their new waiter.

"Diet cokes?"

"Here and here," Danny smiled taking them from him. "Um, where's the other girl gone?"

"Reassigned her tables," he said simply, "Sorry about that,"

Lindsay bit her lip and turned her attention to Amanda who was giggling and blowing bubbles into her milk.

"No problem" Danny nodded, "She did place our order though, right? We're not gonna be sat here two hours from now still twiddling our thumbs because she nearly shit herself and forgot to place the order?"

"Danny!" Lindsay scolded across the table.

"You order is at the top of the list, sir." The waiter smiled before turning on his heel and glaring at the girl.

Lindsay glared at Danny from across the table, "I ought to rinse that mouth out."

"Come on, it was funny. She's going to get the fear of god in her now."

"You're mean, you know that? You're really, really mean."

"It gets me through life," he shrugged before edging back to their previous conversation, "So Linds, seriously, can we start the festivities early?"

"We'll see," she chuckled.

**_R&R? As ever, it's muchly appreciated. :D_ **


	118. Arguments, Yankees and bedtime snuggles

"Amanda, come on, eat." Lindsay sighed.

"Linds, maybe she's done. She's eaten three whole pieces. For a little girl that's a lot."

"She's your daughter." Lindsay said simply, "Not eating is frowned upon."

"This is true." Danny smirked; "We can box it up, take it home" he shrugged.

"I guess" she smiled,

"You haven't eaten much, Linds." Danny said, craning his neck over the table and looking at her plate, "Everything okay?"

"I had a big lunch" she shrugged, "wasn't as hungry as I thought."

"You haven't touched your drink either," Danny commented. "In fact, you've drunk more of Amanda's milk than what she has. Is there something wrong?"

"No, I'm just in a milk mood," Lindsay shrugged, "What's with the third degree?"

"Just commenting." Danny said with his hands in the air, surrendering.

"Good, get their attention, I wanna go,"

"Who put the rocket up your ass all of a sudden?"

"That's fifteen dollars," Lindsay smirked, "you're on a role tonight, Danno". She giggled.

"Laugh it up," he muttered, "I'm going to the restroom to wash my hands."

She nodded and turned her attention to Amanda. "Don't be long," she called after him before resting her head against the booth and taking a deep breath.

"Mommy?"

"Yeah baby?" Lindsay answered with her eyes closed.

"Sick?"

"You have no idea baby girl."

"Why?"

"I don't know sweetie." Lindsay said as she opened one eye and stuck her tongue out at Amanda.

"Daddy kiss,"

"Yeah, I might get Daddy to kiss me better" Lindsay smiled, "It works for you, doesn't it, honey?"

"What works for her?"

Lindsay's eyes shot open to see Danny sat opposite her again with the check in his hand "Getting carried everywhere." Lindsay smiled, "she has the high life."

Danny nodded and sat up while he reached into his back pocket to grab his wallet.

"You sure you're okay, Lindsay. Do we need to get you some meds or something?"

"I'm fine," she nodded

"You sure, I could stop by Walgreen's, grab something to calm your stomach."

"It's nothing,"

"I could grab you some Tylenol, Advil…."

"I don't need anything Danny," she told him.

"I could grab a pregnancy test or six." He asked, eyebrows raised

"It's not that. I think I'm just at the time of the month. Is all."

"For the record, I think you're bullshitting me."

"Think that all you want," she said as she took the card he wanted to pay with off of him, and swapped it for cash.

"I know you Linds, you're not due on for another two weeks."

"I might be starting early, I've been stressed."

"Or you might be pregnant," he added as he reached across the table and grabbed the diaper bag.

"Will you give it a rest, I know me, and I'm not pregnant."

He shrugged as he took Amanda and walked towards the exit, leaving Lindsay sat at the booth.

She took a deep breath before she stood up, thinking to herself, "I am so pregnant."

--

--

"Danny, please talk to me." she begged as he set Amanda down in the living room and carried the diaper bag and leftover pizza into the kitchen.

"About what," he snapped as he stepped over the baby gate

"Anything, everything. You've not said two words since we left the restaurant."

"I don't see why you wouldn't let me stop at the store. It wouldn't hurt to try, Linds."

"I'm not," She said sternly, "Can't I feel sick without you riding my ass about being pregnant?"

"Well it's just a coincidence that you feel sick when we're trying for a baby then…"

"It wouldn't be the first time someone felt sick while trying and –shock horror - not being pregnant."

"Whatever Linds," Danny shrugged as he turned and opened the fridge, "Act like a wiseass. I'm going to go and sit with Amanda." He said as he slammed the fridge shut and walked past her, heading towards the baby gate.

"So you're walking away." She called after him

"Exactly what I'm doing," he spat as he slammed the living room door shut.

--

--

She tossed and turned in his oversized NYPD gym shirt, trying to get comfy. It didn't help that fact that a) it was still light out anyway, and b) she had had a huge argument with Danny.

It wasn't the argument itself, but it had been so long since they had in fact argued, that she wasn't even sure she knew how to deal with that side of their relationship anymore.

She heard him creep up the stairs and knock lightly on the door, "Can I come in?"

She hesitated for a minute, "Yeah," she sighed as she turned to face the wall away from the door.

She heard the door open and shut and then a chink of something being placed on the nightstand and then his lamp being switched on.

"Look at me, Linds."

She let out a breath, but didn't move.

"Lindsay, look at me."

She considered it, but ignored him. She felt him get off the bed, and then heard him moving around the room. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the slam of the door to startle her, but instead of that, she felt his breath on her face, and his index finger brushing away her tears. She opened her eyes to see him crouched on the floor in front of her.

"Look at me," he repeated, "baby, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so mean to you. I just – I know how bad we both want this, and didn't think you would keep something like this from me,."

"I'm not keeping anything from you." She insisted, "Today is the first time I've felt sick, and it wasn't even me feeling sick, I just felt like a wave of nausea hit me, and then it passed."

"Even so, it wouldn't hurt to try,"

"I don't want to," she said simply, "Not yet."

"Why?"

"Because, I just don't. Last time, we were so excited and I wasn't. I don't want to make myself think I am, only to be let down again."

"I get that Linds, I honestly do. But how do you know? You might be."

"I might not be," she told him, "I'm more afraid of that. I just want to be sure first, okay. So stop being a asshole and support me, because the last thing I need is you acting like a twit and leaving me with two kids and having to-"

"Sssshhh" he soothed her as he climbed into bed next to her and wrapped his arms around her, "I'm not leaving baby, just take a breather." Danny soothed as he rocked her against his body. While thinking, 'and you say you're not pregnant.' He begged to differ with the crazy hormones, but decided to let that one go…

"Where's Amanda."

"She's asleep in the living room." Danny whispered into her hair,

"You've left her alone in the living room."

"No, I cracked open the play-pen and put her in there with her blankie." Danny told her, "I'm not a moron, Montana."

"Just checking" she shrugged as he scooted her into the middle of the bed so that he could sit on the edge as he wrapped his arm around her.

"How're you feeling?"

"Tired," she shrugged, "think it's from crying though."

"I told you I was sorry Linds,"

"I wasn't crying about just that. Things have been getting on top of me recently, and our argument just tipped the scale."

"I didn't know things were getting on top of you, why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I didn't want to make a big deal out of it-"

"I'm here for you, Linds. You should know that by now. I'm here to listen and make things better. Let me in, I want to help."

"I'm okay now" she assured him, "Honestly, it's just some stuff Stella mentioned about her and Flack, been going around in my head."

"Well, for the record, I'm here whenever you need to talk."

"Noted," she smiled, as she turned to snuggle into his side, "What did you bring me?"

"Milk and crackers." He grinned sheepishly, "I'm trying to be a good daddy to mommy."

"You are a very good daddy," Lindsay smiled,

"I aim to please" he smiled and kissed her lightly just as the baby monitor started going off.

"She's awake." Danny sighed as he swung his legs over the side of the bed.

"I'll get her," Lindsay smiled as she crawled over Danny and jumped off the bed.

"You sure?" Danny chuckled as he edged himself off the bed, "I can get her if you're feeling-"

"I'm going-" Lindsay smiled, as she shut the door and headed downstairs.

"Mommy?"

"I'm coming sweetie." Lindsay called down the stairs as she climbed over the baby gate at the top and bottom of the stairs.

"Daddy?"

"He's upstairs, baby. I can't believe he made you have a nap. You won't sleep tonight now,"

"The baby monitor's still on, Lindsay Messer." She heard him call from upstairs.

Chuckling, she sat on the couch with Amanda on her lap, and jiggled her lightly on her knee,

"Mommy better?"

"A little," Lindsay smiled as she kissed Amanda's honey curls. "Daddy made mommy feel better."

Amanda smiled and rested her head on Lindsay's arm, "Sleep."

"You just woke up," Lindsay smiled, "I thought you would be up for the rest of the night,"

"Daddy and Mommy's bed."

"Hell no little one, we're not starting that. You've gone 15 months sleeping on your own. You aren't going to start sleeping my bed. You steal covers like there's no tomorrow."

"Lindsay-" Danny called down the stairs, "Don't be mean, let her sleep with us."

Lindsay glanced onto the coffee table and switched the baby monitor off. "I am not letting you fall into the same footsteps as Daddy that slept with his mommy until he was four."

"But-" she whimpered, "Daddy and Mommy."

"Daddy and mommy will wake you up tomorrow morning, baby girl."

Amanda's lip quivered as Lindsay glanced down at the floor, avoiding eye contact. "Don't look at me like that baby," Lindsay sighed

"Mommy." Amanda whined and sniffed

"You kill me, you know that right?" Lindsay sighed as she stood up off the couch and headed up stairs, Amanda held tight as she stepped over the baby gate.

"Mommy bed?"

"Yes. You can sleep with us, grab her will you Dan? I'm gonna grab some Pyjama's for her" Lindsay sighed as she passed Amanda to Danny who was stood at the top of the stairs. "Is that baseball?" Lindsay laughed as she craned her neck into the bedroom, "Where the hell did you find baseball?"

"On a tape," Danny shrugged, "Think it's the Tampa Bay game."

"Against who?"

"Chicago white sox."

"What was the score?" Lindsay asked as she sat on the edge of the bed,

"6 – 2 in the end,"

"That had a good season last season." Lindsay smiled.

"Meh," Danny shrugged, "I still love my Yankees."

"You would," Lindsay giggled, "They do no wrong, even when they suck."

Danny shrugged as Amanda bounced on the bed, "Pyjamas Montana?"

"Right sorry," she nodded as she stood up off the bed and headed for Amanda's bedroom.

Danny shook his head as he watched Amanda with one eye, and the game with the other.

"Knock it off, M." he said with his attention on the game, "You know the rules. No jumping on beds."

She giggled and carried on jumping on the bed.

"Right, that's it," Danny grumbled, "come here," he chuckled as he grabbed her chubby legs, knocking her onto her butt and pulling her across the bed to him. He pinned her down and tickled her while blowing raspberries

"Daddy" Amanda squealed trying to worm her way away from him. "Stop,"

"Daniel, you better not be getting her hyped up before she goes to bed!" Lindsay called from her bedroom.

Danny's eyes widened and he picked Amanda up and chucked her gently to a cushion laid on the bed "NO"

Suddenly, Lindsay appeared in the doorway with a 'onesie' in tow. "Thought this was fitting," she smiled as she made her way towards Amanda.

"Yankees? Cute."

Lindsay shrugged as she pulled Amanda towards the edge of the bed with her little chubby legs and pulled her denim dress over her head, along with her pink striped long sleeve t-shirt.

"He so could have made that-" Danny spat pointing at the screen, "Linds, did you see that,"

"Shocking," she mused as she pulled funny faces at Amanda, who was giggling

"No but, did you see –"

"I did" Lindsay assured him as she snapped the buttons on around Amanda's butt. "I almost wish we were watching it on tape so that I knew how it turned out," she deadpanned as she stood Amanda up on the bed, letting her waddle over to Danny.

"Just humour me, alright?" Danny sighed as he edged his way up the bed, to where Amanda had fallen while Lindsay tossed her clothes in the linen basket.

"I spend my life humouring you," Lindsay sighed as she grabbed Danny's Yankees jersey from the wardrobe.

"Montana, what the hell do you think you're doing. Put that back."

"Put what back," she laughed as she pulled it over her head, "This?"

"Yeah, that… It's my Yankees jersey. You know I let you sleep in anything but the Yankees jersey"

"What, even when I do this," she asked as she carefully peeled her jeans from her legs, leaving her with just her panties on, "You sure you want me to change."

"I'm pretty sure Amanda needs to sleep in her own room tonight," Danny concluded, "Amanda, can you find your own way, Daddy needs to-"

"Daddy doesn't need anything, and Daddy needs to control himself for 2 days until Mommy and Daddy are all on their own."

"But - You – in that – with… Aw, come on Linds."

"Sorry" she giggled as she slid into the bed, and covered Amanda up while switching the lamp on. "You said she could, you can't change your mind."

"Whatever," Danny sighed as he lay on top of the covers with his arm draped across the headboard.

"Are you gonna turn that off?" Lindsay asked as she pulled out her book from her bedside table.

"No," he laughed, "Why would I."

"Amanda needs to go to sleep," she said, "She's one… and it's what 10:30 already…"

"And?"

"And, she needs to go to sleep, now."

"She'll live. I used to go to bed late all the time."

"And you know this because you can remember things when you were one, because you're made of awesome?" Lindsay laughed, "Yeah, okay…"

"My mom tells me stories, Montana."

"I'm sure she does, Momma's boy." Lindsay teased.

"There ain't nothing wrong with being a Momma's boy."

"If your son is a Mommy's boy you'd kick his butt."

"No, I would just gently direct-"

"And bribe," Lindsay coughed

"Okay, I would bribe his butt to be a Daddy's boy."

"So you get all the kids then, what do I get, the dog?"

"We don't have a dog."

"We'll have to get a dog. Someone for me to love on."

"You can love on me," Danny smirked, "I quite like your loving."

"What can I say," Lindsay smiled, "It comes with the ring."

Danny chuckled as he pointed the remote at the TV and switched it onto Standby. Following suit, Lindsay switched the light off, and settled down.

Slowly, Lindsay felt sleep overtaking her, until she felt Amanda sit up next to her. Lindsay sighed, "Amanda, lie down"

"Mommy?"

"Lie down," she said, sternly.

"Mommy?"

"Lie down, Amanda."

"Mommy?"

"Mommy said lie down, M. Do as you're told."

"Daddy,"

"Lie. Down." Lindsay emphasised. "I'm not playing with you. You either lie down, or you're going in your own room. Make your choice."

They felt Amanda shuffle down the bed, and her soft scent hit the pillow. "Thank you," Lindsay sighed, "Night baby girl,"

"Night mommy."

"G'night M,"

"Wub Daddy."

"Ha, see she wubs me," Danny teased.

"She's a Daddy's girl," Lindsay shrugged in the darkness as Amanda snuggled up to her. "Who is already educated on who keeps the MasterCard."

"For the things Mommy can't buy, there's always Daddy."

Lindsay chuckled as she felt Danny reach his arm over and pull both his close close, so Amanda was sandwiched between them.

"Night baby girl,"

Lindsay's heart fluttered at Danny talking to Amanda.

"Linds?"

"Mhmm?"

"I said night,"

Her heart swelled at what he called her "Sweet dreams, Danny."

"That's sappy," he chuckled as he leant over and kissed her temple, before settling back down.

"G'night Dan," Lindsay chuckled.

**_R&R? It's muchly appreciated, and the muse loves it :P_**


	119. Blast from the past

**_A/N: The muse and I was in a bit of a bad mood with a certain character on that's still possibly recurring on a certain show when we wrote this. Hence the, um... well, you'll see. LOL. Twinkeyrocks, i had to say her name, i ain't putting any more money in the damn swear box. lol_**

Stella's eyes strained as she watched a brown haired, small, skinny woman head towards Danny and Lindsay's office.

She glanced around the AV lab, and reached across to Nick and tapped him on the shoulder "Can you see that woman?"

Nick looked sideways at Stella and laughed, "Why?"

"Just answer the question,"

"Yeah, I uh – I see her there, why? Shouldn't she be there?"

"No" Stella spat as she threw her pen down she was holding, "I'll be right back," she said as she stormed out of AV.

"Oookay," Nick laughed, all the while, being slightly worried about Stella's reaction to whoever had just strolled through the crime lab.

He stood up, and folded his arms, as his eyes followed Stella down the hallway and into Danny and Lindsay's shared office.

--

--

"Can I help you," Stella stated more than asked as she practically ripped the door open to the shared office.

"Actually," the woman smiled, as she set a picture of Amanda and Lindsay down on Danny's desk. "Is Danny around?"

"No."

"Oh," the woman shrugged

"What do you want, Rikki?"

"Nothing, just need to speak to Danny, it's about Ruben's father - he got in touch."

"Really, and…? Danny needs to know because?"

"I just thought Danny would like to know"

"I'll be sure to pass the message on" Stella mused,

"Is he not here, is he out in the field, I could hang around."

"It's his day off"

"Oh," Rikki sighed,

"With his wife," Stella added with a smirk, "And then he's going away for the weekend for their two-year-anniversary." Stella smiled as she rested against a chair, "But feel free to stick around,"

"Nah, no. It's fine." Rikki shrugged, highly embarrassed. She glanced onto the desk and grabbed a pen and a piece of paper, and scribbled a number on it, and handed it to Stella, "If you could give him this, let him know I stopped by"

"Sure thing," Stella smiled, as she held the door open for Rikki. "I'll walk you to the exit if you like."

"No, it's fine."

"No, allow me," Stella glared as she pointed out into the hallway,

Rikki smiled weakly, and hurried out of the office. With Stella quick on her heels,

"So," Stella smiled as she caught up to Rikki as they headed down the hallway,

Rikki smiled and shrugged, "So…"

"How've you been?"

"Okay," Rikki asked, "Do I know you?"

"No," Stella said simply, "But I heard about you,"

"From Lindsay," Rikki said as she rolled her eyes, "She made a lot of crap up, you know."

"I'm sure she did." Stella nodded,

"Do you know Lindsay?"

"Yeah," Stella shrugged, "Probably not as well as you know her, I see her now and again…"

"Oh, believe me, you're lucky. She's a piece of work, Danny's really unhappy in that relationship, ya'know."

"I'm sure he is," Stella nodded as she jabbed the elevator button, "It's always written all over his face. Do you and him talk much still?"

"Yeah, time to time, we catch up on things," Rikki smiled.

"Aw, that's nice," Stella chuckled, "Good to keep your friends close" she commented, while thinking 'and your enemies closer…'

"Yeah" Rikki nodded, "I changed my cell, forgot to tell him."

"That's why you've given me this?" Stella said, revealing the number on the piece of paper,

"Exactly," Rikki smiled, "Wow, it's a long way down, isn't it?"

"Yeah, 35 floors." Stella said, "Long way up aswell."

Rikki nodded as the elevator opened on the ground floor, "Well, it was nice to meet you, -"

"Don't be silly, walked you this far, might as well walk the distance," Stella said politely as she headed out of the elevator, hinting for Rikki to follow her.

Stella bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from exploding at what the woman next to her had said about her best friend. She had been okay up until Rikki had said Danny was unhappy. It was one thing bullshitting about Lindsay. But bullshitting about Danny and Lindsay, was a no go area.

"Oh Rikki, that's what I meant to say to you…" Stella started as she reached for Rikki's arm and pulled her to one side.

"Tell me what," Rikki asked, softly.

Stella's whole demeanour changed, "Never, ever let me catch you in this crime lab again."

"What?"

"Never ever, bullshit about my best friend again. You ought to be careful who you're talking to, Rikki. I guess you missed that picture of me and Lindsay on Danny's desk, while you were rearranging it."

Rikki swallowed.

"If I ever, see you in here again, you won't know what's hit you. And that, my dear, is a promise. Do me a favour and get the fuck out of here."

Rikki's eyes widened.

"Now." Stella added when she saw that Rikki had yet to move.

"Need some help?" Nick asked as he came up behind Rikki, "Problem Stella?"

"Get her the hell out of my face."

"With pleasure" Nick smirked as he took hold of Rikki's arm, and set her outside the door. "Be sure to move away, the door swings," Nick smirked as he swung the door shut,

And, sure enough, the door swung and hit Rikki on her ass.

"Well," Stella shrugged as Nick brushed his hands, "You did say to move."

Laughing, he patted her on the back; "Never know you had it in you, Bonasera. Who the hell was that?"

Stella shrugged and screwed up the piece of paper and threw it on the floor, "No-one important" she said as she stood on it, "Just a blast from the past."

"Was that Rikki?"

Stella chuckled, "Yeah, that was Rikki."

"She seems a delight," Nick nodded as he walked in step with Stella.

"Yeah, a treasure. She needs to find a black hole, ASAP."

"We not a fan Stella?" Nick teased.

"I saw the pain that woman caused Lindsay and Danny. She nearly destroyed them so, no. Not in the least am I a fan."

Nick nodded. "You should have said, I would have swung the door shut a little harder."

--

--

--

Stella glanced over in Nick's direction once they got up back to the AV lab. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she knew there was something wrong.

"Is everything okay," Stella tentatively asked,

Smiling, Nick nodded "Fine, why?"

"You're quiet. Have been since we left the witness and the scene, is there something wrong?"

"No" he assured her while shaking his head, "I'm ah – I'm fine."

"You know, I don't mean to push, but I haven't – you haven't said why you left Vegas… Did something happen?"

"Yeah" Nick nodded, "It did,"

"Nicky, you can tell me, you know."

"I haven't talked about it, not sure whether I want to if I'm honest."

"So you know, I'm here, when you do."

"I know," Nick nodded.

--

--

"Hey," Flack smiled as he wrapped his arms around Stella. "How you doing, haven't seen you today, well I should say night actually."

"Good," she shrugged "I nearly had a cat fight."

Flack chuckled and reached over her to grab a mug from the cupboard, "Who the hell with?"

"Rikki"

"Rikki who, Sandoval?"

"Mhmm." She nodded as she poured the coffee into their cups "She started bitchin' about Lindsay and I nearly lost it."

"She started bitchin' about Linds, to you. Is she crazy?"

"She didn't know me and her are friends."

Flack laughed, cocked his eyebrows and nodded "I don't even want to know. Girl shit confuses me."

"Chemical compounds confuse you," Stella sighed,

"And what…? For a guy with a high school diploma, I don't do that bad."

"True," she said as she shrugged out of his hug and moved over to the couch.

"S'matter Stell?"

"Nothin'" she shrugged, "Why does something have to be wrong?"

"It doesn't, but something is wrong."

"Nothing's wrong, I have a lot of work to do,"

"I know, but there is such a thing as taking a break you know, babe."

"I have to get to work, Don."

"Seriously Stell, you're working yourself to the ground…"

"With Danny and Lindsay away this weekend I'm trying to do as much as I can before they leave…"

"Yeah, well I think we need to talk…"

"I'll call you, I have to get back to work right now, I was literally grabbing a cup of coffee," Stella said as she set her cup down and hurried out of the break room, leaving Flack deflated.

"Oh yeah, cup of coffee?" he said to the empty break room as he moved her full cup to the sink and emptied the contents.

--

--

Flack knocked lightly on the office door and raised his eyebrows at Nick, silently asking if he could come in, waving him in, Nick sighed.

"Do I need my kit?"

"No," Flack said, "I need to talk,"

"You people insist on talking. Do you actually do any work? It's like you all run shrinks on the side. City not paying you enough?"

"I'm serious."

"I'm all ears," Nick said as he glanced at the couch, moving towards it. "What's the matter."

"Stella." Flack said simply, "I don't know what's the matter with her, and I figured…"

"That I would seen as I have been with her for the past few days?"

"Exactly."

"And I wish I could, but she's been fine with me, Flack. Why, what's going on?"

"She just flipped out on me in the break room, I don't know what happened. It was like the twilight zone."

"You tried talking?"

"She said she'd call me."

"Oh"

"Yeah, doesn't seem too good, does it?"

"I dunno, I don't know what the back story is."

"You do,"

"I know about Frankie and Drew, but,"

"That's the back story. That's it."

Nick sighed, "Maybe you should talk to Lindsay?"

"Why?" Flack laughed,

"She's Stella's best friend. Women talk."

Flack nodded, "You're right. I should, shouldn't I?"

Nick nodded animatedly. "Sure,"

Nick stood up and headed for the door, "The phone's there. Come find me when you're done."

"It's late,"

"Sooner or later Flack, you're gonna have to find out…"

Flack sighed to himself as Nick shut the door behind him; preferring the latter option as opposed to the former...

**_R&R? It's muchly appreciated. And only takes two ticks :)_**


	120. Late Night Sneak Outs

**Aww, **Peanut** you didn't leave an address I could reply at. So I'll do it here...You know what, it's MY story – if ya don't like it, don't read it, it clearly states it's DL, therefore if you aren't keen on Lindsay, steer away... A little suggestion for you, got nothing nice to say? Don't speak. Constructive Criticism, feel free... However, pointless flames; no thank you. **

**To everyone else, thank you so much for your support, I really appreciate your lovely comments with every chapter and the time you take to read the epic saga. **

**To prevent some confusion, the first part of this chapter is one of them flashforwards. **

**And, **Gwen24**, I hope it is a little more clear as to why Lindsay has been a little hesitant with this chapter. :) **

**--**

Danny glanced at the caller ID, and his heart skipped a beat, "Amanda?"

"Daddy?"

"It's me baby, everything okay?"

"No" she sobbed down the phone, "Daddy, it isn't okay."

"Baby, what's wrong," Danny shifted in his chair, "You're scaring me baby girl."

"Daddy, I'm – I'm – I'm pregnant."

"M&M, that's good, that's not a bad thing. You don't gotta be scared baby, what's Jamie said? I bet he's over the moon."

"He's gone Daddy, he's gone. He left me."

Danny could feel his heart break. "Baby" He grit his teeth in anger. There were about 50 million things going through his head. Either was a profanity or a death thread to the moron that Amanda called her boyfriend.

"Daddy, say something." He heard her cry down the phone.

"You know if I could baby girl, I'd make this pain go away. You'd just have to tell me where it hurts, and I would. It's all right though, sweetie. You know that right. You have Mommy and me… You don't gotta be scared. You don't need him baby. It's not the end of the world, me and Mommy will make this okay for you."

"But Daddy, I can't do this on my own."

"This is why I hate you living out in Chicago, I can't get to you when you need me. There's plenty of accountancy companies in New York, you know…"

"Daddy, I'm not moving, I just- I needed to talk to you. You're my daddy, and I miss you sometimes. Even at the tender age of 27 I still sometimes need my Daddy."

"And he's always here… Do you need me and Uncle Flack to come up there, tune him up, beat some shit out of him?"

"I think he's just scared Daddy, but it hurts, he always promised he wouldn't leave, and he did. He did what you said he would." She said quietly, a fresh bout of tears hitting her.

"I never meant that, Amanda. I was just pissed that he was taking you away from me. I didn't mean all the mean things I said about him; I know you love him. You're my baby. And I just wanted to make sure he would treat you the way you deserve – no one would have been good enough. But-"

"But you were right, he left." she said sadly, "you always are right."

"Your Mom's here baby, she wants to talk to you."

"Is she mad?"

"At you? Never Amanda, she's mad at Jamie, but that's it. You're our first born, no matter what happens we could never be mad at you."

"Put her on then," Amanda sighed, "Daddy?"

"Yeah sweetheart?"

"I love you Daddy. And thank you."

"I love you too baby, and you got nothing to thank me for."

--

--

Danny shot up in bed, chest heavy. He glanced around the room, and strained his eyes at the toddler sleeping next to him, curled into his frame, stealing three-quarters of his pillow, and leaving him duvet-less.

"Thank god that was a dream," he breathed as he smoothed Amanda's blonde curls on her head. He lay back down, and pulled her close, gently placing a kiss to her temple, while stealing some of the covers she had managed to wrap herself in. If it wasn't for Lindsay stealing the covers, it was Amanda.

He closed his eyes, and instantly could feel sleep overtake him, until the shrill rings of a ringtone woke him up.

"Linds" Danny mumbled into his pillow, "Cell."

"Get it then," Lindsay grunted,

"It's yours," he shot back, as he turned on his side, and snuggled up to Amanda, and held her protectively.

"Hello?" she whispered down the phone, sleepily.

"I'm so sorry Linds,"

"Flack?"

"Did I wake you?"

"Flack, it's One AM, yes you woke me. What's the matter - is there a scene?"

"No. No, it's nothing like that. It's more of a personal phone call."

"That couldn't wait until 9AM?"

"No." He said simply, "Have you spoken to Stella recently?"

"One second Flack," Lindsay, sighed as she got out of bed, and turned her pillow, creating a wall so that Amanda didn't fall off the bed. "I gotta take this, Dan."

Danny mumbled into his pillow and wrapped an arm protectively around Amanda's duvet covered body.

"Go ahead" Lindsay sighed as she shut the bedroom door and turned on the hall light as she made her way downstairs.

"Have you spoken to Stella,"

"About what, Flack?"

"If you have, you know what I'm talking about…"

"Flack, this – me getting involved, I'm not-"

"Lindsay, please I'm in between a rock and a hard place."

Lindsay bit her lip in contemplation, "What time do you get off?"

"I'm done now"

"Starbucks on 24th and 5th?"

Flack sighed, "Meet you in a half an hour."

Lindsay sighed as she chucked her purse on the floor.

"You couldn't get dressed?" Flack laughed out loud as he looked at her NYPD drawstring sweats that were way to big for her tiny frame, and a long sleeve NYPD gym shirt.

"I am dressed," Lindsay spat looking down at her clothes, "I was wearing Danny's Yankees t-shirt and-"

Flack shoved his fingers in his ears, "Don't need to know, thanks."

"What's that-" Lindsay smiled

"I got you a drink," Flack shrugged, "Least I could do."

"You're sweet. What is it?"

"Hazelnut hot chocolate; didn't think coffee would be the best thing in the world at 1.45AM."

"Not just good looks, then," Lindsay smiled as she took a sip. "So…"

"So…"

"I feel like I'm cheating on Danny, late night sneak outs with my lover."

"You wish, Monroe. He does know you've come, right. I'm not gonna have him riding my ass"

"He is fully aware, he woke up when I told him I was going out…"

"At 1AM, so would I. What did he say?"

"Told me to leave the MasterCard at home."

"Are you really that bad?"

"I think it's just an ongoing joke now," she shrugged, "So… Stella."

"Is there something going on that I need to prepare myself about?"

Lindsay sighed heavily as she set her hot chocolate on the table and tucked her leg underneath her in the huge comfy chair, "Don, I don't think this should be coming from me. It isn't fair."

"Linds, throw me a bone. I didn't know anything was wrong until a few days ago, she stopped calling, got really busy. I've seen 'How to lose a guy in 10 days' I know the drill."

"What made you call me then,"

"She pulled away from me in the break room. Thought that was a bit of a indicator."

Lindsay sighed, "This shouldn't be coming from me, you need to talk to Stella. This isn't my relationship, Don."

"I sound like a whiny brat, but Linds, she ain't talking to me, and hell I ain't a mind reader. Just tell me what she said, so that I know… Bring me up to speed."

Lindsay closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "Don, I'm really sorry."

"Linds…"

"She- I – she feels,"

"She thinks it isn't working,"

Lindsay nodded silently.

"Why can't she tell me that? Why did she leave you to tell me?"

"Flack, it isn't like that. She doesn't want to hurt you, she loves you, but she's – I think she hasn't dealt with the Frankie stuff."

"I know she does Lindsay, but I've seen them Frankie issues first hand. I've seen the inside of her new place once, once. Haven't been in, because she still has that rule in place. And this is me - How long has she known me, even before we were together, she knew I wouldn't hurt her"

"I'm pretty sure she thought Frankie wouldn't hurt her either Flack. You know she loves you,"

Flack shrugged, "I'd like to think so, but I'm beginning to think we were both searching for something that wasn't there."

"Flack, come on you know you don't mean that."

"I don't know, Linds. I love her, I do, but whether it's love that you and D have, is a different question."

"Me and Danny are different. And Don, you know we've had issues, we just have to try damn hard to keep it together."

"It all seems pretty easy to me, from where I'm standing you make love look like a piece of cake."

"We're enjoying the benefits right now, yeah. But, who's to say there isn't a bump around the corner. You have to enjoy everyday as it comes, cause you don't know whether it'll be your last or not."

"What should I say to her, Lindsay?"

"Damn, 'Lindsay'. We are being serious."

"Linds,"

"Sorry," she smiled, "You just need to give it to her how it is," Lindsay shrugged, "Do you feel it's worth fighting for?"

Flack bit his lip and sighed, "I really don't know," he said running a hand through his hair, "I've tried Linds, believe me, I tried so hard, but I don't think this is us. I'm not – she's not… we're better as Stella and Flack, friends. Not Stella and Flack, the couple."

"There you go then," Lindsay sighed heavily and took a deep breath.

"You okay?" Flack inquired at her pale face.

"What? Yeah, fine" she smiled as she set the hot chocolate down on the table. "Had a bit of a stomach bug lately."

"Probably that Pizza Hut pizza," Flack shrugged,

"Yeah, I'm just going to head to the restroom," Lindsay smiled as she stood up.

Flack sat back, then sat forward and glanced into Lindsay's cup. She had hardly drunken a thing, yet she'd been sipping the drink every other sentence, and she loved the hazelnut hot chocolate...

He glanced in the direction she had headed in, and decided to follow her. He glanced up at the decorated walls, hesitated for a second, and then pushed through the doors of the ladies restroom.

He stood for a second listening, until he heard the sounds of someone throwing up.

"Linds?"

"Mmmpfh"

"Which cubicle you in," Flack asked as he glanced underneath the doors.

"Third from the left." she managed to get out before emptying her stomach contents again

Carefully, Flack nudged the door opened, and dropped to his knees, gathering Lindsay's shoulder length hair, and holding it in one hand, while rubbing her back soothingly with his other hand.

"It's alright,"

She took a deep breath as she reached up and flushed the toilet, and then rested against the wall of the cubicle

Flack smoothed down her hair, and moved to sit next to her, "Have you told him?"

"Told who want?" she asked as she stood up carefully, and navigated her way around Flack.

"Told your husband you're having his baby?" he deadpanned as he stood up and followed her towards the sink.

"I told you Flack, it's just a -"

"Bullshit, and you know it."

"Have you been talking to Danny, Flack?"

"No," Flack said, adamantly shaking his head, "Okay, he called."

Lindsay rolled her eyes and sighed as she pulled herself up the space by the sink basins "Saying?"

"I ain't turning him in, grassing him up. Get your own informant." Flack laughed as he sat in the next gap.

"If I tell you something Flack, promise me you wont tell him."

"Scouts honour," he promised.

"You weren't even a scout," she laughed, "promise Flack?"

"I Swear." He nodded

"I don't want to take a test-"

"Lindsay, that's plain stupid, you need to-"

"Yet." She glared at him for cutting her off, "I want to – I'm just scared."

"Of what, Linds? What Danny will say? I'm sure he'll be excited"

"You're a moron," Lindsay glared at him, "I just don't want my heart to get broken again, I couldn't deal with that again."

"Lindsay," Flack asked, tone soft, "Did you think you were pregnant before?"

"About two months ago," Lindsay nodded, "We were convinced, and it was negative. It broke me in two, but I didn't want, I didn't think- Stella knew we thought I was but I think she just presumed when I didn't tell her. I just knew I had to-"

"You had to stay strong for Amanda and Danny" Flack finished for her.

"Yeah," she sighed, "But to think I was, and being told I wasn't, broke my heart."

"Danny was there for you, you could have talked to him." Flack told her, "You know he would do anything for you Lindsay,"

"He was hurting as much as I was. We didn't talk about it."

"What did you do then?"

"Kept trying," Lindsay shrugged, "What else can you do, what's done is done. But recently, I was feeling a little- I dunno,"

"Pregnant," Flack offered.

"No, wiseass." Lindsay sighed, "Inadequate… scared. It's a big thing having a baby, and I was worried. I mean that baby relies on me. I have to look after the baby; I have to protect him or her, and that's a huge responsibility. It's not just me I'm looking after. Someone else is relying solely on me."

"You didn't talk about it?"

"No," Lindsay shook her head, "He'd just worry about me, I knew once I had time to think about it, I would realise I was being silly."

"But Linds, I still think you should…"

"What you gonna do, Flack?" Lindsay asked, changing the subject.

"I haven't got much choice, we need to talk, plain and simple." Flack sighed, realising that Lindsay was hurting too much to go any further into it.

"What you gonna say?"

"Dunno," he admitted, "I haven't done anything like this before, Devon just fucked off with her little socialite boyfriends, so that saved me the hassle of dumping her. Jess and me didn't work; neither did Stell and me. I guess some people just aren't supposed to find their soulmates."

"You believe in soulmates?" Lindsay asked, surprised

"I have you and Danny as an example, I'd be crazy to think otherwise. I've always thought there's someone for everyone, but well, not me. I think it's about time I just stay on my own, do my own thing. I've done the relationship thing. It pisses me off."

Lindsay rolled her eyes, "There I was thinking we were getting an insight into Donald Flack, and he turns around and is all, 'it pisses me off,'" she teased in a manly voice before reaching over and swatting his arm,

He feigned hurt, and rubbed his arm, "For a girl, you've got a strong punch."

"Girl? I'm a year younger than you."

Flack rolled his eyes, "I better get you home, Danno will kick my ass keeping his pregnant wife out…"

"Flack," she warned,

"I'm kidding," he assured her as he offered her his hand to help her down, "Linds, can I ask you something?"

"Anything,"

"Do you still feel like that? Scared?"

"No" she shook her head honestly, "Not anymore,"

Flack nodded, "Alright, I'm just checking. And take a test, okay? Do you promise?"

"I will" she promised, "But can we not mention this to Danny, I don't want him to worry about me keeping this bottled up. I will take a test though, I swear."

"My lips are sealed then." Flack promised as he wrapped his arm around her and gave her a hug. "Thanks, Linds. For you know… talking tonight,"

"It's my pleasure," she smiled warmly, "You're Danny's best friend…"

"And yours," Flack added.

"You're my best friend," she giggled. "We sound like six-year-olds."

"And?" Flack laughed, "Looks like I ain't sleeping tonight, I'm gonna swing by the lab, see if Stella's still there." Flack said as the two left the empty coffee shop.

Lindsay nodded as she pulled out her car keys and unlocked it as she walked towards it. "Good luck, Don."

"Call me when you get home, so I know you're safe."

"Sure thing, Dad." She saluted before he swatted her on her arm playfully.

"Get in, wiseass. Tell Danny I'll call him tomorrow."

"I will." She smiled as she shoved the key in the ignition and shut the door before rolling the window down, "Let me know, one way or the other how it goes…"

"I will," Flack nodded as he poked her nose through the open window. "Drive safe Linds,"

"Always" she smiled as she set the car in reverse and slowly backed away, leaving Flack in the empty car park.

Ready to face his problems with Stella head on.

Or so he told himself.


	121. Changes

**_Well, to be quite honest, i don't know what to say about the reponse to last chapter, it was amazing. Thank you all so much. I really appreciate it. It means alot. :) _**

_**Now, we have a new character.** Brown eyed girl** has graciously leant me her OC, Sam from "Memories of Brooklyn" and "Views from Brooklyn" for WYHTG land...** **Any of you that have read MOB/VFB you may notice a few differences, but she's still the same firecracker. She's going to become a permanant fixture, so i hope you guys like her. **_

**_If you do like her, I reccommend heading over to either MOB/VFB and see her in the fullest form. What you see here doesn't do her enough justice. LOL. My personal fave is "Views from Brooklyn" and i promise you, you won't regret it. _**

* * *

_"So where do we stand?" Flack questioned, "Because let me tell you Stella, I'm done chasing. I'm laying my cards down on the table, so throw me a bone, do me a favour, and do the same."_

_"You know where you stand."_

_"Do I honestly, Stell? Because I don't think I do. I miss you, Stella. I miss us."_

_"Me too." She nodded, "But…"_

_"See, I knew there was something else. I can take what you gotta say you know, don't sugar coat it. I've always been honest with you, I'd like to think I get the same back."_

_"You do," Stella insisted, "So don't try and say I feed you bullshit."_

_"Just trying to figure out what the deal is with us. You pulled away from me today? Why?"_

_"Because…" Stella shrugged, "It's complicated."_

_"I got time," Flack said, sitting down on her couch in her office. "I always got time for you Stella."_

_"I think we need to –"_

_"Go on, we need to what…"_

_"I love you, Don, I really do. But I don't think I love you like that. Not anymore. It's not you… it's…"_

_"You don't have to explain yourself, Stella. I understand, sometimes things just don't work the way you wanted them to, not matter how hard you try… they just don't work."_

_"But-"_

_"Don't even say we can still be friends Stella, because I wouldn't want you thinking anything different. What we've been through together as a couple will make our friendship stronger, alright."_

--

"Flack?" Scagnetti called down the precinct, "Come 'ere"

Flack shot up from his desk and sighed as he realised where he was. He rubbed his heavy, heavy eyes. A part of him wished that when he had mused to Lindsay that he wasn't sleeping last night he was kidding– thing was, he wasn't kidding. After he had left the crime lab, _a single guy,_ he had made it the parking garage of his apartment, to be called by dispatch telling him there was a homicide with his name written all over it.

"Mhmm?"

"Thought I would give you a heads up, we're getting a new homicide detective."

"Oh yeah?" Flack mused, "Angell finally jumped ship?"

"Moved out to California, last night."

"Whattt?" Flack gasped in disbelief, "So… she just upped and left?"

"Yeah, they had your job waiting for her in So-Cal. Jumped at the chance."

"Oh," Flack nodded, "So, we've got a replacement in that quick? Seriously? Usually I would be stretching my ass to all five boroughs."

"She gets here in thirty. Name's Samantha Ross."

"Ross? As in Adam Ross' sister?"

"No relation, I asked."

"Thank god, we'd have another bumbling Ross."

"Well, you're lucky. She ain't."

Flack nodded, "Background?"

"Brooklyn background, top of her class. Graduated the academy straight out of high school, then went onto the University of Phoenix to study criminology and ballistics."

"And she's a homicide detective?"

"Mhmm," Scagnetti nodded, "interviewed her myself. She's a firecracker. Give you a run for your money, Flack. Bonasera had better keep an eye out."

"Me and Stella aren't together" Flack said simply, "Broke up last night."

"Oh, man, I'm sorry… I didn't-"

"No worries," Flack shrugged, "Long time coming. So thirty minutes?"

"Yeah, prepare yourself."

Flack rolled his eyes. What could a homicide detective from Brooklyn do?

--

* * *

"Don Flack?"

Flack glanced up from the case file he had been reading through. "Yeah?"

"Samantha Ross," she smiled, offering her extended hand.

"Hey," Flack said, unwelcoming before turning back to his case file, disregarding the hand she had offered him to shake.

"Nice to meet you too," she laughed sarcastically, "Asshole."

"Excuse me," Flack spat setting the case file down, "Who the hell are you?"

"Samantha Ross. If you'd pull your head out of your ass, you'd have heard me. Where's my desk?"

"Head out of my ass? What?"

"You heard… My desk… Where is it?"

Flack blinked. Scagnetti wasn't kidding… "Over there," Flack pointed across the way from his. "The only empty one in the precinct."

"Ahh, sense of humour," she smiled as she set her bag down, "Makes up for the lack of manners."

Flack narrowed his eyes as he watched her unload things from her bag to her desk. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something… Something about her.

"It's rude to stare," she said simply as she sat down and turned her computer on. "You want me to run upstairs, grab you a cannon, take a picture. They last longer,"

Flack snorted as he glanced down at his case file, while thinking 'yes please.'

--

* * *

Danny sighed as he threw the case file and results on the layout table. "I can't deal with this heat anymore," Danny spat as he ripped his shirt off and threw it on the side

"It's February." Adam laughed,

"The AC's broke though. It regulates the temp. I like how cold it is in here."

"I prefer it warm," Adam shrugged,

"You're a girl," Danny teased as he reached over the layout table, to grab his last set of results he'd received. "Polyethylene?"

"I'm too tired to try and make sense of it." Adam shrugged

"It's the heat. Makes you sleepy."

"God you can tell you're a dad with your vocabulary, 'sleepy'."

"Just wait till you meet 'the one'. We'll have bumbling Adam's running around the crime lab"

"No thanks, I'll happily keep to my role of 'Uncle Adam' for Amanda, and whoever else you and Linds decide to-"

"Enough…" Danny warned, "So, what else do we have…"

"Yeah, where are you on this?" Mac asked as he walked into layout.

Danny's jaw dropped and glanced over to Adam, who was equally scraping his jaw off the floor, "Mac, where the hell did your blue shirt go?"

"Too hot." He shrugged, as he glanced down at his black undershirt, "Called maintenance, said they'd be as soon as possible to fix the AC."

Danny nodded as he slid the results over to Mac, "No idea. I'm waiting for Montana to come back, with-"

"Her shirt off," Adam smirked in Mac's direction

"That," Danny glared at him "And her results on the prints she was running. She should be done now. Been gone about two hours."

"Prints take a while, Danny." Mac reminded him, "We aren't watching a crime show."

"I know, I know…" Danny sighed as he watched Hawkes head into trace in just a wifebeater.

"We must be crazy," Danny, concluded, "if we went out like this, we'd freeze."

"It ain't that cold out," Mac shrugged, "it'd take a lot more to make you freeze, Danny."

"I got a hit," Lindsay squealed excitedly as she headed into layout with her nose in the case file. "The prints traced to-" she stopped dead in her tracks as she saw what Mac and Danny were wearing. Or lack thereof.

"Whoa."

"It's hot in here," Danny shrugged in explanation.

Lindsay snorted, "Really?"

"Yeah, AC's out." Mac told her

"Oh," she nodded as she moved across the room to the thermostat on the wall. "Nothing to do with the heating being on then?" she smiled as she pointed at the wall outlet, before turning it down.

Danny turned to glare at Adam, "You"

"I was cold," he whined, "I'm sick of having to wear sweaters to work."

"I called maintenance for nothing,?" Mac glared at Adam,

"I was just gonna turn it down when you two-"

Rolling his eyes, Danny sighed as he stopped listening to Adam, his eyes trailed out into the hallway as he watched Flack head down the hallway with a small brunette, "Whoa, who's Flack's new girl?" he asked, interrupting Adam.

"She's the new homicide detective." Mac told them, as the two entered the room.

"Whoa," Sam gasped.

"Hey," Adam smiled, while Danny nodded in her direction.

"Looks like you're missing out on the fun, Don." She smirked as she smiled in Lindsay's direction. "They always dress like this?"

"Would if they could," Lindsay smirked as she extended her hand, "Lindsay Messer."

She took Lindsay's hand, and smiled. "Samantha Ross."

"You here to keep Flack in line?" Danny chirped.

Samantha laughed, "he wishes… So, what is it, dress in your underwear day? And why the hell is it so hot in here? I feel I need to strip down or something. I'm overdressed for the party."

"Wiseass over here decided to turn the heating up," Danny mused as he held his hand out to Sam across the tables, "Danny Messer."

Sam smiled, and double taked between Danny and Lindsay, "Either she got the looks, or you're married."

"I got the looks," Lindsay giggled as she smirked at Danny. "No, married. Two years on Saturday"

"Aww, congratulations," Sam gushed, "Quite an accomplishment."

"We think so," Danny smiled as he moved towards Lindsay and wrapped his arm around her, "You got yourself someone?"

"Danny" Mac scolded, "Be nice, no personal questions just yet. Let her take her jacket off first..."

"It's fine," Sam told him, "And no, I don't. It's like the whole parking space thing. They're either taken, or too small."

Lindsay giggled and Mac gasped.

"On that note…" Mac coughed, "Keep me in the loop."

"Always," Lindsay smiled as Mac left the room and turned back to Sam. "So, you here to stay?"

"I hope so." Sam smiled, "Mr Flack here is giving me a tour of the crime lab…"

"Nice of him," Danny smirked, "Showed her the locker room yet, Flack?"

"Haha," Flack glared at him, "Bite your tongue, Danny. I'm just showing her what needs to be shown. Her induction's later. Get to know the ins and outs."

"Did you uh- speak to Stella, Flack?" Lindsay whispered as she pulled him to one side, leaving Danny talking to Sam.

"Yeah, we broke up. But, I don't want to talk about it right now."

"Aw, Don, I'm sorry." Lindsay sighed as she rubbed his arm affectionately. "Well, me and Danny are here, when and if you need to…"

"Thanks Linds," Flack smiled, "Danny knows, told him… So I mean, if you want…"

"I'll talk to Danny," she nodded as she turned back towards her previous conversation and stood next to Sam.

"… And that's how I found a new found love for Mint chocolate chip ice cream."

Lindsay snorted, "Well, this sounds like a x-rated conversation I just walked into…"

"I believe Danny will be stopping at the store tonight… We can compare notes," Sam giggled as she patted Lindsay on the shoulder.

"Baby, do I want to know?" Lindsay asked across the room.

"Let's just say I look at ice cream differently now." Danny said highly amused,

Lindsay rolled her eyes, "Either you've just become my best friend, or you will be the death of me, Samantha Ross. Giving him ideas like that."

"You'll thank me, trust me."

Lindsay glanced over in Danny's direction and smiled sweetly before winking at him.

She'd be the judge of that one….

--

--

"She did what with ice cream?" Lindsay gasped as she set her drink down on the table.

"You heard me Montana. Think we could try it?"

"Danny," she swatted him across the table. "Wash your mouth out and bite your tongue," she scolded, before sitting back down "We'll see."

"I love my wife," Danny grinned proudly in the general direction of Flack who was sat next to him, staring at the picture behind Lindsay in the Italian diner the three had gone to for lunch.

"Huh? What?"

"You thinking about Stella?" Lindsay asked, "Because that's okay you know… to miss her…"

"What do you think of the new girl?" Flack asked,

"Sam? She seems nice. Tiny though. She's smaller than Montana, and I thought she was tiny. You could fit them both in the same pocket. Carry them around," he grinned as Lindsay glared at him and threw a fry at him.

"Go to hell," she grumbled, "I like her, its about time Mac gave me and Stella someone. I'm sick of the lab being male dominated, even if she is with homicide. She's something else. Wicked sense of humour, and as friendly as anything."

"Doesn't put up with crap," Flack added, with a sigh.

"You with us, Don?"

"Mhm." He nodded half-heartedly. "I need to get back to the lab. Got a bunch of work to get on with." Flack said as he nudged Danny out of the way so he could climb out of the booth as he threw a ten dollar bill on the table, "that should cover mine, talk to you guys later…"

Danny sat back down, while staring at Flack before turning towards Lindsay.

"Stella sent him for six, ya know Linds. From what he said, he was really hurt."

"He said that?"

"Not in as many words, but it's Flack, I know him. He really liked her. He told me that when they talked he was real positive so that she didn't feel to bad. The guy's too nice for his own good, it been you and me, I would have told you how it was"

"I'll remember that," Lindsay chuckled

"I meant it in the nicest possible way, of course, baby."

"What happened?" Lindsay asked as she pushed her food over to the opposite side of the table, where Danny was sat, and moved to sit next to him.

"You know nothing?"

"Not a thing." She said as she rested her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her while putting a fry into her mouth.

"Well, he left you… which by the way will not be happening again. Rolling in at 2.30 AM, you're crazy."

"He left me…" she encouraged while feeding Danny one of her fries.

"And found Stella in the lab." he said as he munched on a fry, "Practically pinned her down to get her to talk."

"That just isn't Flack."

"I know," Danny nodded, "That's how much he liked her."

"Go on… they talked…"

"Apparently she said that she wasn't happy, and she was thinking they should go back to how they were. It worked better."

Lindsay nodded silently as she took Danny's hand, "Anything else?"

"That's the shortened version, he gave me a play by play, but to be honest with you Linds, I don't think I could retell it if I wanted to. My heart broke for the guy. He had asked me to go to Tiffany's with him. Pick something out for her. It was their year anniversary coming up."

"I don't think I want to know either then,"

"I think he likes this Sam, you know…"

Lindsay shrugged, "I just hope it is him liking her, and not just thinking that he likes her, when really it's because he's hurting."

"Only time will tell," Danny told her as he kissed her temple, "You gonna drink some more of that milk, Linds?"

--

* * *

"You always a wiseass, Ross?"

"Don't call me that." She told Flack across their desks. "I don't like using last names, it's impersonal."

"Sorry, Samantha." Flack mused, "So, you always a wiseass?"

"Depends on the company" she shrugged, "Why?"

"Just thinking." Flack told her, "What brings you here anyway?"

"Well, see the landlord says it's frowned upon not to pay rent. So I figured I'd kinda need to haul my ass outta bed and get some Benjamin's for rent this month."

"I meant why homicide?"

"Um, I'm a homicide detective. Why the hell else…"

"But you specialised in ballistics and criminology."

"And?"

"And, I just thought that with a degree you'd-"

"Be up in the crime lab, analysing bullets? No thanks. Prefer to be in the action of it all, kicking ass. I can't sit still waiting for a computer to spit some results out at me. Tried that, didn't like it."

"You were a CSI?"

"Trained as one. Phoenix crime lab, hated it. Well, I didn't hate it, but I hafta be out there," she shrugged, "One of them things I guess. I have this personal demon that makes me want to save the city one bad guy at a time."

"And you can take down big burly guys, with a tiny body like yours?"

"Wanna take this outside, see how long you last standing,"

"Look, just getting to know ya, don't start riding my ass."

"I don't ride your ass, Don. I hand it you." She laughed, "You seen Lindsay, I need to ask her something…"

"Her and Danny were having lunch earlier, diner down the road. They might be back now…"

"Well, catch you in a bit," she smiled as she stood up from her desk.

"Where you going?" Flack asked standing up,

"To go find Lindsay," she laughed, "You make a habit of not listening to people?"

"Need me to show you-"

"I'm a big girl, Don. I can find my way around."

"Didn't say you weren't." Flack called after her, before letting out a breath. Maybe he should have prepared himself for the firecracker that was Samantha Ross.

--

* * *

"Lindsay?"

"Hey Sam," Lindsay smiled warmly, "What brings you up here?"

"Do you have some time, I kinda wanna ask you something?"

"Sure," Lindsay smiled "Just let me put this evidence away."

"I'll help," Sam smiled as she grabbed a pair of gloves.

"It's okay, you don't have to."

"It's fine" she assured her, as she signed an envelope seal.

"You know what you're doing?" Lindsay asked,

"Used to be a CSI in Phoenix, only briefly mind, but still."

"There anything you haven't done?"

"One would be surprised," Sam, giggled, "Is there anywhere we can go to get a cup of coffee?"

"Break room?" Lindsay offered. "The coffee tastes like crap, but it does the job…"

"Why not, better get used to it…"

"Oh, it definitely takes some time, let me tell ya."

--

"Lemonade?" Sam asked as she poured some milk into her coffee.

Lindsay blushed slightly as she shut the fridge, "Taking precautions,"

"Ohh," Sam nodded in realisation and smiled widely, "Will he or she be your first?"

Lindsay smiled warmly at the other woman catching on quick, "we have a little girl at home, Amanda."

"Aww," Sam smiled, "How old is she?"

"Nearly 16 months. She's an angel."

"You'll have to show me a picture sometime."

"I'll do you one better, her nanny is bringing her when I finish shift, you can meet her then if you like…"

"Would love to." Sam smiled as she moved to the couch, letting Lindsay follow her.

"So, that question you wanted to ask me."

**_R&R? It's much appreciated_** :)


	122. Bridge over troubled waters

**_Well, i'm glad the vast majority of you like Sam. _**

"Sam!" Lindsay squealed as she swatted her arm.

"What, it's a valid question…" Sam chuckled

"Sam, I thought it was going to be something real serious. Not 'are all the men here, hot?'"

"It's a valid question," Sam insisted.

Lindsay and Sam glanced up at the figure that entered the room as they broke into a fit of giggles

"Are you two going to do any work?"

"Hey Stell," Lindsay smiled before shifting closer to Sam, making room for Stella on the couch, "How you holding up?"

"Fine," she spat "why wouldn't I be?"

She glanced at Stella, the smile that had been displayed across her face, quickly gone, "Stell, it's okay you know… I know…"

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

Lindsay shook her head and stood up, "Whatever, look I was there for Don. Big deal, Stella. You broke up with him, remember. You didn't think it was working. Don't turn this into something it isn't, okay? You wanted to talk, and get it out, and I was there, holding your hand, wiping your tears away when you were upset. You know I loved seeing you two happy, but why make yourselves suffer if you're not happy. You want to get back with Don… Get back with him… You don't? Then don't. But don't push me away and treat me like crap in the process Stella, because it isn't fair... You're my best friend and…"

"The world doesn't revolve around you, Lindsay." Stella said simply

"You're right, it doesn't." Lindsay said as she slammed her glass down, "And you were out of damn order messing Don Flack around like that, and you know it. That's why you're walking around the place like your puppy died, because you feel bad, because you know you should have dealt with this a long time ago. Pull up your big girl pants and deal with it." She spat before turning to Sam, and walking out of the break room, close to tears.

Sam calmly took a sip of her coffee, "I'm Sam Ross by the way,"

"Stella Bonasera." Stella said as slammed a coffee cup on the counter.

"Look, if you want my two cents..."

"Thanks, but no thanks."

Sam cleared her throat, "If you want my two cents, I think you need to talk to Lindsay, from what I've gathered, she's worried about you both. She doesn't want to see you hurting. Throw her a bone, it's hard for her to see her best friends hurting. Heck I really hate seeing how distressed you are, and I don't know you."

"Sorry, who are you?" Stella asked, a little harsher than what she intended it to.

"I'll tell you what, I'm going to head back down the precinct. When you're feeling less shitty, come on down, and we can introduce ourselves properly." She said before turning on her heel and heading after Lindsay.

--

* * *

"Are you sure, Danno? I know this is really short notice, but I just-"

"Flack, don't worry about it, it's a huge responsibility for one guy to handle. I wouldn't be able to look after her all by myself and she's my daughter. Don't worry about it,"

"But you leave in like a day."

"And what?" Danny laughed, "We have a whole list of people that have offered. You guys were just at the top of the list."

"Who's next?"

Danny chuckled, "Mac."

"Grandpa Mac," Flack nodded, "That I would pay to see,"

"Aww, Don, you don't gotta pay." Sam chuckled as she sat down opposite Flack and Danny at her desk.

"Pay for what?"

"Nothing," she laughed, "What you guys talking about?"

"Who's gonna watch Amanda while we're away," Danny told her,

"You not taking her with you?" Sam asked,

"No" Danny shook his head adamantly. "I have plans for this weekend."

"Trying for number two," Flack told Sam, grinning.

"Ah," she chuckled, as she chewed her lip. "Well, I'd say have fun, but it's a given."

"Mhmm." Danny nodded, "So remember Flack, no hard feelings."

Flack nodded as Danny patted him on the back and headed for the exit.

"Hard feelings?" Sam asked pen poised by her mouth, "What about?"

"I'm rubbing off on you," Flack laughed, "Don't you listen?"

"To what? I entered the conversation at the end."

"Me and Stella were supposed to look after Amanda this weekend. But, I didn't feel like – well."

"Say no more," Sam said. "Mind if I ask you a question?"

"Sure, why not. We're partners, gotta know you one way or another."

"Sure," she laughed, "But you know it's me asking you the question so technically I'm getting to know you."

"Whatever, titch."

"Titch?"

"Yeah, or freckles,"

"What are you talking about?"

"Your alias. I can't do with first names. And you don't like last names. So we'll make a compromise. You can call me Don, if I can call you something."

"Freckles?" she laughed in disbelief

"Ever looked in a mirror, freckles? You got a bunch of them,"

"Yeah," she shrugged, "No-one's ever brought that up before."

"I notice things," he shrugged, "So… what did you have to ask me?"

Sam cleared her throat as she glanced up, "Are all the- Stella?"

"Sam," Stella smiled, "I think we need to talk,"

Sam nodded, "Absolutely, wanna find somewhere less-" Sam glanced around the precinct, "crazy?"

Stella laughed, "I think it'd be a good idea."

-

--

* * *

"So…" Stella said quietly as she settled on the couch in her office, "I think I need to apologise."

Sam shook her head, "You were upset, it's understandable. I think I need to explain where I was coming before, because afterwards, I realised that I sounded a little abrupt."

Stella shrugged, "I'm not one to judge."

"I know, but some are, and I just want to explain." She smiled weakly,

"Go ahead then," Stella smiled.

Sam opened her mouth, closed it again, and then laughed, "I'm not sure where to start."

"Could I tell you what my first impression was?"

"Sure," Sam shrugged, "Might give me a starting point."

"It seems to me that you have always had to be defensive in order to stand your ground. You're determined to succeed. And are brutally, brutally honest."

"I don't see the reasoning in not being anything other than honest. If everything is there out on the table, you can deal with it head on. And clear up misunderstandings, a bit like this one. I know today in the break room it kind of had nothing to do with me, but I like Lindsay, she seems really nice, and she has been really, really welcoming to me. She told me all about you, you know." Sam told her, "She really does love you."

"She's my kiddo," Stella smiled, "it's just… it's not a good time for me right now."

"I understand," Sam nodded, "And I didn't mean to sound rude if that's how I came across earlier-"

"Not at all," Stella told her, "I was just a little shocked at – well, I didn't expect to come to work for Flack to have a new partner, as attractive, cute and snappy as you."

Sam sat back, shocked. "Stella, do you think I'm a threat?"

"It passed through my mind, until I realised it was me that split up with, Don."

"Stella," Sam said rubbing her arm, "I am anything but a threat. I don't know the guy. He's just my partner."

"I know," Stella smiled as she patted Sam's hand, "it's just a little tough right now, I'm addressing some of my issues from my past with a therapist, and I'm going through a lot of past memories that I didn't expect to be brought up and still bother me." She trailed off, "I was really horrible to Lindsay earlier, wasn't I."

"I wouldn't worry Stella, Lindsay knows you're hurting."

"Gives me no right." Stella told her, "She's been through a lot recently." Stella sat back, "It's weird."

"What is?" Sam asked.

"You."

"Um, thanks," Sam laughed, "Please tell me I totally missed what you meant then."

Stella laughed, "What I meant was that, it – it doesn't seem like you just started. I mean I only met you today, and it doesn't seem like that at all. I mean, I haven't even told Lindsay about me going to therapy. Hell, Flack doesn't even know..."

Sam shrugged, "I like to think I'm a good listener."

"You most definitely are," Stella, told her, "I'm really sorry Sam, about earlier."

"Stella, there isn't anything to be sorry for. I just wanted to apologise if I seemed abrupt, I don't mean to be it's just-"

"Are you positive you're not related to Adam Ross, you and him have the tendency to… I dunno; you just seem so similar."

"Adam? No," Sam laughed, before turning a little more serious, "So, we good?"

"We weren't anything other than, Sam." Stella smiled.

--

* * *

Stella took a deep breath as she knocked on Lindsay's office door. "Linds?"

Lindsay glanced up and licked her lips, "Yeah?"

"Can I come in?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Look, I'm sorry. Okay?"

"Whatever," Lindsay sighed, "If that's all you had to say then…"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Lindsay asked as she set her pen down

"How scared you were about taking a test, how you felt last time and how it's affected you this time? I thought you could tell me things Lindsay."

Lindsay sat back in her chair, "I take it Flack mentioned it then?"

"Yeah, he kicked my ass for not noticing how bad you took it."

"You had other issues." Lindsay shrugged as she turned back to typing her case file up, "it's no big deal. People get over it all the time. I'm not the first and I wont be the last."

"But I should have been there for you."

Lindsay shrugged, while staring at the computer screen. "You were dealing with some drama's of your own, you didn't need mine."

"Lindsay. Look at me,"

She sighed and glanced up at Stella, "What do you want from me?"

"Let me be there for you... Why didn't you tell me? Why did you let Flack tell me?"

"Because, I didn't want to tell anyone. I didn't even tell Danny. It's my shit, I need to deal with it. It's my own fault I don't do well with emotions, no one else…"

"Why did you just…?" Stella asked before taking a deep breath, and sighing, "I'm sorry."

"Because, I didn't want to. Why upset Danny anymore than what he was. It hit him hard aswell. We were convinced, absolutely positive. He didn't need to deal with the fall out of me not dealing."

"Lindsay, that's what he's there for. To help you through things. You're a team."

"With all due respect Stell, it's a lot easier criticizing a relationship from the outside looking in…"

"I'm the last person to judge Lindsay, trust me. I just – I didn't realise you felt like that… I've never seen you as someone being scared."

"Stella, when you've lost as much as me in your life, you get a little scared when things seem to be slipping away. When things don't turn out how they seem."

Stella moved over the Lindsay, and knelt by her chair, so that they were almost level. "Kiddo, I'm always here for you. You need me, you just ask."

Lindsay swallowed, and choked back a tear, "I know, thank you Stella. I'm sorry I was a bit of a bitch earlier,"

"That's a dollar in the swear jar, Montana." Danny chuckled as he walked into the office.

Rolling her eyes at Danny, Lindsay pulled Stella into a hug, "BFF?"

Both Stella and Danny snorted,

"If we're gonna argue like 6-year-olds, I figured we could make up like six-year-olds."

"BFF it is then," Stella smiled as she kissed Lindsay's cheek. "Ain't that Amanda down the hall with Beth?"

"It is," Lindsay, squealed as she leapt out of her chair and headed for the office door.

She ran down the hallway and caught Amanda as she leapt into her arms.

"You know Danny," Stella smiled as she stood next to him, watching Lindsay and Amanda, "There is nothing I love more, than watching her with that little girl."

"Honest to god Stella, them two right there are nothing short of being my absolute everything. I would do anything for my girls."

"You are a man in love, Daniel Messer."

"And wouldn't change a thing," he declared.

--

**_Keep it up with the reviewing, guys, it honestly makes my day and i appreciate each and every one of you.. And, it keeps the muse happy aswell. ;)_**


	123. Anniversary, part 1

**_A/N: Seriously this has been in the pipeline for months. Months and months! LOL. _**

**_Huge thanks to all those who reviewed last chapter, it's much appreciated! Keep it up guys :) _**

**_--_**

"Lindsay Messer, get your butt down here, now!"

"Mac?" Lindsay laughed as she glanced down the stairs from the hallway outside of the master bedroom, "What on earth are you doing here?"

"Danny called, you're leaving in ten minutes. I'm here to get Amanda."

"You're looking after Amanda?" Lindsay smirked, toothbrush in her mouth

"Lindsay, go brush your teeth," he laughed as he moved into the living room.

"Where's my sweetheart?" Mac chuckled as he popped his head around the corner

"Here I am" Amanda giggled

"There you are," Mac smiled warmly as he sat on the floor next to her, "You gonna spend the weekend with me sweetie?"

"Grandpa Mac?"

Mac laughed, "Yeah, grandpa Mac. That doesn't make me feel old at all,"

"You're only as old as you feel," Danny chuckled as came into the living room and started picking up the cushions that were on the floor and put them back on the sofa. "You been jumping on this, M&M?" he asked pointing to the couch.

She shook her head adamantly "No".

"I'm gonna ask you again, were you jumping on here, Amanda?"

She contemplated telling him otherwise, but she shook her head 'yes'.

Danny glared at her, only for her to stick her tongue at him.

He opened his mouth to scold her, but before he could, she giggled, and flashed him a crooked little smile. "I give up" Danny sighed as he took a seat on the floor beside Mac, "She's too much like her mother. I can't say no to them curls and that smile. It's a killer combination."

"It'll come with time," Mac laughed, "Where's her bag."

"Linds has it upstairs with her. It's got both our contact numbers in there, although you probably know them backwards anyway, she's also written down the hotel's front desk, just in case. You have Beth's number in case the world is ending and you're needed at work,"

"Clothes?"

"Half her wardrobe, depending on what you guys decide to do is in there. Lindsay's put in some sippy cups and her dolly and teddy. She has her books at your place anyway."

"And I stopped by target earlier and bought a few things for us to play with." Mac smiled,

"Aw, really taking to the grandpa role," Danny teased. "Linds put some money in there-"

"Danny, she's my god-daughter, or granddaughter, or niece depending on how you look at it, I can take care of it."

"Mac, you're looking after our little girl the least we can do is-"

"Go on a weekend break and enjoy yourselves."

Danny shook his head, "Well, it's there if you need it."

"Diapers?"

"In there." Danny told him, "Along with children's Tylenol, and any other medication you could ever need. I think there's some band aid's and Savlon as well."

"So, I think she's all set," Mac concluded. "I fixed up the portable crib you brought round last night, so that's all set."

"Danny, I'm not sure I can leave her…" Lindsay called down the stairs,

He rolled his eyes in Mac's direction. "She's like a broken record" he whispered, "We've gone over this ten times this morning alone."

"Lindsay, it's okay," Mac called, "Everything is under control. Amanda will be fine with me."

"I wont be fine without her though." Lindsay said, close to tears coming into the living room with her bag and Amanda's night bag.

"That's more stuff than what I'm taking," Danny laughed, "Lindsay are you serious?"

"Beth has a key Mac, so if you need anything…"

"He'll know not to come here, seen as he has all of Amanda's possessions in that bag right there." Danny teased. "Come on, Montana."

Lindsay sighed heavily as she passed the night bag to Danny and reached down to pick Amanda up, "You're gonna be good for Uncle Mac, aren't you, baby girl."

"Grandpa."

"Grandpa Mac," Lindsay corrected herself, "No monkey business, ya'hear?"

Amanda nodded "Mhmm."

"And you're gonna be-"

"Lindsay, she will be fine," Mac told her. "Now say goodbye,"

"At least let me carry her to the car," Lindsay said, "Please?"

Danny rolled his eyes, "You'd think she was going away to college or something."

"I'm just scared she's gonna miss me."

"She'll be glad of the break" Danny quipped before dodging Lindsay's hand moving to swat him

"Be nice you too, I don't want to hear my CSI's have to venture all the way to Tarrytown to tidy up your mess from kicking each other's butts."

"Danny told you everything didn't he?"

"He did, even went as far as telling me which college she's enrolled at, what colours she wants at her wedding, and her dog's husband's cat's surname."

"I get that you're trying to be funny, Mac." Lindsay glared at him, "However, I wouldn't try my patience." She said as she opened Mac's SUV to set Amanda in her car seat that Danny had strapped in earlier.

Danny bit his lip, and headed to the back of their SUV to load the last bag, to get him out of Lindsay's sight so that she didn't see him hysterically laughing.

Heading towards Lindsay, he wrapped his arm around her affectionately, and placed a soft kiss to her cheek. "Ready to go, sweetheart? Everything's locked up."

"You said 'bye to Amanda?"

Danny smiled and pinched Amanda's cheek and ruffled her honey curls,"Bye kid, be good."

Lindsay turned at looked at him, horrified, and swatted him on his arm.

"What, what I do?"

"Is that it-" She exclaimed, "No kiss?"

"Montana" he sighed, rolling his eyes, "She doesn't care that we're leaving, she cares more about them toys she can see on the seat next to her, and is wondering why the hell they are in boxes, and why she can't play with them. We're holding her weekend with Grandpa Mac up, now, get your butt into the car now, before you make me carry you."

Lindsay glared at him, before letting out a sigh, and turned to kiss Amanda one last time, "Be good baby,"

"Mommy?"

"Yeah sweetie?"

"Go." Amanda giggled.

"I'm going," Lindsay laughed as she shut the door, and turned to Mac, "if you need anything…"

"I will call Stella or the new girl, Sam. I'm sure they will know what to do in case of a nuclear attack,"

"You're on top form today, Mac." Danny laughed as he took Lindsay's hand, "Now will you come on, I wanna go sometime today…"

"Thanks again Mac," Lindsay called over her shoulder.

"I swear to god Lindsay," Danny sighed, "if you thank him again…"

"Please don't kill each other," Mac sighed as he climbed into his SUV. "Please?"

"I'm not promising anything," Danny grumbled as he shut Lindsay's door.

--

* * *

"Danny, this isn't a scheduled stop," Lindsay informed him as he pulled in McDonalds car park.

"Yeah well, I'm starving, and I didn't have time for breakfast. So it's a McDonalds breakfast."

"For my anniversary meal, you bought me McDonalds…" Lindsay laughed as she climbed out of the car,

"Spoken like a true romantic," Danny smirked, as he wrapped his arm around her softly before pushing the door of the fast food resturant open. "And technically Linds, it's not our anniversary till tomorrow. So this doesn't count."

"Actually, it's kind of sweet, going out to breakfast on our way to the hotel."

Danny nodded as he pulled her close and placed a soft kiss to her hair, "Aw man Linds, I forgot my wallet in the car, ya'think you could get this?"

She reached into her back pocket and handed him a twenty. "Pancakes with extra syrup and milk. No sausage."

"You love the sausage, Linds."

"No sausage Danny, I don't want it near my pancakes." She warned him before finding a booth for them to sit in.

"You sure," he called across to her

The look she gave him told him everything he needed to know. No sausage.

He ordered quickly, putting emphasis on the fact he wanted the pancakes without the sausage, something, apparently alien to the staff that worked there.

"So no sausage?"

"Yes," Danny nodded for the sixth time, "No sausage on the pancakes."

"So like, no sausage?"

"Yeah…"

"So you want the pancakes plain,"

"Well, I want them with syrup."

"But no sausage."

"Yes." Danny said through gritted teeth, "No sausage. No sausage. No sausage on the pancakes."

"So no sausage."

Danny bit his lip, "You know what, just put the sausage in,"

"Sure thing."

He rolled his eyes, and glanced over to Lindsay who was animatedly talking on the phone. He watched the guy put everything on his tray, and glanced back towards Lindsay, who was still talking on the phone, facing the other way. He grabbed the polystyrene containing the pancakes she so desperately wanted without sausage, opened it, and picked the sausage up, and shoved it in his mouth.

"Eww." The guy said, "if you wanted it now, you could have said."

"My drinks?" Danny asked as he swallowed the food in his mouth.

"Oh yeah, sorry." The guy blushed, "One second."

Tapping his foot, he glanced over to Lindsay who had turned in her chair and was facing him, tapping her watch.

Danny shrugged dramatically, telling her silently he had no idea what was taken so damn long.

"There you go…"

He rolled his eyes again, "My hash brown?"

"Sorry, sorry… One sec."

Danny leant against the counter and grabbed his tray. "Hey, buddy... it don't matter."

"You sure," the guy asked with the hash brown held in his hand.

"You keep it," Danny laughed as he walked away carrying the tray. "Didn't want the damn thing anyway…"

"Baby, who are you talking to?" Lindsay giggled, highly amused at Danny muttering to himself.

"Moron over there," Danny sighed as he set the tray down, "Who were you talking to earlier?"

"Stella," Lindsay said as she unscrewed the child's bottle of milk and stuck a straw in it.

"Saying?" Danny asked as he cut her pancakes up for her, and poured her syrup on for her.

"I can do that," Lindsay told him, taking the plastic knife and fork. "And it was just about Sam."

"Bitchin' already?" Danny asked with his eyebrows raised as he unwrapped his sausage egg McMuffin.

"No" Lindsay spat as she flicked milk at him from her straw, "Stella was asking what shift Sam was on today, wanted to take her out. She still feels bad for being a bitch to her on Sam's first day. Even though I don't even think she was a bitch, she was a bit mean, but wasn't a bitch. Just the way Stella is I think..."

"Two dollars for the swear jar, Monroe."

"You haven't called me that in a long time," Lindsay smiled as she popped a bitesize piece of pancake into her mouth,

"It slipped out, sorry baby."

"It's okay… Just so long as you're not trying to tell me something, "

"Definitely not," Danny smiled as he took her hand across the table, "I quite like having you around."

Lindsay smiled as she popped a bit more pancake in her mouth, "Did you make sure they didn't put sausage on my pancakes?"

"What? Yeah… course I did. Why?" Danny stammered.

"No reason, it's probably cause you have it is why I can taste it."

Danny's eyes widened, "Why…"

"Why you all flustered Dan?"

"I'm not," Danny shrugged.

They ate in companionable silence, with Lindsay glancing at Danny every so often.

"You gonna tell me what's eating you, Dan?"

"When you gonna take a test, Lindsay?"

She sighed and set her plastic knife and fork down, "Are we going back to this?"

"Yeah, and we're gonna keep going back to it until you take a damn test. I don't see what the big deal is."

"You want to know the big deal, Danny?"

"Yeah, I would actually," he countered as he dropped his breakfast muffin into the wrapper, "I would love to know, because it seems to me you're keeping a hell of a lot of stuff from me, Lindsay."

"See, I don't see how you can go from being the most nicest, caring, sweet, romantic husband in the world to being the shittiest,"

"Sticks and stones, Lindsay. Tell me why, because we ain't moving till I get some answers."

Lindsay bit her lip in contemplation and dropped her fork. "You want to know?"

"I really do."

"Fine then, you want to know, I'll damn well tell you. Because I'm scared alright, I'm scared. I'm still not sure whether I can deal with having another baby. I don't want my family to change. I love us; I love how we work. You me and Amanda, and I know it's selfish, but I don't know whether I would be able to cope with another baby. I just don't know. It's one thing trying for a baby Danny, but actually being pregnant. It's scary. It means I'm responsible for our child. It's on me if something happens. I'm the one that can't protect our baby. Not you. And, all that is going around in my head. And I don't even know whether or not I am pregnant. So if you want to know why I don't want to know, then that's why. I'm scared okay, so it's all well and good, you all telling me that I am, and I need to take a test, but maybe I just need some time to get used to the idea."

Danny stood up, and moved to Lindsay's side of the booth and sat down before pulling her into his lap, "Why didn't you tell me, baby?"

"I- I - I-" she cried, tears rolling down her face "I don't know..."

"Baby, it's okay."

"No it isn't," she told him, "I'm crying in the middle of McDonalds at 9AM."

"If you wanna cry Montana, then you cry. I'll scare off anyone looking at'cha."

She smiled and rested her head against his shoulder, as he held her, "Aren't you mad at me?"

"What for? For being scared about having another baby, not at all. The only thing I'm mad about is that you didn't come to me. Did you think I wouldn't understand?"

"I didn't want to let you down, make you think that I didn't want another baby, because I do Danny, I swear to god I do, I was just having a bit of a momentary freak out."

"Well, promise next time you'll tell me, okay. I don't wanna force you into doing something. We're a team Lindsay. I'm here for you."

"Stella said the same thing."

"She's a wise woman," Danny nodded, "Are we okay?" he asked as he wiped her tears away with a sticky napkin.

"It's like being with Amanda." Lindsay giggled as he licked his thumb and wiped the syrup he had just spread on her face away.

"You miss her, don't you?"

"I do," she nodded honestly, "It doesn't feel right eating pancakes without my bug. She's my baby girl."

"She's with Mac, Lindsay. I'm sure Mac will manage. He was a marine."

Lindsay nodded, "I'm not so hungry anymore…"

"Alright, well, shift up, I'm gonna go wash my hands, and we can go, how's that sound?"

"Danny you've hardly eaten anything… I can sit and wait…"

"We're going," Danny told her as he squeezed her hips. "Get up…"

"Alright," Lindsay sighed as she moved for him to get up, and then sat back down. She watched him go into the restroom, and she dug out her cell phone and pressed redial.

"Sam? I told him. Yes, everything. Well, no. Not _that _bit"

Lindsay turned to face the bathroom, and listened to what Sam was saying, "They're in my purse, yes so that he wouldn't see it. We stopped at McDonalds… Did he pay? Yeah, come on… No he didn't, I knew he'd forget, so I grabbed a twenty from his wallet... Yes, I know you were right, I know I should have told him, and yes, I know I shouldn't have been panicking… Yeah, well tell Flack that he's a wiseass…"

Lindsay heart leapt as she saw Danny grin at her across the restaurant, and started heading towards her "Sam, I gotta go. Sam, no… I have to go. Sam, bye. Sam." Lindsay rolled her eyes as she pressed, "End call" on her I-phone.

"Who was that, Miss Popular?"

"Sam," Lindsay smiled as she took his hand before heading to the exit, "Told me to tell you not to have too much fun this weekend."

"She's talking to the wrong person, you're the initiator," Danny smirked

"I am not," Lindsay giggled as she swatted his arm.

"Everything will be alright, ya know Linds," he told her as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side, "No matter what, we'll make it through. And when the time's right, we can have another baby."

"I know." She smiled, thinking that the time was a lot closer than what he probably thought it was.

--

**_R&R guys? It's very much appreciated._**


	124. Anniversary, part 2

**_A/N: Well, thanking you for the wonderful reviews last chapter... Now, there's a tiny, tiny reference to a season 5 episode in here. Anyone get it and i'll send them a online cookie. ;) _**

**_I have a sneaky feeling my buddy _**KTmac09_** might get it. ;) No pressure :P**_

_**Sam's on loan, from **_BEG75_**. Thankies hun!**_

--

"What are you doing? Are you crazy?"

Lindsay rolled her eyes to Danny as she smiled through the glass and cheekily stuck her tongue out, "Sam, open your ears. I said he was filling the truck up…"

"Ohhhh" she laughed down the phone, "So, tell me what you guys said."

"Just what I was feeling before, and he wished I had told him."

"Right,"

"And the subject kind of changed then,"

"So he still thinks you're an emotional wreck."

"Talk about dramatising things," Lindsay laughed, "I guess. He knows that I wasn't dealing, now at least…"

"You should have told him you know," Sam scolded. "Stella says the same,"

Lindsay sighed, "I know, but I prefer dealing with things on my own."

"Well, we've decided you're emotionally clumsy," Sam declared, "Well, Stella came up with that one, I'm just passing the message on."

"Gee, thanks." Lindsay laughed, "Height of conversation am I?"

"Damn right, why want us to knock it off?" Sam teased

"It would be appreciated." Lindsay laughed, "How's things back home?"

"Linds, you haven't left the state of New York. You still are home."

"It's a whole other world here, Sammie. Up in upstate New York. You should see some of these houses. They're amazing. They're about as big as the crime lab. Huge they are,"

"Tell Danny to start saving," she laughed as she bit into her breakfast muffin. "Beabitchofacommutethough."

"Sam, are you eating?" Lindsay asked

"Mhmm, blueberry muffin. Danny's favourite."

"That's disgusting, it's gonna be all over your phone." Lindsay scolded

"Jesus Lindsay, how long does Danny take to fill up a car? How's he doing it? Drop by drop?"

"No, I think he's buying Reece's peanut butter cups for me."

"Ahh, the craving starts," Sam, teased.

"Shut up, it isn't even. We don't know for sure yet, Sammie. I haven't done the test yet." Lindsay reminded her friend, "He was getting one aswell. Does that make him pregnant?"

"Touché," Sam laughed. "Right, well some of us have an eight hour shift to get on with, so I'll speak to you later… Behave Linds, and if you can't behave, be safe. I'd say use protection, but seen as-"

"Goodbye Samantha-" Lindsay laughed as she disconnected the phone as Danny climbed into the drivers seat next to her and handed her, her candy.

"Was that Sam, _again_?"

"Maybe" Lindsay grinned sheepishly.

Danny rolled his eyes as he handed his Peanut butter cups to Lindsay for her to open, "You've talked to her more than you've spoken to me. Next time she calls, give me the phone and I'll tell her to get some work done. Slacker."

"I've talked to you," Lindsay said as she broke one of the cups in half and placed one half in his mouth.

"What's so special about her anyway?"

"She's nice…" Lindsay shrugged, as she leant over and kissed Danny's cheek "Friendly, witty, seems smart. Can hold up a girl conversation, and then can-"

"Alright, alright… I'm sorry I asked."

"How far is there left to go?" Lindsay whined, "I'm bored…"

"Well I don't know, map reader, why don't you tell me… Wait, no… no. You've been asleep since I put the car into drive from McDonalds."

"I'm sleepy," Lindsay shrugged as she snuggled underneath Danny's jacket.

"No," He barked as he grabbed the jacket from her and threw it into the back seat.

Lindsay turned into the backseat "Danny, that hit-"

Danny glanced over at Lindsay, "You thought she was in the back, didn't you?"

Lindsay sighed as she leaned over and kissed Danny on the cheek as he fiddled with something by the side of his leg closest to his door. "It's weird not having her here. I miss her. She's my baby."

"She's probably having a blast with Mac you know that, Linds,"

"I know, I know…" Lindsay sighed, "I just feel like,"

Danny handed her, his cell phone "Make it quick. It's ringing,"

Lindsay glanced at him, and smiled widely before holding it to her ear… "Hello?"

"Hey Linds," Mac answered happily, "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," she laughed, "I was just calling to check everything's okay," Lindsay said to Mac before glancing at Danny as he switched lanes, "babe, you were right in that other lane."

"Mommy?"

"Hey baby," Lindsay smiled and melted into the passenger chair upon hearing Amanda's little giggly voice. "Are you okay baby girl? What'cha been doing?"

"Playin,'" Amanda giggled "with toys."

"Grandpa Mac got you a lot of really neat toys, didn't he?" Lindsay smiled as she listened to Mac in the background,

"Shop" Amanda said proudly. "Grandpa Mac."

"You're playing shop? That's great M&M," Lindsay giggled

"No Mommy," Amanda sighed, "Shop. Like Daddy Mommy shop."

"Shop? As in food shopping?" Lindsay asked, trying to decipher Amanda's way of talking.

"Yep, Grandpa Mac shop."

"I bet that's going to be so much fun, baby. You love food shopping."

"Bye Mommy," Amanda giggled,

"Amanda?"

"Bye Mommy," Amanda laughed again as the phone disconnected. Lindsay moved the phone away from her ear and stared at the display.

"My daughter just hung up on me."

"Your husband would have hung up on you aswell." He teased as he took the phone off her and chucked it into the compartment where they kept loose change for the tollbooths.

"Shut up." Lindsay sighed dramatically before settling in her seat again.

A few minutes passed as Danny glanced onto the dashboard at the directions Lindsay had printed off from the hotel website. "It's a conference centre?" he asked her.

"Was I the one that picked the hotel?"

"True," Danny chuckled, "Wait, never mind they do weddings aswell."

"Been there, done that." Lindsay giggled as she twiddled her wedding ring around her finger.

"Damn right," Danny smiled, "And it's like I knew we were gonna call Amanda M&M, I mean I got it engraved on our rings and everything."

"I know, you're adorable…" Lindsay smiled before hitting the dashboard with her hand to get his attention, "You were meant to turn left there…"

"Jesus Christ, Lindsay. You scared the crap out of me. What you trying to do, give me a heart attack?"

"You were meant to turn left,"

"No, it says the next left, that was right, sweetheart."

"Wiseass" Lindsay glared at him as she propped her feet up on the dashboard, "Danny?"

"Yes dear?" Danny asked, as he turned left.

"What was your first ever job?"

"What?"

"Your first job?" she asked again, "What was it?"

"Shovelling snow for my dad's friends and our neighbours during the winter and a paper boy during the summer." He shrugged, "Why?"

"Just wondered," she said,

"Gee Linds, talk about random." Danny laughed, "What did you do?"

"My first job? Licking stamps in college."

"That was your first job?"

"Yeaah," she laughed, not sure why he was completely shocked by her answer "Why?"

"You didn't have a job till you were 18?"

"19, actually."

"And you licked stamps?"

"Yeah," Lindsay giggled. "I cheated and used a damp cloth."

"What did you do for money when you were growing up."

"My mom and Dad gave me and Chris an allowance."

"I should'a guessed." Danny mused, "Don't tell me you had Daddy's credit card."

She glared at him, "No, we didn't have credit cards. And I was too busy studying to drag my butt off to some crappy fast food restaurant that I would hate and dread going to. One time, Kelly applied for a job at one of them, was there for fifteen minutes on her first day, and left."

"Why?"

"She didn't like it," Lindsay laughed, "Why else would she leave?"

"Didn't she have a legitimate reason?"

"Yeah… She didn't like it," Lindsay giggled. "I'm kidding, the boss was a moron."

"You're such a wiseass," Danny laughed as he squeezed her kneecap as he turned onto East Sunnydale Lane. "Linds, look for the hotel now, okay. This is the right road."

"Straight forward," Lindsay told him, "You know the huge, huge white washed building you can see ahead of you saying "Tarrytown House Estate"?"

"No need to get smart," Danny chuckled as he pulled the SUV through the gates, and made his way down the small winding road towards the front of the hotel...

"It's beautiful," Lindsay gushed as she took in the surroundings,

"I picked a good one then," Danny smirked as he rubbed her leg affectionately before pulling the truck into an available parking space and killed the engine. "You wanna stay here, I'll run and check us in,"

"No," she snapped unbuckling her seatbelt. "I want to come,"

"You sound like a kid, Linds."

"I need to pee really bad aswell,"

Danny raised his eyebrows as she opened her door grabbed her bag, and climbed out.

He grabbed the documents and reservation numbers from the dashboard and unclipped his seatbelt, before opening the door. "Where's the fire, Montana? Got somewhere you hafta be?"

"Yeah…" she giggled, "We have a honeymoon suite with our name written all over it," she called out to him, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Careful, I might bite that off," Danny smirked as he jogged over to her, and wrapping his arm around her waist.

"I'd love to see you try," Lindsay challenged him as they made their way into the lobby and headed towards reception.

The joined the small queue, and Danny pulled her close, and pressed a kiss to her temple, while wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her in front of him. They stood, with his hands resting on her stomach, protectively. She edged backwards and leaned completely against him, fitting perfectly into his frame, while letting him support her weight.

"I thought you needed to pee," Danny reminded her softly…

"I did… I do, can you see any toilets."

"Over there," he said as he moved a hand from her flat stomach and pointed towards the ladies sign.

She stood up on her tiptoes, and pressed a gentle kiss to his jaw before heading off in the direction of the toilets. "Danny…" she said as she turned back to face him

"What sweetie?"

"Don't leave me. Wait there."

"Yes dear," Danny assured her as he rested against one of the wooden pillars that were used for decoration in the ornate kind of room that was the lobby. Glancing at his watch, he smiled. They had done quite good for time, 10:50, which meant that they could more or less get straight into their room.

And the quicker that the festivities started, the happier Danny Messer would be.

"Can I help you sir?" the receptionist called to him.

"Me and my wife are checking into the honeymoon suite," he told her as he moved towards the counter, and set the documents and reservation numbers on the desk while looking at her name badge, Rhonda.

"Aw, congratulations," she smiled

"For checking into the room?"

"No, congratulations on your marriage."

"Oh… yeah, thanks." He smiled politely, before scanning the lobby behind him and rolling his eyes.

"Big day yesterday?"

"No tomorrow." He told her,

"Aw, that's wonderful. I bet you're so excited."

"Yeah," Danny nodded, "Feels like it was yesterday,"

Rhonda glanced up at him, puzzled "I thought you said it was tomorrow…"

"It is," Danny told her.

"But it feels like yesterday?"

"It'll be two years tomorrow." Danny said, before realising that the receptionist had thought they were getting married tomorrow. "We're celebrating in style," Danny laughed.

"Ohhhhh," she smiled, "I got'cha."

Danny turned around, and glanced over to the ladies bathroom. He sighed, waiting for Lindsay to come out of the toilet.

"Here's your key cards," she smiled, "and here's the complimentary meal voucher for the restaurants."

"Thanks," Danny smiled as he shoved them in his back pocket,

"It's room 509. Do you have any bags?"

"Yeah," Danny snorted, "Why?"

"I can arrange for a bell boy to come and assist you, is all."

"Sure, why not," Danny shrugged, "When in Rome."

"Where?" He heard a familiar voice ask as a small pair of arms slipped round his waist.

"Hey beautiful," Danny smiled as he twisted and kissed her forehead. "Just saying we would like a guy to help us with the bags."

"Ahh," Lindsay nodded

"You okay?"

"Fine" she assured him "You know women's bathrooms."

"Believe it or not, I really don't," Danny, mused.

"You Mrs. Messer?" Rhonda smiled politely.

"So they tell me," Lindsay smiled, before Danny pulled her in front of her, and wrapped his arms around her again.

"Two years and you're still that affectionate to your wife?" Rhonda commented, "Can you show my husband where he's going wrong?"

Danny chuckled and shrugged, "She'd beat me up if I didn't cuddle her."

Lindsay twisted and swatted him, "I would not," she told him, before turning back to the receptionist and assuring her that she didn't beat Danny.

"I would say the swat on the arm is evidentiary to the fact that you-"

"Draw the line, Danny," Lindsay warned, before sticking her tongue out at him.

"You're all set," Rhonda smiled, "it's 24-7 down here, so if you need anything, don't hesitate to give us a call."

They nodded and thanked her as they made their way back out to the truck to place the parking permit in the front window, and to grab their bags.

"Ah Linds, we got an itinerary. They have tennis lessons this afternoon."

"I don't need tennis lessons," she told him, "I'm-"

"For me, I meant. Keep your panties on, I wasn't suggesting you were anything other than awesome at tennis,"

"Good, because you would have hell on otherwise."

"Noted," Danny smirked as he unlocked the SUV's trunk.

"I got 'em," a man, well into his fifties smiled as he pulled over luggage trolley.

"You sure," Danny glanced him up and down, "My wife's bags have got everything but the kitchen sink in there. They're heavier than they look."

"Kid, I been doin' this job since before you were born. Leave it to the expert. I'll meet you at your room. Go have a drink in the bar, I'll make sure the room is nice an' tidy."

Danny glanced at Lindsay, and shook his head, "Honestly, we're good."

"I have them," the guy told him, "Honestly."

Danny smiled and reached into his wallet from his back pocket and grabbed a twenty.

"Better not be for me," the elderly man scolded Danny as he pulled bags from the SUV onto his little luggage trolley.

"I – I thought…"

"The hotel pays me, kiddo. You don't gotta worry about tipping."

"I know but…"

"Clean his ears out will ya," the guy smiled at Lindsay as he shut the trunk and started pushing the luggage away,

"Does he even know the room number?" Danny mused

"I don't even know the room number," Lindsay told him.

Rolling his eyes, he grabbed her hand, leading her towards the hotel while pulling his phone out of his pocket.

"Who you calling?"

"Flack," he said, "gonna thank him and the rest of the team for giving me a weekend with just you."

Lindsay blushed slightly and gripped his hand tighter, feeling the overwhelming urge to be as close as she could to him.

Even after two years, they were inseparable.

And neither wanted to change it, ever.

--

--

**_Don't cha just love fluff ;) _**

**_R&R? They're muchly appreciated, and keeps the muse extremely happy, let me tell ya! : _**


	125. Back Home

**_A/N: We interrupt your usual scheduled programming of DL to bring you a Fiesta Scene, SamFlackie scene and Amanda + Mac grandfather/grandaughter time. _**

**_As always, thanks to BEG75 for the lending of Sammie and our SamFlackie/DL chats. Wub ya girl!_**

**_You like Sammie? Journey over to Memories of Brooklyn/ Views from Brooklyn. You shan't regret it. _**

**_And huggles to Twinkeyrocks, and i hope you like your fiesta scene written 'specially with you in mind :)_**

**_--_**

"Alright Danno good to hear from you buddy. You and Linds have a good time," Flack smiled down the phone as he sat in the break room, waiting for Nick.

He glanced up as he disconnected his cell phone call with Danny, who had called to let Flack him know that he and Lindsay had got to the hotel, and loved it, so far, and wanted him to thank the team on their behalf.

"Was that Danny?" The tall figure asked as she walked into the break room, a small smile on her face.

"Mhmm," Flack nodded as he turned back to his paper.

"What did he say?"

"They like the hotel," Flack said simply.

"That's good, I'm glad…" the woman sighed heavily, "Don, when are you going to talk to me?"

"When it suits me," he said simply.

"Is this about us breaking up? Because if it is, you promised-"

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to therapy, Stella? Lindsay told me you've been going for about a month. Why didn't you say anything?"

"I wanted to-," she stammered, trying to think of a worthy excuse. "I don't know, I – I-"

"Save it," Flack spat and held a hand up, "You wanna keep shit from me, go on, go right ahead. But Stella, if you expect me to be civil with you, I need it from you aswell."

"I thought we were going to be friends, Donnie."

"Stel, come on you know I don't like that name… We _are_ friends; I'm just hurt that you thought you couldn't tell me that you were going through a hard time. That you felt the need to shut me out of that part of your life."

"That part of my life had nothing to do with you, Flack."

"Remind me for a second who sat with you during them two days you were at the hospital, Stella? In the aftermath of Frankie? Who was that? Mac? Danny? Hawkes? Adam? Or was that me? _I_ was there Stella. I saw everything. I'm the _only_ person, apart from Mac that knows what went down that night. Lindsay doesn't know, Danny doesn't know – not properly. _Me_. I was there for you. Holding your hand, so don't insult me, and say that it has nothing to do with me, because it has everything to do with me Stella. You were my girlfriend, and you completely underestimated me. I would have been there supporting you 110 percent. But if you don't see that…"

Stella's resolve broke down – and a single tear slipped down her face, "Flack, I'm sorry."

"You don't gotta be sorry Stell," he said, pulling her into a hug, "Just don't do it. Let me be there for you, as friends. If you say we work better as friends, then let me do it. It's a two-way street, friendship. You gotta be willing to put the work in."

"I am-" she told him, "More than willing. And I'm sorry I shut you out – I buried my head in the sand, and expected everything to have gone away when I pulled it back out."

"And did it?"

"No, you and everything else was still there," she sighed. "I just want to say that there is no hard feelings on my part, but I understand if-"

"Why would there be any on mine, Stella?"

She arched her eyebrows, "I broke up with you…"

"And what? I'm a big boy; I'm not going to hold it against you for the rest of my days. I'm sure I'll get over it."

Stella nodded, "If ever you need to talk, about anything... I'm here, and you know... if someone comes along, you better not think twice, just because we didn't work out, you hear? I love you Don, as a friend."

"Thanks Stell." Flack smiled at her gesture. "Remember, if you ever need someone to lean on, let out some tears. You know my shoulder is big enough to support even your big ass issues."

She swatted him on his arm as she sat down in the seat next to him.

Wondering why she had ever doubted Don Flack's support in the first place.

--

Nick sighed as he chucked his phone on the layout table. He had way too much to do before he could go and grab something to eat, so he had sent Flack along without him, who had decided to take Stella so that they could talk out some of their issues, that clearly still simmered below the surface.

"Hey," a tiny brunette smiled as she walked into layout and "I'm S-"

"Could you grab that for me, hon?" Nick asked pointing at the results sheet sat on one of the printers.

"Okay," Sam laughed, as she handed him the results, "But do you-"

"I would love some." Nick said, "Gloves are over there," he pointed in the general direction of the gloves

Snapping some on, Sam moved back towards the layout table, and hovered by the shirt Nick was analysing. "What are we looking for?"

"Motor oil. But the dude washed his clothes. So, it's up to us, to find that little bit that Vanish couldn't get rid of,"

"Riight." Sam chuckled, "Where do you want me to start?"

"I have some fingerprints that need running through the system, and I would love you forever if you-"

Sam smiled and laid out her hand so that Nick could place the prints in her hand. "You know where I'll be," she smiled, as she turned on her heel and headed out the door.

Wondering who the hell that was she had just met.

--

"Samantha!"

Sam snapped up and turned on her chair, "What?"

"I've been looking for you for twenty minutes, where the hell have you been?"

"Here," she chuckled as she pointed towards the print currently running through AFIS, "been here for about 3 and a half hours."

"Why?" Flack asked, patience wavering.

"Some guy asked me to-"

"Sam do you have any idea how much paperwork you have to do, the last thing you need to be doing is lab-"

"It's done, Donnie." She teased, "Filed and on your desk."

"How?"

"I did it through my lunch hour. Didn't take me long, figured I would come up here and find something to do."

"You're a homicide Detective Sam, not a lab tech."

"I had nothing better to do with my time," she reasoned. "Thought I would come up here and make myself useful. I'm trained, couldn't see why I should sit down there on my ass when things needed doing up here."

"Sort your desk out downstairs, it's a freaking shit tip, Sam. I'm surprised you can find anything on there."

"I have a system," Sam told him, "I know where everything is."

"Sammie, tidy your desk,"

"Yes Dad." She teased as she stuck her tongue out at him. "Who's that cute Texan guy over in layout?"

"Nick? Cute? Ha, surely you jest, Sam."

"Seriously, that accent, I would so have him whisk me away with that accent of his. And he's just so cute. He called me Hon ya know."

Flack rolled his eyes, "I need to get you a leash and muzzle or something. Keep you under control."

"I keep you entertained," Sam declared, "You'd be shit bored if you had nothing better to do with your time than chase me around."

"Did you get anything?" Flack asked, changing the subject. "The prints?"

"Took me a while to figure it out. Way too advanced for me."

"Because you're a homicide detective," Flack deadpanned, "so really, it means you don't need to know how to work them. Now, get your ass up."

"I was helping the cute Texan," Sam whined playfully.

"He's not cute," Flack told her, "he's Nick."

"He's got a cute name. Nicky. He will be my Nicky, and my squishy."

"Ain't that from some Disney film."

"It is," she nodded, "Finding Nemo. Just paraphrased."

"Amanda loves that movie. Damn fishes. I must have watched that thirty times a few weekends ago."

"It's sad when you watch Disney films on your own, Don. Maybe we should get you a girlfriend, or a hobby."

"Perfectly happy on my own, Thanks. And I watched it with my goddaughter that I love and cherish."

"Keep telling yourself that, Donnie." Sam teased, "Cute, handsome guy like you must have them beating each other in the line for your affection."

"I don't know what goes through your head, Sam, but it's not all glitz and glamour in the life of Donald Flack."

"Sure it is. Homicide detective, you could go all cop on them. Sure somebody somewhere would get a kick out of that."

"Probably would," he agreed. "And when I find that somebody, I'll be sure to let you know," he teased.

"Just make sure you spare me the details," she teased as she stood up and swatted him lightly on the ass, "You comin'?"

"Where to,"

"Find my fancy man, Nicky."

"Nick," he corrected her, "We call him Nick. Or Stokes."

"Don't do last names," she reminded him, "Nicky the squishy." Sam sing-songed.

"They need to lock you and Lindsay up in a room together. You're like kids."

"We'd be the cool kids," Sam giggled as she turned into layout, "Nicky, I got some names on the prints."

"Fantastic," Nick grinned at her, "Flack, what you doing here?"

"Rescuing my partner." He said simply, "You went and stole her."

"Where's Angell?"

"So-Cal." Flack said

"Where?"

"Southern California," Sam told him

"Yeah, I got that, thanks. But – wait, who are you?"

"Sam Ross," she smiled, "I'm the new homicide detective."

"But- you went and – you didn't say-"

"I tried," she grinned sheepishly, "I think you thought I was a tech or something."

"Wow, I'm really sorry," Nick blushed, "I guess that's what happens when you have a day off. It all happens."

"It's okay." Sam smiled, "Here's your results anyway, saves you the job of staring at the screen."

Nick smiled holding her gaze, while he took the results from her, "Thanks Sam."

"Sorry to break the party up," Flack said pulling Sam by the arm, "We have work to do, Samantha."

"Bye Nick," she called happily over her shoulder.

Shaking his head, Nick turned back to the shirt he was analysing while laughing to himself.

Who would have thought Don Flack was a jealous guy.

--

Sam giggled as she started typing.

"What's funny about a murder case report?" Flack asked across their two desks.

"Nothin'" she smiled,

"What you laughing at then?"

"Something Nick said."

Flack raised his eyebrows and clicked onto the internal messaging service the NYPD had installed on their computers.

He had a hunch, and the hunch turned out to be right.

Damn instant messaging.

"Sam, log off. You've got work to do."

"I'm doing it," she told him as she propped the case file up against a stack of folders she had on her desk. "See, it's a work in progress."

"I thought you said you had done them all."

"I had one that I had forgotten about," she shrugged, "Sue me, Donnie."

He rolled his eyes, and clicked off the messaging site, "I don't like that name, Sam."

She shrugged, "I don't like freckles, but you insist on calling me that. Agree to disagree with me, Donald."

He shook his head, and turned back to neat desk and carried on typing the case file he had said he would get done for Danny before he got back on Monday.

He glanced up for a second, and saw her slipping a headphone into her ear, and pressing play on the ancient classic Ipod.

He turned back to his case folder, and clicked on the messaging site again.

_Sam, __please__ do some work. _

He glanced up and he could see her laughing, and typing. He clicked on the little green flashing window at the bottom of his task bar and sighed

_I am._

He rolled his eyes. She was impossible. And frustrating.

And yet, there was something alluring about her.

Actual work, Sammie. Not chatting Nick Stokes up. Mac will ride my ass if he finds out you've been distracting him.

She glanced up at him, and silently turned her screen around. She was mid-sentence half way down the page, clearly doing work.

She turned it back without speaking a word, and continued typing.

Leaving Flack astounded.

They carried on in comfortable silence, her humming away to "Kings of Leon – Sex on Fire" tune, that Flack was surprisingly finding quite enjoyable.

He glanced up to look at her, and she narrowed her eyes at the screen, and suddenly disappeared from where she had been sat, to under her desk. Flack couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"You alright down there, Freckles?"

Within a few seconds, she had resurfaced, and had flipped open her Motorola, and was typing on the keypad with one hand, while typing on the keyboard of the computer with the other, while listening to her Ipod at the same time.

"Freckles?" Flack laughed watching her staring at the computer screen.

"Freckles?" he asked again after she hadn't answered him.

He sat up, leant over the desks and removed a headphone from her ear. "Freckles? What'cha doing?"

"My case report, listening to the Jonas Brothers, and texting Lindsay back, why what are you doing?"

"All at once?" Flack asked, headphone still in his hand.

"Yes," she laughed, "Why?"

"Because you look like a one woman circus."

Sam laughed, "I can multitask."

"How has your head not exploded? You have them James brothers-"

"Jonas" she corrected.

"You have the Jonas brothers whining on in your head. You're thinking of what you're saying to Lindsay, and typing up a case report."

"Yes," she nodded, "Your point?"

"Nothing," he smiled, letting go of the headphone so that it was dangling mid air, "Just never seen anything quite like it, is all."

She shrugged, before popping her headphone back in her ear, and carrying on with her one-woman circus routine.

Flack sat back, and decided that Danny's case file could wait. He stared at Sam, watching her little mannerisms, as she dropped her phone to her desk, and went back to typing quicker than lightening,

How them tiny, tiny hands were physically capable of typing that fast was beyond him.

He leant over and pulled her headphone out of her ear again, and grinned contently at her.

"Yes, Don."

"Sam? What was Nick saying to you earlier?"

"Nothin'" she shrugged, "Nothing that would be of interest to you at least,"

"Try me," Flack teased

"You really want to know?"

Flack nodded, "Mhmm."

"Really? Do you really want to know?"

Flack nodded again, "Yup"

"Honestly?"

"Yes, Samantha" he sighed exasperatedly "Yes,"

"He thinks you have a crush on me," She said simply before standing up, "I'm going for coffee and I need to call my Lindsay, you want some coffee?"

Flack nodded absent-mindedly as she headed through the double doors of the precinct to the coffee machine in the staff room.

Flack shook his head, making a mental note to kick Nick's ass all over the city.

He stood up, ready to follow her, to defend himself, and inform her that he really, really, really, didn't have a crush on her. Only for a strong hand to slap him on the shoulder "Bet you wish you had used them thirty minutes to prepare yourself, huh?"

Flack turned and his eyes met a grinning Scagnetti, "Go to hell, you hired her on purpose. Just to piss me off."

"Damn right I did," he chuckled, "I skipped over the highly competent ones, and went for this firecracker, who's multitalented in various fields. I decided not to go for the boring ones, and went for the one with the wiseass attitude, that is street smart, and got a damn good arrest record. But you found me out, I went in there with the intention of hiring someone to give me and the guys a good ol' laugh at how she pisses little Donnie Jr off. Face it Flack, you're falling."

"What?"

"You, you're falling for her. Falling for little Brooklyn."

"Get some work done, Scagnetti. City pay you for sitting on your ass?"

"S'a nice place, denial." Scagnetti laughed as he started down the hallway, "Face it Flack, you've got the hots for little Brooklyn."

Flack shook his head and ran his hand down his face in the middle of the precinct.

Hoping to god that Scagnetti was way off.

--

"Right, sweetheart. We have a cookie, and we have juice." Mac smiled as he set Amanda in the front of the shopping trolley. "Is there anything else that we need?"

She shook her head no, and kicked against the shopping trolley while giggling, "Cookie."

Mac handed her the cookie, and began pushing the trolley around the small grocery store near his apartment.

"What does Amanda like to eat?" Mac smiled at Amanda. "You like carrot sticks?"

Amanda scrunched her face up and shook her head 'no'.

"Sure about that, sweetie? I'm pretty sure your mommy gives you carrot sticks."

Amanda shook her head "Nope!"

"For the record, I know you're trying to play Grandpa."

She giggled and blew a raspberry at him as he navigated his way towards the deli section.

"Cookies, Grandpa Mac!"

Mac glared at her, "Don't yell Amanda, I'm only here."

"Cookies," she whispered.

Mac sighed, defeated. There was no way he could resist the honey brown curls and brown eyes, "We'll see."

--

"Amanda, tip the M&M's into the bowl, sweetie."

This was in fact, a first for Mac "The Marine" Taylor.

Baking in his kitchen on a Friday afternoon, with a pink fluffy apron on that was way to small for him, was something he could finally 'cross-off' his 'things to do before I die' list.

Holding his goddaughter, turned granddaughter, Amanda tightly as she tipped, or at least attempted to tip the M&M's into the bowl.

He sat her on the counter, and stood with one arm around her, "How did you talk me into this, Amanda?"

"Love."

"Yeah, love… that's right. Pure blackmail, that's what it was."

She shrugged and went digging into the cookie mix for an M&M.

"Amanda, I have to bake them before you start munching on the candy."

She stuck her tongue out and Mac shuddered. She was the spitting image of her mother. The only link she had to Danny was that her heart belonged to him, and her wiseass attitude.

"You gonna help me set the cookies out on the tray."

"Eat" she whined, "Grandpa! Me Hungry."

"I'll make you a hotdog," he bribed her, "You can eat it while we wait."

"Two?" Amanda asked holding three fingers up.

"I think you mean, two," Mac said as he folded down a tiny little finger, "Two."

"Two" she nodded as she put up another finger, to make the total three, "Two,"

"Sure, why not." he shrugged, as he pulled her down off the counter and set her on her little stool. "You gonna help Grandpa load the dishwasher?"

She nodded and hopped off the stool, only to misplace her footing and land her butt.

Mac took a sharp intake of breath and whipped Amanda up off the floor, "Are you okay…?"

She nodded, bottom lip quivering, tears threatening to fall.

Mac rubbed her back in a soothing motion as she burst into tears.

"Shouldn't have picked her up," he silently scolded himself. He remembered Danny specifically telling him to not pick her up unless she was bleeding, because the tears would probably fall if he did.

And man alive were them tears falling.

"Sweetie, please don't make me call your mommy, the last thing I need is a hysterical Lindsay on a anniversary weekend, your daddy would kick my ass."

"Mommy," Amanda sobbed, "Want mommy."

"Baby, you have Grandpa, Grandpa Mac. Come on M&M, you want them hotdogs?"

Suddenly, Amanda's tears ceased and she smiled widely at Mac. "Hotdog?"

"You kid," Mac said shaking his head, "Are going to be the death of me."

He picked the little girl up and shifted her on his hip as he moved over to his refrigerator.

Amanda sighed and stuck her thumb in her mouth as she set her head on his shoulder.

She may be the death of him. But if that were the case, Mac Taylor would go one happy man.

--

--

**_Huge thankyou for your support - You guys are AWESOME! and i really appreciate all of your support!! Leave a review? It's much appreciated :)_**

**_Copying BEG75 here - Hope you don't mind... ;)_**

**_Special thanks to... _**

**_Twinkeyrocks_**

**_KTmac09_**

**_brown eyed girl 75_**

**_Vicki-boo_**

**_pretty7_**

**_edward-and-bella-forever_**

**_Raya Dreamer_**

**_Muchmadness_**

**_Gwen24_**

**_JavaJunkie4evr_**

**_dantanaforev_**


	126. Fallouts, friendships and make ups

**_A/N: So, in haste of posting last chapter, I went and forgot to thank Megs for her wonderful idea of baking cookies. Megs – wub ya, my online muse.. *tackles*_**

**_The end of this chapter has a slight M rating. What can I say? It's their anniversary weekend ;) Sue them ;) _**

**_And, this chapter is linked timeline wise to last chapter. So when Sam goes to get Coffee, that's when she talks to Linds, just so that it makes a little more sense for y'all ;) _**

**_Enjoy... _**

* * *

"Milk Lindsay? Are you kidding me?"

She glanced at him, "And what?"

"With a bendy straw?"

"Your point?"

"We're grown up's?" Danny deadpanned,

"I want milk." Lindsay shrugged,

"You want your head checkin'" Danny told her before turning to the bartender "I'll have a beer."

"At 11 AM, I don't think so," Lindsay scoffed, "He'll have juice, or water. You pick."

The bar tender nodded and headed off to the fridge at the end of the bar.

"You're a mean woman, Lindsay Messer."

"11 in the morning? I want you functioning for the rest of the day, thanks,"

Danny rolled his eyes as he turned and rested with his back against the bar, "Linds, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what honey?"

"When do you think we conceived Amanda?"

Lindsay snorted, "I would love to live a day in the life of Danny Messer, just to make sense of what you think about. I dunno… one of the three days we didn't leave the hotel room in Montana before coming back to New York."

"Yeah, I know that… but which time?"

"There is no way of telling, sweetie." Lindsay told him as she paid for their drinks, "Why?"

"I just wondered." He shrugged as he took her hand and led them to a booth in the empty bar "I have one time I wish it was."

"You do," she laughed, "Go on,"

"Remember the time I played Lonestar the CD I bought from that extortionate CD and DVD place when we were wandering around Bozeman the day after the wedding?"

"Amazed? After we had breakfast from room service,"

"At one in the afternoon. Yeah," Danny nodded, "And we started fooling around."

"Ended up being the best time we had sex,"

"Made love," he corrected her.

"There something in that juice?" She asked taking a sip. "S'up with you… you're sappy today."

"I've been taking my sappy pills," Danny grinned as he wrapped an arm around her. "Just for this weekend."

"Doesn't surprise me," Lindsay giggled, "Can I ask _you_ something?"

"Go ahead," Danny smiled as he stretched out,

"What do you think about Sam and Flack?"

"Didn't know I had to have an opinion… What about them?"

"Do you think there's something there?"

"Give her chance to take her coat off, Lindsay."

"No, I'm just thinking. He's been really quiet recently, and I can't help but think it's something to do with Stella."

"And that has what to do with Sam?"

"He can't figure out whether he likes Sam because he's on the rebound or –"

"I am last person you want to be discussing this with, Lindsay. Baby, I love you, and you know that, but honestly, I couldn't give a crap whether Flack and Sam get it on. So leave the matchmaking crap to one of the girls-"

"You will," she told him as she snuggled into his side, "I planted the seed now,"

"What about Stella?"

Lindsay sighed, and bit her lip, "it's over between them, she's going through some stuff right now."

Danny cocked his eyebrows as he held Lindsay close, "Stuff?"

"Frankie stuff, Drew stuff, - just stuff. Stuff she hasn't gotten over."

"Stuff has lost all sense and meaning to me now." Danny teased, "Is she okay? Does she need anything?"

"No" Lindsay said, shaking her head, "I'm going to go with her to one of her appointments when we get home. Be there and show her some support. Hold her hand, let her know I'm there."

"I love you," Danny smiled as he kissed her temple, "Seriously, I actually love you so much."

Lindsay blushed and kissed him on his cheek "Seriously, what's your deal today? You're a sap."

"I just don't tell you how much I love you often enough."

"What did you do," Lindsay sighed,

"Nothing," he laughed as he flicked her, "Just been thinking recently about how much you and Amanda mean to me, and how I could have lost it way back when. If you hadn't of taken me back, we would have never of had Amanda, and I can't imagine not having her around now."

Lindsay smiled and placed a noisy kiss to his temple, "I love you too."

--

* * *

Lindsay pinned him against the door as she made work on his belt buckle and zipper.

"Linds…" Danny moaned against her neck as he trailed kisses from her jaw line to her collarbone, "Lindsay…"

"Whaaa?"

"My sleeve's caught in the door, open it."

"S'what you get for wearing that big ass Rangers jersey." She giggled as she opened the door and released his caught sleeve. "Better?"

"Much" he grinned as he pulled her towards him as they stumbled towards the bed.

"Let me look at the-"

"You got all weekend to look at the room," Danny told her, "I need you, Lindsay."

Lindsay shivered lightly at the urgency in his voice. She kissed him, before letting herself fall back on the huge bed, and moving to the middle.

He followed suit, and crawled over to where she laid, and lowered himself on top of her.

"My stomach," Lindsay squealed, "Get off of it." She said, physically pushing him off of her, "Get off me, Danny!"

"Whoa, whoa," Danny said, holding his hands up, "Montana?"

"I can't have pressure on my stomach, Danny." She told him before kissing his neck, "I'm still feeling sick,"

He stared at her from the corner of his eye, before settling down next to her, and pulling her on top of him, while wrapping his arms tightly around her tiny frame and looking at her. "Why won't you let me take you to the doctor, Linds? I want make sure you're okay. You might have something wrong with you baby,"

"I'm fine," she told him, kissing him lightly.

He jerked his head backwards on the bed, "Montana, stop it. I'm worried."

"There's no need," she told him, "Honestly, I'm fine. I haven't eaten much recently. Lost my appetite, but I'm getting it back now. I've just been run down, and it's my body telling me I need to eat."

"That's a load of bullshit," Danny told her, "Stop lying to me, Lindsay."

"I've never lied to you" she spat pushing him into the bed and climbing off of him, "Go to hell, Dan. You actually think I'm lying?"

"No, I just think you're feeding me some bullshit story."

"Think it," she said, moving off the bed, and buttoning her shirt up, "I couldn't give two, Danny."

"Where you going?" he called after her as she grabbed her key card off the table where he had dumped them.

"Why do you care?" she asked, "I'll just feed you a load of bullshit."

"Linds, come on. Don't be like this, sweetie."

The slamming of the door informed him that she was being just like that.

He flung himself back on the bed, kicking himself.

Yet, even though he knew he was supposed to follow her, he was still laid on the bed.

With no intention of going after her.

--

* * *

She wiped her tears angrily with the sleeve of her shirt as she slumped down in quiet bar area that her and Danny had just come from.

They had left promptly, with the plans of starting their anniversary celebrations early, but somehow, it had turned south, quicker than Lindsay could say 'Happy Anniversary'

And she couldn't help but feel responsible.

She pulled her phone out, while wiping her tears away with the back of her hand, as she started a text to her new confidant.

She hadn't known Sam more than two minutes, but she felt that she had known her forever and a day. There was something so free and loving about her that Lindsay was drawn to. They were two peas in a pod. Just from spending minutes together in the break room, and on the phone the night previous talking about anything and everything in between, they had solidified their budding friendship.

And right now, Lindsay needed her Sammie.

She clicked send on her phone, closed her flip phone and set it on the table in front of her.

Within seconds, she had gotten a reply.

_You need to tell him, Lindsay. He needs to know. _

She sighed, and quickly typed a message out before closing her phone and placing it in her lap.

She gazed around the bar at the minimal few couples sat there, just like she and Danny had been not 30 minutes ago.

They hadn't argued in months, and now, on their anniversary weekend, they – more specifically she – had decided to start a blow up, resorting and ending with doors slamming and her in tears.

Damn typical was what it was.

She closed her eyes as she rested her head against the booth she had curled up in, away from the world, waiting for a reply from Sam.

She opened her phone, and shut it again, willing for Sam to text her back.

Setting it on the table in front of her, she took a deep breath as tears threatened to fall again, until Celine Dion's 'Because you loved me' filled her small booth.

Glancing down at the caller ID, she sat for a second and listened to the lyrics of the song, before flipping the phone open.

"Sammie." She cried down the phone, her sobs overtook her for a minute, before she could hear Sam's gentle voice calm her over the line

"Linds, it's alright." Samantha soothed down the phone, "Just stop crying."

"I'm upset," Lindsay sniffed, "it's my anniversary, and I'm arguing with him."

"And what?" Sam laughed, "Shows the signs that you love each other, if he's worried enough about you to ride your ass. He's doing it because he cares and loves you Lindsay. Not because he's trying to be mean."

"I know," Lindsay sniffed, "But still – I-"

"Sweetie, you're lucky you have someone that loves you as unconditionally and wholly as your Danny does. You can see that in his eyes when he looks at you. He would do anything for you. And he's really worried about you. He knows you're not dealing with this whole idea of pregnancy thing, and wants to make things better for you. You're stopping him from doing that. I know you want to surprise him, hon. But you've gotta cut the guy some slack, you're his wife who he would lay down and die for, and when she freaks, he's gonna get seriously defensive and worried."

"Do you moonlight as a therapist, by any chance?"

"I wish, wouldn't have to put in overtime if I did." Sam chuckled, "Seriously Lindsay, you're going to have to go and suck it up, and talk to him. If you still want to wait to take the test until tomorrow, then that's fine. I'm all for it, because I'm a hopeless romantic, but he deserves an explanation sweetie. I swear to you, I would kill to meet someone that loves me as much as Danny adores you. He might as well tattoo it to his forehead; it's that obvious. Now I know you're scared, and upset, and I love you Linds, but you got yourself into this crazy mess, and I want you to go and talk to him, and explain to him that you're needing a little more support than usual right now. Let him in. Stop shutting him out. Otherwise me and Stell will kick your ass when you get home, you hear?"

"Loud and clear," Lindsay nodded into the phone, "Sam, thank you. For being there for me."

"You're my girl, Linds." Sam said simply, "Regardless of how long I've known you. It's you and me, girl."

Lindsay smiled warmly as she wiped the last few tears from her face. "Sammie, thank you."

"No problem. I gotta get back to winding Donald up. I'm having quite the barrel of laughs, driving him crazy."

"What you doing now?" Lindsay giggled into the phone, "Shoving him into the mental institution head first?"

"Not yet," Sam laughed, "Pretending that I'm multitasking. On the IM to Nick. Don thinks I'm typing up a case report. I've already done the thing. I just don't want to tidy the desk."

"You're a child," Lindsay declared, "But seriously, Sammie, Thank you." Lindsay said, referring back to their previous conversation.

"No problem, kiddo. You need me anytime; day or night, you know where I am."

"Same goes, Sam."

"Have fun, Linds. Behave or be safe. You pick."

"Trademark it Sam, 'Behave, or if you can't behave, be safe.' You'll make a fortune."

"And not work for a ungrateful city? That would be the day." Sam laughed. "Text me, let me know how it goes, yeah?"

"Will do," Lindsay smiled as she disconnected the phone call.

--

* * *

"I was worried," Danny sighed as Lindsay opened the door, "Baby, are you okay?"

"I'm sorry Danny,"

"Don't be, I shouldn't have let it get that far then. I was out of order saying you were lying. I didn't mean it. This isn't like you, freaking on me. I thought something was wrong, like I had done something..."

"You haven't done anything," Lindsay told him,

"I wasn't there for you when you needed me, Lindsay. I should have seen the signs. I've known you for a good six years, married two of them. I should know when you need support without you giving me signs."

"I really need support, Danny," she cried, "I'm all over the place, I don't know what I'm doing. Whether I'm happy, or sad. And I don't know why."

Danny nodded, and got up off the bed, and moved across the room, and pulled her into a hug, "You don't gotta worry anymore, I'm here. I should have done things better" Danny whispered into her hair, "I shouldn't have let it get this far…"

Lindsay gripped his shirt, as her tears raked her tiny body. "I'm sorry, Danny."

"Sssshhh," he soothed, "Just the thought of losing you Linds, because I did something wrong, and I don't have the chance to fix it, make it right… it kills me; you're my heart, my everything Lindsay. I love you too much, that's my problem; I'm terrified of losing you."

"You won't," she assured him through her tears.

"But I am. I feel like I have to hold onto you with two hands, just in case you slip away. I couldn't deal with that."

She stepped back a second and looked up at him through her tear filled eyes, "Danny? Is everything okay?"

He nodded and took her hands, "I just need you to know how much I love you. And how much I don't want to lose you."

She nodded silently, and pulled him close to her while lacing her fingers through his hair. She stood on her tiptoes and rested her forehead against his, "Make love to me,"

He leant forward and kissed her while he picked her up, and carried her to the bed. Setting her down softly, he trailed kissed down her neck as she laid back and moved towards the middle of the huge bed, as he lowered himself tentatively on top of her. "Tell me if I'm hurting you, baby."

"It doesn't matter," she said shaking her head, "I just want you."

Danny looked into her brown eyes for a second, before letting his hands move to her blouse, and slowly he undid the buttons on her shirt. He pushed it down her smooth arms, and placed soft kisses to the crook of her neck. Leaning up to kiss him she tugged his shirt over his head, while removing hers completely along with her bra, before making work on their jeans and throwing them to the growing pile on the floor.

He placed a trail of soft kisses down her stomach, and hooked a finger underneath her panties, and swiftly adding them to the pile on the floor.

He kissed her stomach tenderly, before working his way back up, and locking their lips in a searing kiss.

He slid in to her effortlessly, catching her slightly off guard. He marvelled every time they made love at how perfectly they fit together. Like as if each curve of their bodies was custom made for the other.

His rhythm and pace was slow at first, representative of how he felt in the moment, wanting to make each moment with her last; wanting to make their love last as long as possible.

Soon though, his pace quickened as she kissed him with the searing kiss that they had developed to perfection throughout the years. He nibbled her earlobe, and then the sensitive spot on her neck that he knew drove her crazy.

Her fingers gripped his arms, before she moved her hands to his back, where her short nails scraped him lightly in appreciation and pleasure.

Hearing the breath hitch in her throat, he kissed her lightly on the nose and then on the lips, spurring her on, and silently willing her to come for him.

She bit her lip and he kissed her cheek, as her heart rate steadily increasing.

"Danny," she whispered into the side of his neck as she kissed and sucked lightly on his skin, leaving her faint mark.

He kissed her temple, and whispered "Montana,"

The tenderness and love he had in his voice while saying her affectionate nickname he had given her years ago, sent her over the edge, gripping on to him, unable and unwilling to let go.

Their argument long forgotten.

**_Honestly, i am astounded at you guy's support, 125 chapters later. It means so much! Thankyou!!!! Keep it up! :) _**

**_Huge, Huge Special Thanks to..._**

**_dantanaforev_**

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**_Vicki-Boo_**

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**_KTmac09_**


	127. Happy Anniversary

**_A/N: Not a good idea eating M&M's while you're hyper, let me tell ya! _**

Danny rubbed his tired eyes and stretched in the huge queen sized bed.

He cracked open one eye, and turned to his side, to see Lindsay, snuggled and wrapped in the duvet.

"S'why I'm so freaking cold," he muttered as he edged towards her, and gently, wiggled his way underneath the blanket.

He lay for a few minutes, watching her sleeping peacefully. Turning on his side, he propped himself up with his elbow.

Lifting the duvet up slightly, he glanced underneath, only to find her arms, resting protectively on her stomach. He lay down, and pulled her into a snuggling hug, and placed a kiss to her temple.

'She must know', he thought to himself. There were way too many symptoms and the way she was acting for her to know differently.

'Not eating – yeah, my ass.' He mused to himself. She ate. She ate all the time. She was pregnant. That's why she was scared of him laying on her stomach. Once they had realised that she was pregnant with Amanda she was the same. Terrified that the missionary position would hurt their baby growing inside of her.

He kissed her cheek, and then the tip of her nose, attempting to get her to wake up.

Her eyes fluttered, but she didn't wake, so instead, he just held her, and admired her.

"My girl is so beautiful," he whispered as he kissed her hair.

"I was trying to sleep," she muttered into his chest.

"Linds, we got breakfast in 10."

"You go eat, I'll eat _you_ when you get back."

"Come on Montana, least open your eyes."

She gingerly opened one eye, closed it again, and then smiled "Morning baby."

"Morning sweetie. Happy anniversary."

She pressed a light kiss to his chest, "Happy anniversary."

"And happy valentines, aswell."

"You picked a sucky day, baby." Lindsay informed him, "Anniversary and valentines day on the same day, I don't get two special days now."

"You didn't have two days last year. You get a special weekend this year, surely that makes up for something."

She shrugged, "I guess… What they doing for breakfast?"

"Buffet," Danny told her, "All you can eat,"

Lindsay gripped onto his arm, and let out a breath.

"You good, Linds?" he asked tentatively

"I'm good," she told him as she opened her eyes. "You go ahead and head down once you're dressed, I'll meet you down there."

Danny hesitated for a second, before letting out a breath, and kissed her lips softly. He pulled her closer to him, his hands roaming up and her smooth sides. She moaned into his mouth, and turned on her side, while moving closer towards him, She laced her fingers through his hair, deepening the kiss.

He broke away, and placed feather light kisses to her neck and jaw line, knowing that it sent her wild.

"Dan…"

"Mhmm?"

"Stop-"

"Why?"

"You want to eat, right? You carry on, you ain't leaving." She informed him, "go ahead baby, I will be down straight after you."

He nodded as he kissed her lips softly and swung his legs over the side of the bed, "One thing though Linds,"

"Mmm?"

"We're gonna carry on where we left off later, yeah?"

"Definitely," she smiled before he made his way into the bathroom to change before heading downstairs.

"Danny," Lindsay called from the bed, "What are we gonna go today?"

"Well, there's that little beach replica thing down by the lake, we could go there, should be nice and peaceful, and it looks real nice out."

Lindsay smiled, "Sounds perfect to me,"

"You're right, you are perfect to me," Danny smiled as he moved over towards the bed, "I'll find us a table then, yeah?"

"Sure," she smiled as she leant up to kiss him, "You smell nice,"

"Why thank you, my mistress bought it for me."

She rolled her eyes, "grab me some Froot Loops and some milk, but don't pour it in, please and thank you." She smiled, "I love you."

"And I love you." He smiled, "Don't be long,"

She shook her head, as he shut the door.

Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she headed towards her purse that was slung over the armchair. She sat down in the chair, and opened her purse and grabbing the thing she had been trying so hard to conceal since they had left the house yesterday.

She placed her bag on the floor, and made her way to the bathroom,

--

* * *

"Linds, you with me?"

"Mmm?" she asked as she absent-mindedly spooned her cereal from the bowl to her mouth,

"Everything okay?"

"Mhmm, everything's perfect." She smiled, "what time you wanna go out to the lake?"

"Whenever you're done," he told her, "I'm stuffed."

"You ate the restaurant our of their supplies, Danny. They ain't got anything left." she teased

"They shouldn't say all you can eat then, should they?" Danny argued.

"Touché," Lindsay giggled as she stood up and took Danny's hand, and let him lead the way out of the restaurant and out onto the patio green, leading to the manmade "beach".

"Sorry it's cold, baby. I didn't expect it to be this cold."

"Danny" Lindsay chuckled "Stop apologising, it's not even that cold. I'm in sweatpants and a big jersey, I'm warm enough." She told him as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into his side.

"True,"

It was a quick walk to the shallow lake. They settled just on the bank, in the little area of sand that the hotel had created during the summer months, but had left there over the winter.

"This hotel is amazing,"

"You're telling me," Lindsay giggled, while pulled off her hideous 'Ugg Boots' that Danny hated, along with her socks and started playing in the sand with her toes "I want to live here."

"I'm sure you do," he laughed as he leaned over and tickled her sides, "Is everything okay, Linds? You've been quiet this morning..."

"I'm fine" Lindsay smiled, as she played in the sand with her fingers to the other side of her, so that Danny couldn't see, "A little tired, that's all." She said as she faced him.

Danny nodded "Maybe I should stop the 4AM sessions."

"I don't know about that, I'm not that tired" Lindsay smirked as she turned back to where she had been playing in the sand.

Danny shuffled, and laid back on the 'beach' and smiled, this was one thing he Lindsay and Amanda did rarely, go somewhere for the weekend, just them.

"We should do this more often" he said with his eyes closed. "It's nice,"

"Yeah," she smiled as she squeezed Danny's hand lightly. "I love you."

"And I love you." Danny smiled as he sat up and pulled her close. "Linds, I've been meaning to talk to you for a while now."

"Yeah?" she asked, pulling away from him "Should I be worried?"

"What? No. God, no. It's just I've been thinking, and maybe it would be best if we stopped specifically trying for a baby, and just let it happen when you're ready. I mean, we could always go to the doctors, and see whether it isn't some side effect of the accident or the bombing to as why we haven't managed to get pregnant until now... Or you know, we could talk to someone, about how you're feeling. I want to make it better for you, so you just let me know, and I'll move mountains to make sure it's done, ya hear?"

"Loud and clear," Lindsay nodded in agreement. "It could be a good idea actually," she said, looking down at her feet.

"You okay, baby?"

"Fine" she assured him "I'll be right back, just gonna go stand in the lake" she smiled as she dusted the sand from her sweatpants and rolled them up well above her knees.

His eyes followed her as she got up and made the short walk to the lake from where they had sat. He took a deep breath as he watched her splash around in the shallow water – she really was beating herself up about the fact that she wasn't sure about the whole baby thing. And he couldn't help but beat himself up a bit about it. He should have seen the signs, noticed her hesitance...

He glanced down to where she had been playing in the sand, and then he lay back down on the sand again.

It then hit him and his eyes widened.

He sat up quickly, and stared at the disturbed sand next to him, where she had been playing like a little kid with her fingers digging in the sand.

Only she hadn't been playing.

His eyes darted to where Lindsay stood, in the lake, facing him, with a huge smile on her face.

He looked back down at the sand, and blinked and swallowed.

He glanced over at Lindsay again; eyes wide before he turned back to the sand and silently read what she had written in the sand.

_Danny, I'm pregnant._

His heart leapt out of his chest. Within a millisecond, he was up, and was jogging towards her, as she ran into his arms, and wrapped her legs around him.

"How long have you known?" he asked resting his forehead against hers

"I took a test before breakfast." She smiled as she laced her fingers together around the back of his head and kissed him lightly, "Or six."

"Why didn't you tell me? I could have been there with you, holding your hand…" he told her, "Not watching you pee," he added quickly. "I didn't realise that was why you were waiting on coming down, you should have said, Montana."

"I didn't want to go through what we went through last time, of hoping we were, only for me to breakdown, when you was just as upset as I was. You had to stay strong for me, and that wasn't fair. I freaked out, majorly. And I knew that if I were to take the test on my own, it would be easier to show you the test if it was negative, as opposed to making to be there. But when it was positive and you said-"

"That I wanted to come down here,"

"I couldn't resist," she smiled as he set her down "I'm a hopeless romantic" she grinned as he wrapped his arms around her, and rested their foreheads against the others.

"I love you," he smiled as he rested a hand to her stomach.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you until now." She sighed "I just-"

"Linds, you couldn't have thought of a better way," he said simply.

"Promise?" She smiled,

"Best anniversary present ever, baby," Danny smiled, "I just want you to be happy and healthy. I don't want you to be making yourself ill about worrying whatever you were worrying about."

"I'm over it, baby. I swear."

"So these past few weeks, when you were feeling sick, and I was riding your ass, I was right all along."

"Looks that way," she nodded, "I can't figure out when we got pregnant though,"

"We can go to the doctors when we get home, get them to do some blood work, stuff like that,"

She nodded and let out a little squeal, "Danny, we're having a baby"

"A baby," Danny whispered. "Happy anniversary, Lindsay."

She smiled and pulled him into a kiss.

Her fears from before, melted away into that kiss.

Things were okay. More than okay.

Things were perfect.

* * *

_**A/N: SQUEEEEEEEEEE. Well, there you have it, FINALLY!!!!!!!! Our girl's having a baby :D **_

**_And so you all know, there isn't an end in sight right now. I've got the feeling some of you thought that WYHTG was finishing or something._**

**_Let me assure you._**

**_It isn't. LOL_**

**_Means i'd have to get a life then ;)_**

_**Huge thanks to....**_

**Vicki-Boo**

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**_You guys are amazing with your reviewing. Keep it up, i really, really appreciate it. :D_**


	128. Anniversary part, um 4?

**_A/N: Honest to god, i have had a rocket shoved up my wisebutt all night by the lovely Megs and Kerrie to get this out, so here you go girls... :D_**

--

"Danny, take the damn blindfold off me. It doesn't match my dress."

"Sorry," he chuckled as he nudged open a door, "It's a surprise for my pregnant wife."

"You're cute." She giggled, "I'm hungry, Danny. I hope there's food involved."

"Promise ya," he smiled as he held her hips and nudged her forwards into the room. "You ready?"

She nodded adamantly, silently begging him to take the blindfold off.

He carefully and tenderly untied the blindfold, and moved towards the front of her, before removing it completely.

"Get out of my way," she sighed dramatically, hands on her hips, "you're stood there so I can't see, _and_ you're taller than me…"

He sidestepped out of the way, with a huge grin on his face, revealing an ornate looking pool table, in the middle of a wine cellar. To the left of them was a restaurant.

An empty restaurant.

"Danny!" She gasped, staring at the pool table, "How – it's – how did you-?"

"I didn't do nothing," he grinned, "Okay, I did a few things…" he laughed.

"How did you get a pool table down here?"

"It was down here already, I swear. When you were napping this afternoon, I went for a little adventure, and found this. It's ours for tonight. Well, until 1AM."

"And the restaurant?"

He smiled, and took her hand, "Set for two. Three if you include little one in there," he said placing a hand over her stomach "I told you Linds, it's ours for tonight. Pool table and all."

"But Danny- I-"

"Happy anniversary, baby girl." He smiled warmly.

Lindsay wiped a small tear threatening to fall. "You did all this, for me?"

He nodded, "anything for you, baby."

"Danny, this must be costing a fortune."

"Not exactly," he smirked as he pulled the chair out at their table, for her to sit on,

"Danny, it's valentines day. This place would make a fortune on Valentines Day. Yet they've got two customers."

"Three," he corrected her again. "And, I told them a little secret, and they were more than happy to pull some strings."

"What secret?" Lindsay asked, "My secret?"

"Our secret, and it isn't really a secret." Danny said,

"I think we should wait though, Danny. To tell people."

"Why?" he snorted, "They all know, Linds. Even if you were in denial."

"Not the point." She glared at him, "I don't want to make it official yet, and I just want me and you to know, officially. They can think I'm in denial. I just want us two to know for sure."

"Fine with me," Danny shrugged, "We need to book a doctors appointment, though Montana. Get a scan, meet the baby."

Lindsay giggled, "Have you thought of names yet?"

"No," he snorted.

"No need to get so defensive," she teased, "I just figured that you'd had a good half a day to come up with a billion that I would hate,"

"Just one," Danny chuckled,

"Plus how many?"

"A billion," Danny laughed, "But I have one main one I love."

"Love, that's a pretty strong word. Go on…"'

"I don't wanna jinx anything, naming the baby already. When the time's right. I'll tell ya. Give you a chance to get some of your own ready."

She rolled her eyes and chucked her bread roll at him, "Whatever, darlin'"

"You hungry, Linds?"

She stared at him and then snorted.

"Yeah then?"

She rolled her eyes, as she picked up a menu, "Yeah, I'm hungry."

"Good job I ordered then." Danny smirked as he took the menu from Lindsay.

"You ordered?"

"Yeah. I know you'll like it."

"I better, otherwise I'm sending it back,"

"You can't. Wasn't made here."

"What?"

"You heard," he told her, "You'll see."

She giggled and poured herself some of the juice he had ordered for the table, "Dan…" she enquired, "Why don't you have yourself a beer?"

"If Mommy can't drink, it hardly seems fair that Daddy can drink."

She let out a small laugh as she glanced over to the piece of card on the table. It looked strangely familiar to her. She'd seen it before.

"What's that?" she asked, pointing at it, "it looks like I've seen it before."

"Take a look" he smiled, "You'll know it."

She narrowed her eyes, before smiling at him, reaching across the table and picking up the menu. She opened it, and read the meals on offer.

"Melon with Mango, strawberries and raspberries?" Lindsay laughed, "I thought only I was weird enough to have that at my wedding."

Danny chuckled, "Keep reading."

"Grilled chicken and Italian tomatoes with rosemary and garlic?"

Danny shrugged, "What about it?"

"It's strangely familiar," she laughed, "Like this was the food we had at our wedding, familiar."

Danny bit his lip, "Beats me"

She narrowed her eyes again, "A choice of lemon cheesecake and Chocolate cake?" she closed the menu and smiled at what she read on the front.

_14__th__ February 2007_

_Danny and Lindsay Messer._

"Where'd you get this from, Danny?" she asked in awe, turning over their wedding menu in her hands.

"Your mom sent me one, I knew I couldn't steal it from the wedding album, you'd know… I'm sure you have an alarm fitted on that, an electric current running through it so I can't mess it up…"

"But-"

"I wanted to do something special," Danny told her, "And our wedding was special. And having the food we had there takes us back for a while. Things have been tough recently, and I wanted to celebrate our marriage and how far we've come since that day in Montana."

Lindsay stood up from her seat, and took his hand, "Come and play pool with me,"

"Linds, the meal, it'll be-"

"I've had it once," she told him, "It ruins? I'll live. The thought you put into it means more to me than any meal. Come and play pool with me, baby."

"But Linds, you're-"

"Wanting to play pool with her fantastically sweet, wonderful, considerate husband who she adores and would do anything for."

"Well, when you put it like that-" he grinned, as he took her hand and let her lead him to the pool table.

She settled across the table from him as he set the balls on the table, "You gonna break?" he asked

"Yeah," she smiled taking a pool cue from the side, "We might get somewhere if I break."

"Easy, Montana." He drawled in his thick New York accent that she loved. "I don't think you're in a position to make jokes like that."

"And why not?" she chuckled as she chalked the end of her cue before breaking, "What'cha gonna do?"

"What happened last time?"

"Which time?"

"The first time,"

"That was totally me," she laughed across the table, "And you know it."

"Like hell it was. You know it was me making them advances."

"Really cowboy," she chuckled, "How you figured that one out?"

"Well, I invited you round to mine," he said as he pocketed a ball, "I whipped out the Tequila," he said as he pocketed another ball, "And I lost on purpose. So I mean on the surface, I can see why you would think it was you… however…"

"However you're full of crap, and we both know I came first that night."

"In more ways than one." Danny smirked across the table, "Your shot."

Lindsay blushed at his direct reference to their first night together. He had that affect on her. Even four years later.

"Sir, I hate to interrupt, but what are you wanting us to do with your dinner?" the headwaiter asked.

"Would you mind leaving it in the kitchen?" Danny asked as he set his pool cue against the table, "We'll warm it up when we're done. You don't need to stay guys; we got it. We're gonna be here a while anyway," Danny smiled,

"We need to tidy the kitchen, mop up."

"We'll do it," he assured him.

"Sir, that's usually not what we do when-"

Danny smiled as he shook the mans hand and slid a Benjamin into his hand, "Please?"

"The mop bucket is in the supply closet. You have a nice night now."

Danny turned round and smirked at Lindsay.

"You're full of it," she laughed, "You got that from Richard Burke on Friends."

"Who?"

"Tom Selleck; Richard Burke. Richard. The eye doctor. Obsessed with Monica"

"The moustache guy?"

"S'the one," Lindsay said as she pocketed another ball. "He does that,"

"I was doing it before he was. He got that from me,"

"Doesn't surprise me one bit," Lindsay smiled as she pocketed the eight ball. "Yes! I rock." She cheered, sticking her tongue out at Danny.

"Round two?" Danny asked leaning down to grab the balls from the pockets.

"We haven't finished round one, yet."

"Linds, the balls… Oh. You mean," he motioned between the two of them with his index finger, "This round one,"

"Yeah." She said moving round the table, and pulled him by the collar of his baby blue shirt towards her while she leaned against the pool table, "that round one."

He lifted her up and set her on the pool table, while meeting her lips in a searing kiss that she would have sworn that she could feel in her toes. Gripping the collars of his shirt, she melted into the kiss and slowly let her hands trail down his shirt as she unbuttoned it, and pushed it down his arms.

"You wore a wifebeater?" She laughed,

"Why? You wanted me naked underneath?"

She rolled her eyes, "I would hardly call it naked, darlin'… this…" she smirked as she slowly grazed the wifebeater up his sides and tossed it onto the floor, "would be naked."

"Hardly," he chuckled as he pulled her dress over her head and chucked it on the floor.

And his eyes all but fell out of his head at her new ensemble of underwear she was showcasing. It was a sheer pink babydoll that parted, leaving her stomach to be revealed to all, with matching panties,

"This uh- this part of the uh- new collection?" he stammered.

She giggled and nodded her head, "you like?"

"I love," he nodded, "Honestly. I love it so much… So much so the minute I get you upstairs, I'm going to admire if from the floor."

She slugged him in the arm, "Be nice,"

"I am," Danny assured her as his stomach rumbled. "I think I'm hungry Linds."

She glanced down the to the floor where her dress and his shirt and wifebeater lay, "I think we got carried away,"

"A little bit," Danny teased as he jumped down off the table and slipped his wifebeater on, before picking Lindsay's dress up off the floor and handing it to her, "What you want to eat Linds, I'm gonna have to figure out how to fire up the kitchen."

"Desert," she grinned as she rested a hand on his shoulder as she jumped down from the table, "I want to eat it assed backwards."

"You're assed backwards," he laughed as he turned her around and zipped her dress up before placing a kiss to her shoulder blade, "I'm glad we made it, Linds. Me and you."

She smiled and turned as she wrapped her arms around his waist, "Me too."

"Chocolate cake or lemon cheesecake?" he asked

She snorted.

"Chocolate cake, warmed up with ice cream?"

She nodded, "Did you even have to ask, cowboy?"

"If I hadn't, you would have wanted the cheesecake."

She shrugged as she skipped merrily towards the kitchen, "I can't believe they left us the kitchen,"

"Pays to have connections," he shrugged as he turned the lights on, "it's huge."

She nodded, "And you volunteered us to mop the floor," she sighed dramatically, "nice one."

He rolled his eyes as he grabbed her by the waist, picked her up and set her on the counter, "Do you think you're honestly going to have to mop the floor. Would I make my wife who's having my baby mop a floor?"

"You just said that so you could say baby and wife in the same sentence,"

"Maybe so," he grinned, as he opened the microwave and popped the piece of chocolate cake in.

"Do you think I should go with the same doctor this time, you know, OB/GYN?"

"What?"

"My OB/GYN, should I go with the same one?"

"Yeah, I heard that but Christ Linds, talk about a random question."

"I don't think I should," she ignored him and carried on, "He pissed me off, his little snide comments at ultrasounds about how Amanda was snuggled and things, I didn't like that…. And I want a woman doctor this time,"

"Well there we go, we'll find you a woman Obi/Kenobi," he assured her as he opened the microwave and set two scoops of ice cream in her bowl, "Bon appetite Môn Cherie"

"It's a OB/GYN, Danny, not Obi-Wan-Kenobi. And when did you start speaking French?"

"Man of many talents," he shrugged, "and it might as well be, Obi-whatever-" he snorted. "Baby, it makes no difference to me. If you want a new one, a different one, a better one, then we'll do that for ya… whatever makes my baby girl happy."

She smiled broadly at him and leaned down to kiss his cheek, "thanks Dan."

He smiled as he moved towards broom cupboard and grabbed the mop and the bucket from inside the cluttered cupboard and went to fill it with water.

"Danny?"

"Yeah baby?"

"Do you think I make a cute pregnant mommy?"

He snorted, "What?"

"Do I look cute when I'm pregnant?"

"You make me laugh," he chuckled as he set the mop bucket on the floor, "What you talking about, honey?"

"I just wondered" she shrugged as she set a hand on her stomach while spooning the rest of her chocolate cake into her mouth, "Some mommy's are really cute when they're pregnant…"

He rolled his eyes, "You know I think you're beautiful, baby."

"But am I cute, like do I glow?

"You most definitely do, baby."

She frowned, "I'm gonna get fat again, aren't I?"

"No," he said as he rested the mop against a counter, and moved across the room, "You're gonna be pregnant," he said as he took her hands, "with my baby. So to me, it doesn't matter." He smiled as he dipped his finger in her ice cream and wiped it on the end of her nose, "I love you no matter what you look like, baby."

"Thanks," she snorted as she slugged him in the arm.

"I was trying to be nice," he huffed as he began to mop the floor, "but whatever."

"I think it looks clean," Lindsay commented from the counter where she sat as she tried to lick the ice cream from her nose, "Can we go upstairs now?"

Danny set the cleaning detergent on the underneath the sink and looked at her, "This is why we leave the mopping of the kitchen floor to me, you never do it."

"I do," she glared at him, "I do it a hell of a lot more than you… I clean that house top to bottom,"

"When it suits you and you can be bothered." Danny smirked as he drained the mop before cleaning the floor again,

"You know where the polish and duster is," she smiled sweetly, before reaching out to Danny, hinting for him to help her down off the counter. "Seriously, are you nearly done?"

"Yes woman," Danny laughed, "go out there, I'll be out in two."

"But…"

"OUT!" Danny pointed to the door, "find something to do, I'll be literally two minutes."

"But…"

"Get gone," Danny warned as he swatted her ass as she headed out the door,

She sighed dramatically as she looked around the ornate restaurant, taking in its features and character.

She made her way over to the pool table and set the table up for a game of pool with herself. She smiled to herself when she got three in from the break shot.

"You practising your technique, Montana?!"

"Just finish up in there," she called to her wiseass husband, "I'm entertaining myself,"

"With all your clothes on, or…?"

She shook her head, "I'm not justifying that with an answer, wiseass."

"Butt," he called through the restaurant. "It's wisebutt."

"Do you see our little girl, Daniel?"

"Still doesn't mean you can curse, Lindsay Messer."

She chuckled as she potted another ball, "You nearly done?"

"I'm tipping the water into the sink as I speak,"

"What time is it?" she called as she lined up her shot,

"Ten after,"

"Ten after what, Danny?"

"Ten after twelve," he laughed, as he wrapped his arms around her "Jeez, sorry Montana,"

She squealed and missed the ball she had lined up to shoot and pot. "Christ Danny, your mother ever tell you not to sneak up behind a pregnant woman?"

He shook his head, "She might have, I didn't listen."

"Doesn't surprise me," Lindsay snorted as she shrugged him off her and potted the last ball, "You ready to go?"

He shrugged, "we have the pool table till one,"

"We have a empty hotel room until tomorrow," Lindsay reminded him, "But sure, we can stay h-"

She was cut off by Danny's hand dragging her out of the restaurant.

"Where's the fire, Dan," she laughed.

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again… In my pants."

She shook her head as he jabbed the elevator button with his index finger over and over again, "Do you have any idea how much you make me laugh?"

He nodded, "Probably as much as I love you,"

She smiled warmly, and snuggled into his side, which in effect took his attention off him frantically pushing the elevator button,

"Happy anniversary, Danny."

Danny smiled as he placed a soft kiss to her temple, "Happy anniversary, baby girl."

The frantic need for them two to rush to the hotel room was long gone, as he wrapped her tightly in his arms,

"Wanna go for a walk?"

She turned to look at him and smiled. "Where did you have in mind?"

--

* * *

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	129. Do you remember the time

**_A/N: Laurzz has died tonight from excessive squeeing ;)... When it rains fluff it pours in Laurzzland :D _****_Sorry, i'm in a hyper, OMG mood right now... Ignore this completely random A/N... please? LOL I'll cringe when i read it later... *shudders*_**

"Come here," Danny said quietly as the walked hand in hand through the hotel grounds, "You must be freezing,"

"A little," Lindsay shrugged as he took his jacket off and wrapped it around her arms, "It's not that bad," she lied.

"It's February. I'm not letting you freeze to death, baby."

Smiling warmly, and pulled the overly long sleeve up her arm, and took Danny's hand once she could see her hand again.

"How's my little bear doing?" Danny smiled as he touched her stomach lightly,

"How's your who?" Lindsay snorted

"My little bear," Danny smiled, "in there-"

"Do you have to nickname everybody in your life, Danny? Montana, M&M and Little bear? My kids are gonna go to school on their first day and when the teacher asks them their name, they're come out with M&M or Little bear… I swear, I'll kill you."

"They're my kids too, Montana," Danny grinned, "Hey, you know what else M&M stands for?"

"No, what?"

"Mini Montana," Danny grinned, "How 'bout that?"

"You have the nicknaming gene in your blood," Lindsay giggled, "Honest to god,"

"I know you think it's cute," Danny teased.

"A little," she grinned as she squirmed out of his grip and walked backwards, so that she was facing him, "do you remember when Amanda was a baby?"

"Like it was yesterday," Danny smiled, "Why?"

"Do you remember that one time we took her to the zoo?"

Danny smiled warmly at the memory. "She only wanted to sit and watch the tigers."

"In the spot where you had told me to call Mac, sir." She laughed as she leaned forward and slugged him on his arm, "I can't believe you did that to me,"

"Hey, if I hadn't of been mean to you, you wouldn't have your two children or a wonderful husband, so just be glad I made a fool out of you. You wouldn't have noticed me otherwise"

She glared at him, trying to stay firm, but soon, she melted into a smile. "I would have noticed you."

"You wouldn't have," Danny, teased, "little country girl, I had you pinned with Flack, initially."

"Gee, thanks, baby. Love you too…"

"No, I just – I dunno, didn't think you'd fall for a guy like me," he shrugged

"Well I did," Lindsay told him as she reached out for his hand, "Good and hard,"

"The best way to fall," Danny smiled as he leaned forward and kissed her hand, "is in love with a guy like me."

"I thought you were being romantic then," she laughed as she tugged her hand away, and stood in front of him, "not all high and mighty about yourself,"

"Do you remember the time where Amanda was sat in Mac's office, staring at him from her baby seat when you had run in to grab some paper work,"

"Was this the time she giggled?"

Danny nodded, "He kept glancing up and every time he did…"

"She was still looking," Lindsay added

"And he ended up…"

"Calling me, saying Amanda needed her mom because she was hysterically crying… I got there and she was laughing," Lindsay finished, "I think he's forgotten about that…"

"No," Danny snorted, "more like he's purposefully forgotten it,"

"Danny, you weren't so perfect yourself you know…"

"Linds, she was my first baby. I freaked now and again."

"Danny, she coughed once, and you called the pediatrician when I was at work, claming she was dying of a cough."

"She didn't have to call you," Danny huffed, "I was a concerned Daddy. Shouldn't there be a privacy thing there, stop the wives from teasing the husbands for being dorks."

"And she was concerned that I had left my husband looking after my daughter when he was close to meltdown, and that I should maybe call to make sure everything was okay…"

"Linds, it was my first time alone with her… you were freaking out at the hospital."

She glared at him, "Had you just given birth?"

He shook his head.

"Were you raging left right and centre with hormones?"

He shook his head again,

"Well then," Lindsay said firmly, "Until you give birth, say nothing about me freaking at a hospital, kapish?"

"Kapish" Danny nodded, "You were amazing, you know…"

"When?" Lindsay asked looking up at him as she took his hand

"In the delivery room,"

She blushed slightly, "well, a mommy's gotta do, what a mommy's gotta do."

"Yeah, but Linds, Amanda was a bitch to you…"

"She's my daughter Danny," Lindsay scolded, "don't say that…"

"Linds, she nearly killed the both of us when she held off on her crying,"

"She stubborn like her parents," Lindsay shrugged. "No big, she was fine, just gave mommy and Daddy the scare of their lives."

"That is something I never want to relive, that fear when she didn't cry straight away," Danny shuddered.

"It was horrible," Lindsay agreed, "But it's weird, you know… holding her for the first time, and loving her as much as I did. Boom, instantly, all that love I felt for her, it was just _there, _instantly"

"She grew inside of you, Linds. You looked after her for nine months. It's no wonder you love her as much as what you do, you two have that connection. You did an amazing job."

"I just hope I do the same with this little one," She said as she rest her hand on her stomach, "Keep them save and everything…"

"You will," Danny assured her, "You're a wonderful mom, Linds, to M&M and Little bear."

"That might catch on," Lindsay chuckled,

They walked hand in hand toward the pool area. Lindsay nudged the gate open and giggled, hinting for Danny to follow suit.

"Montana, what'cha doing?"

"It's heated," She told him as she slipped her heels off, and bunched her dress up as she sat on the edge of the pool and dipped her feet in the warm water.

"You sure it's warm, Montana?"

She nodded adamantly, "would I be sat with my feet in the water if it was freezing?"

"Well, you're married to me, so your sanity is somewhat questionable…" Danny laghed as he kicked off his converse, pulled his socks off, and rolled his jeans up and slowly lowered his own feet into the warm water, "Alright, I'll let you off, it is kinda warm"

"Told ya," she smirked as she stuck her tongue out at him. "Dan," she asked tentatively.

"What baby?" he smiled as he wrapped his arm around her.

"Just let go of me a second, I wanna show you something,"

He scooted away from her slightly, and pulled his arm away from around her shoulder, "What honey?"

"Nothing much," she smiled, "Just…." She bit her lip as she scooted towards him, her hands tracing his strong arms that were freezing from him lending her his jacket. She gripped said arms lightly, before shoving him with all her force head first into the pool.

She stood up quickly, and darted away from the edge as he made his way to the surface,

"Oh you are so dead," he threatened as he swam towards the stairs.

"Pregnant mommy" Lindsay cried, "pregnant mommy. Be nice to the pregnant mommy."

"Bullshit," Danny laughed as he climbed up the stairs, dripping wet, "I'll carry you in there if I have to."

"No," she squealed as she darted behind one of the deck chairs, "Danny, no… If you love me you wouldn't."

"I love you with all my heart, but, country girl, your ass is mine."

"No," she squealed as she darted behind another deck chair, "No Danny, no."

"Squeal 'no' all you want, Monroe. You and me, in that pool." He told her as he pulled his shirt over his head, leaving him in his wifebeater and jeans, "now."

She shook her head as she realized he was gaining on her, "Please Danny."

"Not listening," Danny smirked as he squelched towards her, "you're going in, whether I carry you in or chuck you in"

"Pregnant mommy, be nice to the pregnant mommy."

He shook his head, "It was cute the first time." He said as he advanced on her

"You love me," she shrieked, "you wouldn't,"

"You don't know me if you think for one second I'm not going to throw you into this pool."

"I thought it was a worth a try," she giggled as he scooped her up in his arms, and held her to his chest like he did over the rooftops during their 'experiment' what seemed like a million years ago. "Danny put me down," she demanded in between her giggle-fits and beating against his chest in a lame attempt of him releasing her.

"No," Danny smirked as he kissed her temple lightly as he made his way, towards the pool

"Put me down, now."

"No. Never," he singsonged as he jumped into the pool with Lindsay in his arms, he let go of her once they were in the water, and he pulled her to the surface,

"Daniel Messer, I am going to kill you," she screamed as she wiped her eyes, "Actually going to kill you,"

"Try it," he smirked as he swam to the other side of the pool, "But you'll have to catch me first, mommy."

She smirked as she pulled her dress over her head, and placed it on the side of the pool edge, leaving her in the babydoll lingerie that she had slipped into earlier that evening.

"Did you just take your dress off?"

Lindsay laughed as she ducked under the water, and popped up a few seconds later, brushing her bangs out of her face, "that so hard to believe?"

"No, I just… never realized how awesome my wife is,"

"I am pretty awesome," she smiled as she tiptoed across the bottom of the pool.

Danny smirked as he ducked underneath the surface, and swam towards her, causing her to frantically swim out of the way.

He came up for a breath, saw where she was, and ducked underneath again, swimming towards her.

He surfaced again, and was inches from her face. Leaning forward, she placed a kiss to the end of his nose, before 'Eskimo kissing' him, and them proceeding to pull his now sodden shirt over his head.

"Easy there Montana,"

"You gotta catch up cowboy," she teased as she made work on his jeans underneath the water.

"Why, you planning on scoring here in the pool?"

"Scoring?" she laughed, "why not… when in Tarrytown, New York"

"I actually love how much of a dork you are," Danny laughed as he pulled Lindsay close and kissed her neck, He pulled back, and looked down towards her feet, "Um Linds?"

"Mhmm?" she asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck, while hanging onto him

"Are your feet struggling to touch the floor?"

"No," she spat, as she gripped tighter to his neck,

"Linds?"

"Alright," she sighed, as she moved away and took a deep breath. She stood with her feet firmly on the pool's bottom. She was completely submerged, minus the very top of her head.

Danny let out a hearty laugh, and pulled her into his arms, and wrapped her legs around him as she wiped her eyes. "You're the cutest thing ever. I never realized how tiny you were."

"Yeah, that's right… pick on the short pregnant mommy," she sighed dramatically.

"I'm not picking on you, I'm saying you're cute..."

"Excuse me, sir… miss… you ain't permitted to be in the pool after hours."

Lindsay gasped and hid her head in the crook of Danny's neck away from the security guard, standing and shining a flashlight at their discarded clothes and their half naked bodies in the pool.

"We weren't aware there was a time when you couldn't use the pool." Danny smirked while clutching a giggling Lindsay to his chest.

"There's no lifeguard on duty."

"We're big kids, we can swim." Danny snorted

"Hotel policy" the burly security guy shrugged, "Gonna have to ask you to get out,"

Danny bit his lip as he turned his head to whisper in Lindsay's ear, "You're going to pay major Benjamin's for this, Monroe."

She giggled and bit his shoulder in attempts to silence her giggles. Danny waded across the pool, and helped Lindsay out, before climbing up the stairs himself.

"I don't wanna see you two in here again, tonight, you hear?"

They nodded.

"Damn kids," he muttered as he shone the torch into the pool looking for more people, "You alone?"

They nodded.

"I see you in here tonight, guys, you'll know about it, a'ight. Get going, it's after 1AM."

Danny apologized and they headed off, before scooping up Lindsay's dress and putting the soaking garment back on her.

"I hate you, Danny,"

"Me?" He gasped throwing his shirt over his shoulder. "Me? Who threw who into the pool, Montana?"

"You threw me,"

"No, you threw me, Shoved me actually. You hadn't pushed me in, you wouldn't have ended up in there, Lindsay."

"I would have," she laughed, "I would have either jumped myself, or you would have got me in there."

"This is true," he admitted, "but either way, this is so your fault."

Her teeth began to chatter in the February winds, "Danny, I'm really cold now."

"I'll get you warmed up in the bath, Linds,"

She raised her eyebrows and nudged him with her elbow, "Oh yeah, warm me up eh?"

"Not like that, you dirty minded perv, you've been hanging out with Sam for too long already."

"Have not," Lindsay huffed, "I've only called her twice today."

"How many times has your girl called you, Montana?"

"Four times," she smirked, "But…"

"That means you've spoken to each other six times today, Linds. You having an affair I should know about?"

Lindsay nodded, "Yeah. Sorry Dan, Sammie does things for me."

"Get inside," Danny laughed as he swatted her soaking butt, "It's a good job I love you a hell of a lot to put up with your teasing."

"You wouldn't know what to do without my teasing."

"That's true," Danny admitted,

--

* * *

"Linds, just get in, the water is warm."

"I want it warmer" she told him as she dipped her toe in from where she was perched on the side of the tub

"Linds, I'm burning my ass right now, get in."

"It's cold."

"Get. In."

She shook her head, "Not until you put some more warm water in there, Danny."

"Montana, I'm getting third degree burns in this tub. Get your pregnant country butt in this bathtub, NOW!"

She slid in, and crossed her arms over her chest as she faced him, "You're mean."

"I'm mean? You're mean. I'm seriously burning in here. Why do you always have it so that you come out of it looking like a damn lobster?"

She shrugged, "it's a woman thing."

Rolling his eyes, he turned her around in the huge whirlpool in the honeymoon suite bathroom. "Bit bigger than ours, isn't it?"

She nodded against his chest, "it's alright."

"Just alright?"

"I prefer having to snuggle up to you because there's no room. I like that closeness."

Danny smiled as he kissed her damp hair, "I knew there was a reason I loved you."

"I love you," she smiled brightly as she twisted in his arms, "You've made today perfect, Danny."

"No Linds," he shook his head, "You made it perfect."

"We made it perfect." She smiled.

"Yeah, you're right Linds, we made it."

She settled in his arms and played in the water for a few minutes, before relaxing against his chest completely. Knowing that he was right. They _had_ made it.

**_Okay, i said it last chapter and i'll say it this chapter. honestly, you guys are AMAZING with your reviewing, i am astounded at the support for this 120+ chapters later. it means so much! keep it up guys :D_**

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	130. Paging Dr Daddy

**_A/N: Dedicated to my girls Kellan, Megs, BEG75 and Kerrie, because i love them to pieces, and they're made of awesome ;) _**

**_And huggles to Meg for her ideas in this chapter ;) _**

**_--_**

"Aw…. Blast it!"

"Grandpa?" Amanda asked trudging into the kitchen, "this?"

"No sweetie, not that, come here," Mac sighed as he stepped down off the stool he was balancing on, "I'll get it…"

Amanda smiled brightly as she padded next to Mac, "We match,"

Mac smiled and ruffled her curls, "We do… Just wait till your daddy sees us, he'll have a fit."

"PINK!" she squealed as she tugged on Mac's apron, "Pink grandpa… pink!"

"Yeah, I'm wearing your mommy's pink apron that matches yours."

"M&M."

"We had some already, M."

"No, M&M, here," Amanda smiled as she pointed to the character on the front of her apron. "Pink M&M"

"So it is," Mac smiled as he grabbed the polish from the coffee table in Danny and Lindsay's living room.

Mac Taylor had had the seemingly ingenious idea last night that he and Amanda would head over to the Messer household a few hours before they were scheduled to arrive home, and take part in a huge spring clean, along with filling the fridge and cabinets up with food, and generally restore order around the house.

Mac Taylor was now losing sight of why that idea seemed so perfect last night.

"Sweetie, why must we keep all the toys, downstairs, you have a playroom, don't you?"

Amanda nodded, "Mommy says toys here."

"I'm sure mommy does, but grandpa thinks that maybe we should move them upstairs, give mommy and daddy their living room back…"

"Mommy says…"

Mac chuckled and cut her off, "Grandpa Mac says…"

"Mommy says…"

Mac laughed, "Alright, we'll clear the living room of mommy and daddy's stuff, and then can we think about moving some of Amanda's toys?"

She hesitated for a minute, weighing up her options before nodding, "Mmkay."

"Atta girl," Mac smiled, "Want to spray the polish again?"

Amanda giggled with excitement and pulled the polish out of Mac's hands.

"The things I do for your Mommy and Daddy, Amanda Mackenzie Messer, the things I do…"

--

* * *

"Hey guys…? Mac… Amanda? We're home," Danny called through the house as he set Lindsay's suitcase in their hallway, "His SUV's there…" he shrugged

"M&M?" Lindsay called through the house as she shrugged her coat of, "Grandpa?"

"You think they're hiding?" Danny smirked as he glanced into the kitchen.

Lindsay shook her head, "I can hear Amanda, she's doing the snore."

"The snore," Danny chuckled, "Damn, I've missed my baby girl."

Lindsay crept forward as she peeked around the corner of the living room door, while Danny rested his hands on either of her arms, and peered over her head. They both smiled warmly at the sight before moving back into the hallway and shutting the door.

"Well," Danny chuckled as he picked up their two bags that was littering the hallway, "we could finish off what we started at the hotel, Linds."

"Didn't we finish that off?"

"No the other time…"

"What other time… When we were in the bar, and you had pinned me against the bar and…"

"You're home?"

They both turned from their bantering session to see Mac Taylor, clad in a pink M&M apron, with pink fluff trimming, and a duster in his hand.

"I need to sit down," Danny declared after taking in the sight in front of him, "This is… this… Mac… this… you're…" he shook his head as he stepped over the baby gate separating the kitchen and the hallway, and sat at the dining room table before busting out into a fit of laughter.

Shutting the door to the kitchen, Lindsay smiled warmly at Mac, silently apologising for Danny,

Mac smiled and tapped the end of Lindsay's nose with the feather duster, "Did you two have a good time,"

Lindsay smiled in response, "I remember why I fell in love with him. Put it that way"

"Was it nice just the two of you?"

"Don't get me wrong Mac," Lindsay said, sitting on the bottom of their stairs, "I love my daughter, with all my heart, but sometimes, sometimes, it's just nice to have my husband. Danny and Lindsay time… Is that selfish?"

"Not at all," Mac assured her as he sat next to her. "You're human."

"It was just weird, being able to be Lindsay and Danny instead of Mommy and Daddy."

"It was the first time you've been away since you had her, together at least. You've been Mommy and Daddy for a long time now Linds,"

Lindsay nodded, "Thank you Mac, for looking after her, using some of your vacation time so that you could have time off work, me and Danny…"

"Deserved the break." Mac interrupted her, "You've been busting your guts at the lab recently, Lindsay, both of you have, and it was the perfect getaway, I think."

Lindsay nodded in agreement, "It really was…"

"Come here," Mac smiled as he pulled Lindsay into a one armed hug, "You're a far cry away from the Montana girl I hired all them years ago, Lindsay."

She smiled,

"I'm proud of you, both of you, in fact. I saw your relationship grow and develop right in front of me from day one, and to see you here, now… A house, a beautiful little girl, a happy marriage… you could teach a hell of a lot of people some stuff, Lindsay."

"Mac," Lindsay laughed, "Stop it, you're making me blush…"

"Truth makes you blush sometimes," Mac smiled, "you did good Lindsay, raising Amanda. You and Danny have a wonderful little girl. She's a doll."

Lindsay smiled, "She's our M&M."

"And we wouldn't trade her for the world," Mac concluded.

--

* * *

Lindsay smiled as she glanced into the backseat through the rear view mirror at Amanda grinning at her Mommy.

"We like this song baby don't we?"

Amanda nodded excitedly, "Up! Up mommy, up!"

Lindsay chuckled and turned the volume up as she tapped the steering wheel as she sang along quietly with the song,

"_Cause I saddle up my horse, and I ride into the city… I make a lot of noise, cause the girls they are so pretty… Riding up and down Broadway on my old stud, Leroy… And all the girls say; save a horse… ride a cowboy_"

"COWBOY" Amanda squealed from the back seat.

Lindsay chuckled as she glanced in the rear view mirror at Amanda, "You sing that song, sweetie. You singing the daddy song?"

"Daddy song," Amanda giggled. "Daddy?"

"You want to talk to Daddy?"

Amanda nodded as she craned her neck to try and see Lindsay in the mirror, "Mommy, Daddy."

Lindsay chuckled as she pulled her cell-phone out of her purse that was sat on the front seat, and quickly speed dialled their landline.

"Hello?"

"You're on speakerphone," Lindsay smiled as she settled the phone on the passenger seat as she retook the wheel with both hands, "Amanda couldn't wait the ten minutes it would take for us to get home to talk to you…"

Danny chuckled down the phone, "How are ya princess? We good? You been a good girl food shopping with Mommy."

"She's nodding," Lindsay told him,

"I can't see you, remember baby." Danny laughed down the phone, "why she want to talk to me?"

"The cowboy song came on," Lindsay told him,

"Save a horse?"

"The one," Lindsay laughed, "I feel like Ross and Rachel from friends, singing baby got back, only it's 'Save a horse, ride a cowboy'…"

"She's a pip," Danny laughed, "Mac left, Nick and Sam are coming round for dinner."

"Playing hostess am I?" Lindsay teased as she pulled up at the stoplight.

"That's one of the things we could play tonight, mommy… I mean we still have the…"

"Speakerphone, Dan" she reminded him, "Your 15 month old daughter can hear all."

"Noted," he chuckled down the phone, "You nearly home?"

"Two minutes away." Lindsay told him, "Love you, Dan."

"Bye girls," Danny sing-songed down the phone as Lindsay shut the phone.

She glanced into the back and smiled at Amanda who was beaming at her, "I missed you baby girl,"

Amanda kicked the back of Lindsay's chair, "Park Mommy. M&M and Mommy Park,"

Lindsay glanced at her watch and realised it was only ten minutes after three. She grabbed her cell-phone and hit re-dial.

"Miss me already?"

"Funny," Lindsay laughed down the phone, "I'm taking Amanda to the park for a half an hour. I don't think I have anything that will spoil in the truck."

"A'ight Linds, be careful."

"At a park, Danny?"

"You've got my two kids with you, Linds. I gotta remind you to be careful now and again,"

Her stomach fluttered with butterflies at the mention of their unborn child, "I gotta go, Dan, I'll call you in five."

With that she hung up and pulled into a parking space outside the local park. Killing the ignition, Lindsay clicked her seatbelt off, and twisted in the drivers seat, as she watched Amanda squirm in her car seat, "Mommy. Out."

Lindsay shook her head as she watched her little girl twist and turn in her car seat, in desperate attempts to free herself.

"Mommeee" she wailed, "Mommeee, out."

She leaned between the gap in the driver and passenger's seat and unclipped Amanda with ease as she jumped out of her car seat and reached for Lindsay to pull her between the said gaps.

"Where's your hat, baby?" Lindsay questioned as she sat her against the steering wheel, so that Amanda was facing her

Amanda shrugged as she wiggled for the door handle, in anticipation of getting out of the car

"Amanda, it's near freezing out. Where's your hat."

She shrugged again, "I don't know, Mommy."

Lindsay smiled warmly, and kissed Amanda on her nose, "Was that your first proper sentence, sweetie?"

Amanda shrugged, "Park Mommy. Now."

Rolling her eyes, Lindsay opened the driver's side door and took a deep breath as the brisk New York February winds hit her as she set Amanda on the footpath and buttoned their coats up before locking the SUV.

"We good," She asked as she reached for Amanda's hand.

"We good," the little girl nodded

--

* * *

"Careful baby, it's slippy," Lindsay called from her seat on the covered bench.

"Mommy!!! Mommy look! Look mommy, look"

"I'm looking baby," Lindsay assured her where she sat, talking to Danny. "I see you all the way up there, just be careful alright,"

"What's she doing," Danny questioned down the phone,

"Playing on the baby slide. Still scares me,"

"Linds, it's like two feet high. She jumps from our bed at that height."

Lindsay rolled her eyes, "I'm her mommy, and I worry. Comes in the contract,"

"You're little bear's mommy too, ya know…"

Lindsay smiled warmly, despite the cold, "it's never going to get old, that is it…? Talking about little bear,"

"Not in this lifetime," Danny smiled, "So, you called the Obi-Kenobi?"

"Funny," Lindsay snorted, "I told you… we have an appointment scheduled for tomorrow with the OB, Mac knows…"

"Mac knows? I thought…"

"I told him we have a doctors appointment, he's a smart man, Danny. He'll figure it out, regardless, and I couldn't lie to him."

"So what about our shifts?"

"He's changing yours, and I didn't start till three anyway, so I'm okay…"

"What's Amanda doing?" Danny questioned

"On the slide still. Sat at the top,"

"She's a dork, tell her Daddy says to slide down the damn slide."

Lindsay smiled, "M, Daddy says you gotta slide down. He called you a baby chicken."

She glared at Lindsay, "Baby Chicken?"

"That's right… we gonna prove Daddy wrong?"

Amanda looked at her and grinned brightly as she pushed herself down the small slide. "See Momma, look."

"Well done, baby girl." Lindsay praised, "Daddy's clapping."

Amanda reached her hand towards Lindsay across the playground. "Daddy?"

"You come here," Lindsay teased nodding with her head,

"You here," Amanda giggled

"No, you come here…"

"Mommy here."

"Amanda, come here…"

"Girls, girls… don't fight over Daddy, a'ight."

Lindsay chuckled into the phone as she got up and walked towards Amanda and handed her the phone, "there ya go, kiddo."

"Daddy," Amanda giggled as she gripped the phone to her ear and wandered off towards the seesaw.

Smiling, Lindsay moved to sit on her bench as she contently watched Amanda sit herself carefully on the seesaw, and held onto the handle of the side that was on the ground, while holding the phone with her other hand.

_Where did my baby girl go_, she thought to herself. She wasn't a baby anymore. She placed her hand on her stomach, and closed her eyes.

All of a sudden, screams erupted from the direction in which Amanda had sat herself. Lindsay's eyes flew open and she was up in an instant. Jogging across the small playground, she scooped Amanda up, and kissed her forehead, "We good little girl," trying to make light of the situation.

Amanda handed the phone to Lindsay, looked at her for a second, before laying her head on Lindsay's shoulder and bursting into tears.

"Dan, what happened?" Lindsay asked into the phone as she held it to her ear with her free shoulder as she rubbed Amanda's back in soothing circles, "I closed my eyes for twenty seconds,"

"She was fine and then all of a sudden, she dropped the phone, and I heard her screaming."

"I'm gonna have to call you back, Dan. She's really upset and I can't hold her with one hand."

"But Linds…"

She shook her head as she closed her phone and slipped it into her pocket. She took Amanda in both her hands, drawing her close to her chest as she bounced her up and down, like she had done when Amanda was just a baby,

"What happened, honey?"

Amanda sniffed and clutched to the side of Lindsay's coat, "Mommeee,"

"Baby, what happened? Tell Mommy what happened."

"Dwopped pone." She sniffed. "Talk daddy, dwopped. Fell."

"You fell off the seesaw while trying to grab the phone that you dropped."

Amanda nodded and sighed heavily before a fresh batch of tears and sobs overtook her.

"Mommy's here sweetie, Mommy's got you… You're alright."

"Mommy," Amanda whined clutching Lindsay's coat, "Mommy, I scared."

"I have you baby, it's alright. Did you hurt yourself?"

The little girl offered Lindsay her hand and saw it was grazed and bleeding slightly. She whimpered and buried her head in Lindsay's shoulder.

"You want Mommy to take you home, we can go see daddy, get daddy to kiss it better?"

"Mommy make it better," Amanda cried, "Mommy, I want my mommy."

Lindsay kissed Amanda's temple as she nestled her close to her chest.

"Mommy's got you, Amanda," Lindsay assured her, "I've got you baby girl."

--

* * *

"What the hell happened?" Danny barked as Lindsay and Amanda set the shopping bags in the hallway,

"Not now," Lindsay said, glancing down at Amanda as she scooped her up and moved towards the kitchen.

Danny grabbed the bags on the floor and kicked the front door shut before following Lindsay and Amanda.

"I'll ask you again, what the hell happened?"

"Nothing," Lindsay said as she sat Amanda on the counter and whipped out the first aid kit she kept on the top shelf, "We just got a boo-boo, didn't we honey?"

Danny peered over Lindsay's shoulder and looked at Amanda's tiny trembling hand held tightly in Lindsay's with blood decorating a nasty looking graze. Danny's eyes widened and caused Amanda to break out into a sob.

"Danny," Lindsay glared as she took Amanda from the counter and soothed her, "go, if you're gonna freak out, go… I just calmed her down."

"What happened?"

"I will tell you in a minute." Lindsay spat, "Unpack the bags,"

"Linds… I…"

"Unpack. The. Bags." She told him as she set Amanda on the counter and smiled sweetly at her. "Remember baby, this is gonna sting, alright. But mommy will put the magic cream and it'll be okay, right?"

Amanda nodded as tears threatened to fall.

Danny took a deep breath and headed towards the living room, "I can't watch, Linds."

Lindsay rolled her eyes at Amanda, making her giggle, "Daddy silly," Amanda declared as her hand trembled in Lindsay's.

"I know," Lindsay giggled, "Hold still baby," she told her as she set some antiseptic on Amanda's cut, "I just gotta clean the boo-boo."

"Mommy, it's hurting me."

"I know sweetie, I know… But I'm nearly done."

"Off," Amanda sobbed, "Off mommy, off. Take it off,"

Lindsay took the soaked cotton ball off of Amanda's hand and kissed it. "See, the mommy kiss."

Amanda smiled weakly through her tears.

"I know what will make it better," Lindsay smiled as she leaned towards Amanda, and whispered in her ear, "the daddy kiss."

"Yeah," Amanda nodded in agreement.

"Daddy," Lindsay called, "Paging Dr Daddy!"

Danny's head appeared around the corner with a huge smile on his face, "Did someone call Dr Daddy."

"We have a casualty." Lindsay sighed dramatically, "I need your opinion,"

Danny nodded as he stepped over the baby gate and approached Amanda who was sat on the counter, and Lindsay who was holding her still, "What seems to be the problem?"

"This hand," Lindsay started, showing him Amanda's tiny grazed hand, "Should I eat it?"

Danny bit his lip in attempts of stopping himself from laughing at Lindsay, "I don't know, let me see," Danny smiled as he took Amanda's hand, and examined it… "I'm not sure, nurse Mommy. I think I need to…" Danny edged towards Amanda and scooped her off the counter and tickled her sides, "I think I need a better look,"

Lindsay giggled, and tickled Amanda's side, as Danny held her against his chest, "Eat the hand Daddy, eat it."

"NO!" Amanda shrieked as she giggled, trying to release Danny's loose grip on her hand, "Don't eat it!"

"But it looks so yummy," Danny told her as he smothered it in kisses, "Are you sure, Amanda?"

She nodded adamantly, "Mommy kiss."

Danny shook his head as he passed his daughter to Lindsay who smothered her with kisses and sat her on the counter again.

"Blues Clues or Little bear band aid?"

"Little bear," Amanda grinned, "Little bear!"

"Little bear it is," Lindsay smiled as she glanced over her shoulder at Danny, flashing him a smile.

Lindsay carefully applied the band-aid and set Amanda on the floor as she wiped her tears and blew her nose with a tissue. "Are we all better now?"

Amanda nodded "I go play?"

"Yeah baby, you can go play," Danny smiled as he picked her up and set her on the other side of the baby gate, and placed a kiss to her head before he let her run off into the living room.

"She fell off the seesaw when she was trying to grab the phone, she was just scared." Lindsay explained as she tidied the first-aid kit up.

Danny nodded at her back that was facing him.

"She was pretty hysterical," Lindsay carried on, "I think it was cause it's her first real boo-boo."

Danny smiled as he leaned forwards and grabbed Lindsay's hips, turned her around to face him, and cornered her in-between the counter and himself. "I love you."

She smiled warmly as she placed a loving kiss on his lips and wrapped her arms around his neck, "And I love you."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her temple before moving to her sensitive spot on her neck, and nibbling lightly,

"Dan," She moaned, "Dan."

"Leave it," he whispered against her neck, swatting her hand away from her neck, in attempts to get him to stop.

"You can't…"

"Wear a scarf," he interrupted as he sucked lightly, holding her tight, "You taste yummy."

Lindsay giggled as she squirmed away from him, "Danny, that tickles, you didn't shave again…"

"You like my stubble, don't lie to yourself."

"I love everything about you," Lindsay chuckled as she kissed Danny's jaw, "Every city boy inch."

"And I love every little last bit of my country girl."

"And little bear," she added quickly.

"Montana, M&M and Little bear." Danny smiled, "The definition to my entire existence,"

Lindsay smiled against his lips before pushing him away, and giggling, "Groceries… put them away."

Danny shook his head in contempt, "You're a mean woman, Lindsay Messer."

"You love me regardless," She smiled as she opened the fridge ready for Danny to unload the shopping bags.

"Forever and ever," Danny declared as she stepped over the baby gate, "Even if you work me to the bone,"

She blew him a kiss as she disappeared into the living room.

He shook his head as he set a grocery bag on the counter and began to unload the shopping.

As much as she drove him crazy and up the wall, the looks, the smiles and the laughs made it all worthwhile.

Regardless of what happened, she was there, smiling and holding his hand, rain or shine, sadness or laughter. And he loved her with every fiber of his soul. She was his light and his strength.

And thanked god every day for that day that country girl, Lindsay Monroe entered his life, and captured his heart.

* * *

**_Oh. My. God. Guys - honestly, i am astounded at last chapter's reponse. You guys are AWESOME!!! Thank you so much for your support - i'm thrilled you all still love it, three hundred million chapters later! LOL _**

**_Keep it up guys! :)_**

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**And a warm welcome to.... PenguinGoddess**


	131. Two couples and a whole lot of fluff

**_A/N: Apologise for the long wait on this chapter, Real life events came into play this weekend. ;) It's extra long though. so hopefully it makes up for it _**

**_Special thanks to Megs and BEG75 for their help with this chapter. And Twinkeyrocks for the fun of it ;) And hell, Kerrie aswell. Let's thank the lot of them :) _**

**_--_**

"Well," Nick smirked as he pushed his empty dinner plate away from him "Screw the Italian, I want the Montana girl to cook my meals from, now on."

"Screw you, Nick." Danny laughed, "No sex for a month,"

Nick feigned hurt, then turned to Sam, and wiggled his eyebrows, "How bout it Sam, show me how things really work. Messer's a bit… well… you know… rusty, shall we say?"

"I hope she doesn't," Lindsay chuckled as she stood up and cleared the empty plates from the table, "otherwise, me and the best friend might be having some words…"

"I am here, you know" Danny reminded them, "And considering I've knocked my wife up twi-once, once, means I'm doing something right…"

Sam raised her eyebrows at Lindsay who quickly scurried towards the sink, with Sam hot on her heels.

"Linds, we good to go?" Danny asked

"No, sit." Lindsay told Nick and Danny who were standing up from the table, "Sit down. Sit down right now,"

They sat.

"Go guys," Sam glared at them, "Go… there's a game on tonight… go. Go now."

Danny and Nick smirked amusingly at each other and stood from the table, "Can we go?"

Lindsay shook her head frantically while Sam nodded.

"Me and Linds have some talking to do," Sam said to them, but directed her comment at Lindsay.

--

* * *

Danny shook his head as he sat on the couch and propped his feet on the coffee table, "it's weird seeing Linds like that…"

"Like what?" Nick asked as he crossed his legs,

"What are you, a girl?!" Danny laughed as he leant forward and pushed the magazines off the coffee table, "Put your feet up, Stokes."

Nick smiled and complied, "So seriously… what'cha mean?"

"Well… seeing her giggly and herself. She never used to be like that around Stella. Always had to be, I dunno…."

"Not herself?" Nick offered

"Exactly," Danny nodded as he flipped through the sports channels, "So, you and Sam."

"What about me and Sam…?"

"How goes it?"

"Goes well," Nick nodded, "she's fun,"

Danny rolled his eyes and squeezed Nick's knee cap, "Gotta do better than that… Flack's gunning for the girl as well, Nick."

"Alright, so she's a nice girl," Nick sighed, "What makes you think she'd like me…"

"Your accent," Danny smirked he flipped the channel once more and chucked the remote on the coffee table, "It does things apparently, Montana was explaining it to me…"

Nick smirked as he took a sip of his beer.

--

* * *

"He said twice, Lindsay. I heard him."

"Well, it's just the once, unless I have a kid running around somewhere he didn't tell me about,"

"That's not even funny, and you know damn well you're pregnant, look at you, Lindsay." Sam said gesturing to Lindsay's stomach,

"Thank you," Lindsay smirked as she grabbed the dishcloth from Sam, "You just called me fat in a roundabout way,"

"Bullshit, I called you pregnant. You opened a bottle of wine, and then poured one glass gave it to me, and put the other glass you had gotten out away. I swear, Linds… You drink any more milk and I'm going to buy you your own cow."

"I like milk, sue me," Lindsay smirked as she closed the dishwasher and wiped her hands, "Moo! Moo!"

"You're full of it, you know that?" Sam laughed, as she swatted her arm, "You're drinking milk because it settles your morning sickness."

"All day sickness," Lindsay muttered,

"What?!"

"Nothing," Lindsay smirked, "Pass me the sippy cup on the counter, please."

"You said… all day…"

"The sippy cup, Sam?"

Samantha shook her head at her best friend as she passed her Amanda's sippy cup, "I swear, you drive me crazy Lindsay Messer. You can't lie for shit."

"Who said I'm lying."

"Me… You _are_ pregnant, Lindsay."

"I want a lawyer," Lindsay declared as she chucked her dishcloth at Samantha.

--

* * *

Lindsay settled her head on Danny's shoulder in the chair they were snuggled in. "Comfy?"

"I don't got much choice," Danny chuckled as he pressed a kiss to her nose, "Dumb and dumber are beating each other up on the couch,"

"They're kinda cute," Lindsay admitted as she watched Sam and Nick tickle each other on their couch.

"How did it even start? Them tickling each other?"

"You tickled me," Lindsay shrugged as she snuggled into Danny's neck inhaling his scent. "They thought it looked like fun, kicked us off the couch, and boom."

Danny grinned as he kissed her forehead, "We get more and more like each other everyday."

"Saying that's a bad thing, Messer?"

"No Montana, it's a wonderful thing."

"He's bullshitting you, Lindsay." Nick smirked from his position on the couch where he had pinned Sam to the cushions tickling her sides, "He's telling you that…"

"Don't listen to them," Sam snorted as she prodded Nick in the love handles, "They know shit… he means it, he loves you with every inch of his being," she smirked before kicking Nick off her, and pinning him to the arm of the couch, "Now, squishy, let's see you get out of this,"

Danny shook his head as he pulled Lindsay back into the crook of his shoulder, "You know, ever since you and Amanda went to the park, I've had a urge to go and play on the swings,"

"Go," Sam said as she turned on the couch and sat on Nick, pinning him down.

"Now?" Both Danny and Lindsay snorted together,

"Yeah," Nick smiled as he reached up to bite Sam's arm, pinning him down, "we got the house covered if Amanda wakes up…"

Danny shook his head, "Leave you two looking after my daughter, not a chance in hell. You're all but having kinky sex on my couch."

"If you can't have fun now, when can you," Nick reasoned.

"Marry me," Sam smirked, "You're a man after my own heart, Nick Stokes."

"Well," he chuckled rolling his eyes, "Seriously guys, go… it's what nine thirty."

"Yeah, you're crazy," Lindsay chuckled as she shifted in Danny's embrace, "Like mental,"

"Like, get out of your house and go have fun," Sam giggled, mocking Lindsay's use of 'like'. "Seriously, you'll see the flames if me and Nick start setting things on fire."

"Go have fun, you guys never get to have fun." Nick added,

"We _just_ got back from our anniversary weekend." Danny laughed

"Exactly," Sam nodded as she rolled off the couch, "You didn't get out."

"We did," Lindsay snapped, "We went to the lake, we went out to eat,"

"Swam in the pool," Danny added, "Went to the bar,"

"Okay, so you did things, god." Sam laughed, "Go. Let me and squishy raid your cupboards like teenagers."

"It could be fun," Lindsay shrugged, "Me and you, at the park,"

"Kinky sex," Nick smirked as he nudged Sam where she sat on the floor, "We could learn a thing or two, Sam."

Sam wiggled her eyebrows at him, "You'd be surprised, squishy, you'd be surprised."

--

* * *

"I don't like it, Linds." Danny told his wife as they walked hand in hand down the streetlamp lit sidewalk towards the park. "You saw them,"

"They wont do anything, Dan." Lindsay snorted, "And even if they did… Who cares, what we don't know can't hurt us, right?"

"You freaked about _us _having sex on the couch – now it's alright for Sam and Nick to…"

Lindsay laughed, "Did I say they were going to have sex. So what… it's not the end of the world, Dan. Don't you remember what we were like?"

"I couldn't keep my hands off you…"

"I rest my case," she smiled smugly as she snuggled into his side,

"I'm just saying that…"

"Must we talk about squishy and Sam, really?"

Danny tutted at her, and opened the park gate, "fine, _whatever"_

"You're a child," Lindsay declared before she sprinted past him, and made her way towards the swings,

"I'm a kid," Danny laughed as he chased after her, "me? Says the thirty one year old, frolicking through the children's playground."

"Push me," she smiled sweetly from her position on the swings, "Please,"

"Oh I'll do something to you," he grumbled as he shoved her forwards on the swing

"More gently," Lindsay told him over her shoulder, "Little bear doesn't like it…"

"Already demanding things, is he?"

"He?" Lindsay giggled as Danny pushed her again, "How do you know he's not a she…"

"I feel it," Danny declared, "I need a boy. I'm bored of being the only guy around the house, I need backup for when you two are having meltdowns."

Lindsay smiled as Danny took the swing next to her, and swung his legs feverishly to try and catch up with her, "You just want to teach him how to play baseball," she smiled as she skidded her Ugg Boots on the snow kissed floor to slow her down.

"I paid good money for them," Danny scolded as he used his converse as brakes to slow himself down, "Watch what you're doing, a'ight?"

"When do you think we should tell Amanda, Dan? I mean I know she's only little but she's smart. We should… we should at least…"

"Well, we'll see where the doctor dates our pregnancy at, and we'll see. But I think we should wait till we're out of the first trimester at least, which is what, thirteen weeks?"

"Get you," Lindsay teased as she twisted the chains on her swing, "Knowing about the first trimester…"

"I read it when Amanda was a lima bean."

"A lima bean?"

"Yeah, a lima bean in space…"

"The things that go through your head, Danny. I swear to god. I worry about you sometimes."

"Seriously though, I think we should just out and tell her, don't try and dumb it down. Just tell her she's gonna be a big sister."

Lindsay nodded, "Seems rational. We gonna wait and see what the sex is or…?"

"It's totally up to you, baby girl," Danny said as he offered her his hand and led her from the swings to the seesaw, "like I said with Amanda, you're carrying our baby, so I think it's only fair you make the decision," he reasoned as they sat on the seesaw

"Little bear is half you, Dan. You get to have half the choice,"

"My baby is my baby. Doesn't matter if little bear is a boy or girl,"

Lindsay smiled as she wiggled to get the seesaw moving again, so she could hit the ground again,

Quickly, she jumped off, causing Danny to floor, extremely ungracefully to the fall, and subsequently landing in a heap,

"I'm gonna get you for that, Monroe."

"It's Messer, actually." She told him as she took off around the baby slide Amanda had been sat on earlier in the day.

"Don't you go hiding, Montana, you know what happened when we were in Tarrytown."

"Yeah, a security guard nearly called our parents." She chuckled as she hid by the side of the baby swings, "You got no pool to throw me in…"

She glanced up as a snowflake hit her nose,

"It's snowing, Montana." Danny smiled as he raced towards her,

Smiling warmly, she didn't move, waiting for him to come and get her… Just as he got to her, she darted left, which meant that he ran smack into the swing-set.

"You're a real bitch sometimes, Lindsay." Danny mumbled as he rubbed his nose, "Seriously, that really hurt."

"Aww, baby." She teased as she made her way over to him, "Let mommy see, want me to kiss it better?"

He held his hand over his nose, and shook his head, "No, you're a mean mommy."

She feigned hurt, "Careful," she laughed as she pulled his hand away from his nose and placed a light kiss on the tip of it, "I might have to tell my husband, he'll rough you up a bit. He thinks I'm a wonderful mother."

"He's delusional," Danny, laughed as he pulled her close and tickled her sides as the snow beat down on them from above,

"I'm sure he wont be saying that in bed when we get home," she wiggled her eyebrows at him in the moonlight.

"A'ight, I think he mentioned something about loving you with every fiber of his being, and being totally and utterly head over heels in love with you."

"He said that?" she giggled

"Give or take a word or two,"

She slugged his arm, and raced over to the grass, which was now covered in snow.

She turned around and beamed at Danny, before finding a spot on the grass and lying down, making a snow angel.

Danny stood at the edge of the grass with his arms folded, shaking his head, "Are you sure you're not like twelve, seriously, Linds…"

She sat up and shook her head to rid her hair of the snow, "I'm just in touch with my child side."

Shaking his head, Danny took his position next to her, and smiled as he too lay back and made himself a snow angel.

"There's not many guys that would do this for their wives, ya know, Linds…"

"But I'm your baby girl, and you'd do anything for me."

He smiled as he grabbed her hand while they made themselves a pair of Snow Angels. She really had no idea how right she was. Ends of the earth, through hell and high water. If it made her happy, he'd do it.

She was his Montana and he was her cowboy.

And he wouldn't change it for the world.

--

* * *

"Nick," Sam breathed as she wiggled from underneath him, "Nicky, get off, stop tickling me, already"

"What?"

"I'm gonna go and check on Amanda. Make sure she's okay…"

"The baby monitors turned up, Samantha," Nick reminded her, "We'll hear her."

"I just wanna go check," Sam told him, "Might get the going rate for babysitting then,"

Nick laughed as he grabbed the TV remote, and looked around the room, "Think we ought to clean up?"

"Nah, they wont be home yet…" Sam told him, "We got another thirty minutes at least."

Sam closed the living room door shut, and headed upstairs towards Amanda's pink princess room. She pushed the door open, crept in and smiled at the angelic form of Amanda Messer, peacefully sleeping in her baby crib.

Sam leaned over and gazed at the little girl, clearly the spitting image of her mom.

Her Mom, that just happened to be Samantha's best friend.

She traced Amanda's face with her index finger, and ruffled her hair softly and leant down to kiss the tip of her nose.

She hadn't spent a lot of time with Amanda. Hell, she hadn't spent a lot of time with Lindsay – but there was just something that seemed to click instantly. It was right. It fitted. Lindsay and Samantha. She now couldn't imagine her life without her little country girl. Brooklyn and Montana, Danny had dubbed them, with the help of Scagnetti.

Sam stood and watched Amanda as a smile tugged at the little girl's lips, as she muttered sleepily, "Mommy…"

Sam smiled and pressed a kiss to her index finger, before touching Amanda's nose again, transferring the kiss. "Mommy and Daddy are playing out right now, sweetie, they'll be home soon,"

An angelic smile took over Amanda's lips, leaving Sam with a warming feeling in her heart.

That little girl had effortlessly captured Samantha Ross's heart with a simple smile.

--

* * *

"I'm really cold, Danny," Lindsay whined as she wrapped herself in Danny's jacket.

"It was your idea to roll around in snow, Montana."

"Was not," she sniffed as she shivered,

"Spare me," Danny laughed as he wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her arms in a warming motion, "Better?"

"Carry me home," She whined, "I don't wanna walk anymore."

"Are you for real?"

She nodded and grinned at him.

Sighing he turned around, so that his back was facing her, "Go on, hop on."

Lindsay giggled and jumped onto his back, wrapping her arms and legs securely around him, "You're awesome baby. You're the awesomest husband, ever!"

"Whatever," Danny mumbled as he turned onto their street, "I'm only doing this cause I love you."

"And I love you," she giggled as she kissed his neck and rubbed her cold nose against it.

"Jesus Linds," Danny spat yanking his neck away from her, "Your little nose is like ice, what you been doing, rolling around in snow,"

"You're a riot, Danny. Should take it on the road…"

"You'd miss me too much," Danny chuckled, "Plus, the house would fall apart without me, to be honest."

"You really regard yourself highly, don't you?"

"Someone has too," Danny chided as he hitched Lindsay further up his back, "I don't remember you being this heavy when I carried you across that rooftop, babe."

"Thanks," she muttered, "you just called me fat,"

"You're still carrying holiday weight, along with my baby. I'm just saying… besides, I love you no matter what you weigh."

"You're digging yourself a deeper hole, Daniel. Stop digging."

"I'm not, I'm just saying I love you, curves and all,"

She chuckled and dug her knees into his sides, "I do not have curves, I'm tiny. The only reason I have curves is because of your baby."

"My baby? So it was all me that night?"

"Yeah," Lindsay giggled, "All you,"

"Are you sure you didn't have a sip of Sam's wine at dinner, I mean you're awfully giggly Linds, and we both know what you're like when you smell wine, never mind consume two bottles to yourself."

"That was once," Lindsay defended herself. "At the Christmas party. So that was perfectly acceptable, and anyway, you were nearly out cold by the time we got home. You and Flack's obsession with JD shooters."

"You haven't tasted them, clearly. Otherwise you would understand the obsession."

"Clearly," Lindsay snorted, "But it's milk juice and water for me for the next what, year?"

"Sorry baby, looks that way…"

She giggled and snuggled into his neck, "I'm not drunk Dan, I'm just really happy."

"I know baby, I was only teasing ya."

"Good, otherwise you might have been sleeping on the couch,"

"You wouldn't," Danny feigned hurt, "You can't sleep without me,"

"And your incessant snoring, tossing in your sleep…"

"You want the list I hate about sleeping with you, cover hog." Danny chuckled, "I swear to god, I would survive in the Antarctica with you. I freeze my ass off 8 days out of the week."

"You talk crap, Danny. I do not"

"Oh yeah… sure about that?"

"Positive," Lindsay sing-songed as she jumped down from Danny's back, "and even if I do, you wouldn't change it for the world."

Danny chuckled as she started down their garden path leading to their house, "I wouldn't be so sure about that, Montana!"

--

* * *

"She okay?" Nick questioned as Sam re-entered the living room.

"Fine," Sam nodded, "she's a beautiful little girl,"

"Mirror of her mom," Nick smiled as he patted the seat next to him, "everything alright?"

"Fine," Sam nodded as she sat next to Nick and curled her legs up underneath her, "I just wish sometimes that I had what they had. I mean I'm not getting any younger, and seeing them and how in love they are, kinda puts a rocket up my ass."

Nick snorted, "I thought you were being really deep then, Sam. But no, little Sam Ross couldn't be serious…"

"I can," Sam defended, "I just prefer not to, my work is serious, why bring my work home with me?"

"You've got some seriously good life mottos, Sam."

"I try," She chuckled, "So squishy, come on… Why did you leave Vegas? I'm not stupid, something's bothering you…"

"There was a lot of stuff going on when I left,"

"Like…?" Sam pressed, "I mean, don't get me wrong; you don't want to tell me that's fine. But if you want someone to lean on, I'm here."

Nick took a deep breath, "One of my best friends left after being kidnapped and nearly murdered by a serial killer that was deranged." He took another deep breath, and looked at Sam who had wide eyes, willing him to carry on, "My boss couldn't cope with her leaving, and he changed after she left – he was a different person. My other best friend, who I loved like a brother, was murdered. Died in my boss's arms. We solved his murder."

"Nicky, I'm so sorry…"

"I found the guy that did it," Nick continued, "and was so close to shooting him, Sammie. So close. I nearly did. I wanted to, so bad. I just – I couldn't. For Warrick. I knew he would kick my ass and haunt me if I put my job on the line to kill the bastard that had killed him. But he was my best friend Sam, best friend."

"Nick," Sam gasped, "I – I didn't know. I'm so sorry that I -"

"Don't worry Sam, I'm okay, gee girl, it ain't your fault. I've dealt with it… I just – I needed some way out. I couldn't stay there and watch my 'family' break down. Grissom, my boss, was on his way out; I could tell he wanted to cut back. He was running on empty, and I think had been since Sara left."

"Was that the girl that left?"

"Yeah," Nick nodded, "Enough about me though, Sam. What brought you back to New York?"

"I just love this city," Sam shrugged, "The lights, the colour, how vibrant it is, It's me."

"You lived in Phoenix for a while, didn't you?"

"I don't talk about that," Sam told him, "it's nothing personal, just something I'd rather not go into, drag you down and everything."

"You're my friend Sam, if you need someone to lean on, I'm here."

Sam smiled and kissed his cheek, "Thank you, Nick. But, I just haven't dealt with it myself yet. When the time comes, it'll be you I talk to, I promise."

"Pinky swear," Nick smirked as he shoved her sideways, lightly, making her fall to the couch, while holding out his pinky finger

"I'll freaking pinky swear you, in a minute." Sam laughed

"Only someone as perverted as you could turn that into something dirty, Samantha Ross. Well, you and Donald Flack," Nick chuckled,

"I'm taking that as a compliment, considering how dashing the homicide detective is,"

"Only you, Sam," Nick laughed as he shifted on top of her, pinning her down while she giggled below him, "Only you."

--

* * *

"Danny, I'm still cold. Why are we making out on the front door?"

"It seemed like a good idea five minutes ago?" he shrugged as he nuzzled her neck, "where's the fire, Linds? Got somewhere you hafta be?"

"Yeah," Lindsay nodded as she shoved her hand in her coat pocket searching for her keys, "In my pyjamas."

Danny shook his head as he wrapped his arms around her as she shoved the key into the door, "We gonna kick Sam and Nick out now, get them to fuck off home?"

"Dollar in the swear jar," Lindsay whispered as she turned in his embrace, "But I like your way of thinking,"

"You like that?" Danny chuckled, "You'll love what I'm thinking then,"

"I'm sure I will," Lindsay smiled as she trailed kisses down his neck, "Lets get them the fuck out of the house so you can warm me up."

"You'll be wanting a cold shower when I'm done," Danny smirked, "And that, Mrs Messer, is a promise."

Lindsay shivered as he kissed her, and backed her into their still closed front door.

--

* * *

"Did you hear that?" Sam gasped as she pulled away from Nick, "Listen… did you.."

"Sam," Nick breathed against her lips, "You're paranoid, I didn't hear anything."

Sam narrowed her eyes at him as she leant up to kiss him again, "I'm sure I heard something."

"Paranoid," Nick laughed syllable by syllable. "Chillax, Sam."

She shut her eyes and listening contently for a second, before reopening her eyes and shrugging, "Maybe it was a cat or something,"

Nick nodded as he kissed her gently, "Maybe,"

--

* * *

"Dan, did you hear that?"

Danny shook his head as he kissed her neck, "No, wasn't listening."

"I'm sure I just heard Sam and Nick."

"Well, that's good," Danny laughed, "Least they haven't left Amanda alone."

Lindsay glared at him, "I didn't mean that, and you know it… listen,"

Danny rolled his eyes as he humoured her and pressed his ear up against the front door, "What am I listening to?"

"Shhh!" Lindsay hissed, "Listen!"

Danny rolled his eyes as he reached for the door handle, "I've got a crazy idea hows about we open the door and go in."

Lindsay looked at him as if he had just cursed at her, "Why?"

"Instead of freezing out asses out here,"

She considered it for a second before nodding, and letting him push the door open.

--

* * *

"Get off!!" Sam cried against nick's neck, "They're home,"

"They aren't,"

"Nick seriously," she said, pushing him up, off of her, "they are."

"They aren't" he argued.

"Hello? Guys, we're back!"

Nick's eyes widened as he leant up, trying to steady himself. Sam flew up from her position on the couch, making Nick lose his footing, and he ended up toppling over the side of the arm of the couch, into a heap on the floor.

"Christ, Sam! That hurt!"

Danny pushed the living room door open, and his eyes widened, while Lindsay stood, giggling next to him.

"What the hell were you doing on my couch?" he bellowed

"Danny, you're going to wake Amanda," Lindsay reminded him as she waggled her eyebrows at Sam and then Nick.

"Does it look like I care, what were you doing on the couch, guys?"

Sam shrugged, "Making out, isn't it obvious?"

"On my couch?" Danny spat as Lindsay shoved him into the room and shut the door to try and keep the noise down, "My couch?"

"Danny, we nearly had sex on their last week, it really doesn't matter." Lindsay whispered in his ear,

"My couch," Danny said, shaking his head, "On my couch?"

"Your couch," Nick smiled from his seat on the floor by the armchair,

"Shut up, you." Danny spat, "you're a cupcake. You're wearing lip-gloss for craps sake,"

Sam and Lindsay bit their lips and Nick frantically wiped away the remains of Sam's lip-gloss from his lips, cheek and neck.

"And I don't know what the hell you're sniggering about Sam, sat there," Danny scolded, "It's not Nick with a nice bruise on his neck,"

Her eyes widened and she glared at Nick, "I thought you said you didn't make a mark,"

"I didn't think it had," he admitted, "I'm sorry Sammie."

"I'm gonna have to wear a scarf. I don't do scarves,"

"There's always polo-necks, Sam." Lindsay smiled, "I have one you could have,"

"I have one I think, somewhere." Sam answered, "But thanks, honey."

Danny glared at Sam and Nick and shook his head, "Get home, the both of you."

"Why do I feel like a freaking horny highschooler?" Sam chuckled, "Christ Daddy, I'm sorry, I didn't realise you and mommy would be home so soon, otherwise Nicky here would have been long gone."

Danny glared at her, "Sam, it ain't funny."

Lindsay snorted, "I beg to differ, baby. Come on, you don't think this is a little funny?"

"Not in the slightest," Danny said, shaking his head, "I think it's time to go guys,"

Sam nodded and Nick stood up from his seating place on the floor, "I'm sorry Danno,"

"Yeah, sorry Danny didn't realise that you were so touchy about it."

"He isn't," Lindsay assured them as she glared at Danny, "He's just cranky."

"He's something," Nick smiled, "See you tomorrow guys?"

Lindsay nodded as she followed them to the door to let them out, "You two gonna be okay driving?"

Sam nodded, "Nicky's the driver. He only had one beer."

"Alright, make sure you call when you get home."

"Yeah mommy." Nick smirked as he leant to kiss Lindsay's cheek, "thank you for dinner,"

"Yeah hon, thanks for dinner," Sam smiled as she hugged her best friend, "And promise you wont get into it with Danny,"

Lindsay smiled, "I promise."

Sam held out her pinky finger and nudged Nick to do the same, "Do it,"

Lindsay rolled her eyes as she held her pinky finger out and pinky swore that her and Danny wouldn't get into it about Sam and Nick's session on the couch.

"Feel better?" Lindsay laughed as Sam let go of her pinky.

"I'll call you," Sam smiled as she nudged Nick out of the door, "night Linds,"

"Night Sam, G'night Nicky."

"Night Linds," Nick called as she shut the door, and turned back into the living room and glared at Danny. "What he hell was that? What's your problem, they had embarrassed themselves enough, they didn't need you making a big assed deal out of it."

Danny snorted, as he switched the TV on with the remote, and rested his hands behind his head as he set his feet on the coffee table, "So I could be an actor then,"

"You were kidding?" Lindsay laughed as she swatted his legs off the coffee table and moved to sit on his lap, "I thought you were being serious."

"I was practicing for when M&M and Little Bear get older." He shrugged, "Was I convincing?"

Lindsay nodded as she wrapped her arms around his neck, "I like you as the disciplinarian, it's yummy."

"Yummy?" Danny snorted as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "Are you for real?"

She nodded and kissed him lightly on the lips, "As real as real can be."

"Let's test that theory, shall we?" Danny smirked as he lowered her onto the couch, "Rid our poor baby of the Sam and Nicky cooties."

"You're a serious dork," Lindsay declared as she kissed his neck

"I know," Danny admitted, "I was dying to just say to them 'do you want us to leave or…?' but couldn't."

"Aw, you should have let me," Lindsay whined as Danny kissed her neck,

"I'll telepathically tell you next time to say that then, babe." Danny whispered against her neck,

"Don't get smart," Lindsay warned as she unbuttoned Danny's shirt, "it doesn't suit you."

"Yeah?" Danny smirked, "Know what doesn't suit you?"

"What?" Lindsay asked, humouring him

"This shirt," he chuckled as he ripped it open and he smie, "Oops. Buttons broke."

"You're buying me a new shirt, Danny." She glared at him, "I liked that one."

"This is me caring with all my heart," he smirked as he flipped her over and made work on her jeans, "See, I really care."

"Just shut up and make love to me," Lindsay sighed

"Yes ma'am."

--

* * *

"Well, this is you," Nick smiled as he killed the engine,

"Wanna come up?" Sam asked, "Or are you on early tomorrow?"

"Yeah, but I probably shouldn't anyway," he told her before taking a deep breath, "Sam, about tonight…"

"I think of you more like a best friend, Nick" Sam blurted out before blushing.

Nick smiled and rubbed her hand affectionately, "Well damn Sammie, you made my job a damn sight easier. You know I love you, right."

"I do indeed, we're both the new kids on the block, and we have that special bond."

Nick chuckled "We do. And you like a certain Homicide detective."

"Maybe," Sam smiled, before rubbing nick's hand, "I'm sorry if I-"

"For what? Listening to me, or let me kiss you?"

"Both," She giggled, "I just – I didn't mean to push you into telling me what happened when you left Vegas."

"You didn't push me, if I didn't want to tell you, Sam, I wouldn't have."

"Sure?" she asked as she held her pinky finger out

"You and your pinky promises, you're like a fourteen-year-old. Yes," he sighed as he hooked his pinky in hers, "I pinky promise that you didn't push me into telling you, kapish?"

"Kapish," Sam laughed, "Sure you don't wanna come up?"

Nick shook his head, "I better go, got things I hafta do."

"Oh yeah?" Sam smiled, "like what?"

"Catch up with my past," Nick told her, "You okay to get upstairs on your own, want me to wait?"

Sam laughed and shook her head, "I'm a tiny big girl, and I can bite and bark really loud."

"I love you Samantha Ross, you're something else, you know that?"

"I try," She smiled as she kissed him on the cheek as she opened the passenger door, "thanks for the lift squishy," she grinned brightly

"Anytime, sunshine," Nick smiled at her amused face.

"Sunshine?" Sam laughed,

"Your smile reminds me of the sun," Nick reasoned, "you're always smiling and happy."

Sam laughed and shut the door to the SUV and headed towards her apartment building. Once she was safely inside and waving at Nick through the glass door, he ignited the engine, and pulled out into the New York City's traffic.

Feeling a lot lighter than when he picked up Samantha Ross.

--

* * *

She raked her nails down his back as he nuzzled her neck, "Danny."

Kissing her lightly, while breathing deeply and heavily, his arms slowly traced down her bare back, "Montana, baby… that was… I love you,"

She shivered as she let herself fall onto his chest as she placed small kisses on his shoulder, "See," she breathed against his chest, "I do let us have sex on the couch,"

Danny kissed her shoulder and then her forehead as he wrapped his arms tightly around her, "You do,"

She wiggled into the space between the back of the couch, and where Danny was laid on the edge, and rested her head on his chest, "fancy a repeat performance upstairs?" she giggled

"Just out of curiosity, are you tryin' to kill me?"

"No" she shook her head, as she traced her index finger down the middle of his chest, to the outline of his abs, "I just find you incredibly irresistible,"

Danny sighed heavily, and turned on the couch "Montana…"

"I was just suggesting Danny, is all, I didn't mean…"

He placed his finger to her lips to silence her, "If you'd let me finish, you would have heard me tell you that it's a good job I have good stamina, and love you more than words can say…"

And, with that, he swung his legs over the side of the couch, and scooped Lindsay up in his arms

"What about our clothes?" Lindsay asked as he kicked open the living room door.

"They'll be there when we get up tomorrow."

"But what if…"

"Lindsay do me a favour."

"Anything," she smiled as he started up the stairs with her wrapped safely in his arms, nuzzling his chest,

"Switch that brain of yours off for an hour. Just an hour, let me enjoy my wife, not the mommy in her."

Lindsay smiled and let out a sigh, "consider it done cowboy. Ready for me to rock your world."

"You rock it everyday, babe," Danny smirked as he carefully stepped over the baby gate at the top of the stairs, "you've rocked it ever since the day I met you."

She smiled as she leaned down and pushed their bedroom door open, "Do your thing, cowboy."

He kicked the door shut with his foot, and set her on the bed, "You haven't seen anything yet, Montana."

--

--

* * *

**_Well, every chapter guys, i think you can't top yourself with the reviews - but i'm always proved wrong, you're all amazing! thankyou so much for the support and feedback! it's really appreciated!!_**

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**_Keep up the reviewing guys._** :)


	132. Nine what!

**_A/N: We're past one-thousand reviews, people! _****_ONE THOUSAND. That is just pure craziness. Madness. This is officially the longest, oneshot, with the most loveliest, loyalist reviewers in the fanfic world! I LOVE YOU GUYS. _**

**_Special shoutout to Muchmadness for being reviewer one-thousand. You won... um, a bag of M&M's? lol. Feel free to share the acceptance speech :P_**

**_Thankies to BEG75 with her help with the technical stuff this chapter. _**

**_And, in the words of BEG75 - "Laurzz kicks ass, 1003 baby!" _**

**_Anyway, enjoy guys :) _**

**_--_**

* * *

Lindsay sighed as she chucked the clipboard onto the table and glared at Danny, "You need to knock that shit off,"

"Knock what off?"

"That-" she gestured wildly at his shaking leg that was crossed, "it's making me nervous. And pissing me off."

"Two dollars in the swear jar," he sing-songed.

"You're pissing me off," she warned him, "Knock it off."

He chuckled as he leant forward and grabbed her clipboard with the details the receptionist had given her to fill out with all of her insurance details, "You done?"

She nodded as he stood up, and walked the short distance to the reception desk. "My wife's details," he smiled as he handed them to her.

"Well, I didn't expect them to be yours." She laughed softly.

He could hear Lindsay snort across the room, and turned to glare at her with his eyes raised. He mouthed, "Behave" before he turned back to the receptionist, "Do you have any idea how much longer the Doctor will be?"

"You and your wife are the next on her list, Mr Messer."

He nodded and moved back to Lindsay and sat next to her while wrapping his arm over the back of her chair, "You okay?"

"She hit on you," Lindsay declared, "she hit on you when I was sat…-"

Danny covered her mouth with his hand, "I get that you're overly, overly hormonal, scared and nervous, but seriously chill out, Lindsay. It's a doctor's appointment. Is all."

"But…" she murmured against his hand.

"I said, relax," he told her, while he moved his hand away, "Alright? Just because you're pregnant, does not mean you can go postal on every Mary Sue that walks past me and looks like she's checking me out, alright. It's you I made a baby with, and it's you I love. So calm down, alright, I'm not going anywhere."

She nodded and rested her head against his shoulder, "I'm sorry, I just…-"

"I know you're just… And I'm _just_ telling you that things are okay, and you don't need to freak out… And that I'm here, forever and for always. It's you and me, baby girl"

She turned and placed a kiss to his cheek, "I love you, you know that right?"

"Yeah, I love you too. The both of you." He said as he laid a hand to her slightly swelled stomach that they were both increasingly noticing with each day that passed now that they knew that she was in fact, pregnant. "Hell, I even love Amanda some days."

Lindsay raised her eyebrows, "Some days?"

"All right, all the time," Danny sighed, defeated, "I love her with my heart and soul… you've found me out."

"You might as well have it tattooed across your forehead," Lindsay giggled as she stood up.

"Where do you think you and Little bear are going?" Danny asked edging towards the end of his chair.

"We need a drink… Is that okay?"

"I guess," Danny shrugged as he sat back in his seat.

He glanced around the waiting room before reaching and picking up a magazine to hide his face.

They were all staring at him.

Well, him and Lindsay. And their animated conversation…

He opened the magazine and held it in front of his face, before realising what it was – breast pumps… and whether or not they were safe… Shuddering he chucked it back onto the little table in front of him, crossed his legs and closed his eyes, listening to the quiet conversations filling the room.

He heard the seat creak next to him and felt the pair of lips that he had kissed for well over 5 years now softly kiss his cheek. "Your cell is vibrating, can't you feel it?"

He opened his eyes and pulled the vibrating object from his clip on his belt. "It's Flack," he told Lindsay.

"He better not be calling you in, Danny."

"I'll get rid of him," Danny told her before answering, "Messer."

"It's Flack, Danno."

"I have caller ID." Danny laughed, "What c'ha want, Flack?"

"You know Sam…"

"Yeah…"

"Do you think she'd be up for a date?"

Danny snorted as he sat back in his seat, "With who? Me… I don't think Linds would like that, buddy. You mean you, right?"

"Do you think if I was to ask her on a date, she'd say yeah."

"Why?" he laughed,

"I just want a second opinion," Flack told him, "Do you think she'd say yeah?"

"Why not," Danny mused,

"Where are ya, Danno?"

Danny blanked. "What?"

"You were supposed to be in a hour ago. Mac just came into the break room and changed your hours… Where are ya?"

"Looking at a day-care for Amanda," he lied.

"I thought you had that nanny."

"Linds has some issues about that… Look Flack, I really can't talk now…"

"Well, I just want to ask you one more…-"

"Look, Don… I couldn't give two if you ask Sam out. You wanna ask her out. Ask her. Just stop dancing around like a fairy about it. Pull up them big boy pants and get on with it."

"Do you hear yourself?"

"Look, Flack. I'll call ya later."

"Whatever Mess." Flack laughed, "Hope you're gonna tell me the real reason you're not at work later on, yeah…"

"G'bye, Flack."

"Love ya," Flack teased down the phone.

"You too, cupcake," Danny smirked as he flipped his phone shut and fixed it onto his belt.

"What was that?" Lindsay asked with an amused face, "Was that actually Flack on the phone."

"The one and only…" He chuckled, "Having a meltdown about Samantha,"

"He was?" Lindsay gasped as she sat forward on the seat, "What _kind_ of meltdown?"

"A meltdown," Danny shrugged, "Doesn't know whether to ask her on a date or not…"

Lindsay squealed. Much to Danny's dismay

"Do you mind," he hissed,

"I'm sorry, but Sam and Flack… it's something worth squeeing over."

"Squeeing?" Danny laughed, "What?"

"Squeeing," she repeated, "you know… like when your favourite couple on TV have a baby when they've been going through hell backwards. The whole light at the end of the tunnel thing…"

"Who has a baby when you're going through hell backwards?" Danny laughed, "That's just…"

"Hey, I don't write it,"

"You just watch it," Danny sighed, "I know… But seriously, a baby...?"

"Yeah," Lindsay nodded, "So, when you see in on TV you'd squee." She explained, "It doesn't matter, you don't get it."

"I do," Danny assured her, "So, squeeing. Is that like giggling or something?"

She rolled her eyes, "Seriously, it doesn't matter."

"Mr and Mrs Messer?"

Lindsay took a deep breath as Danny grabbed her hand and squeezed it lightly, "Come on honey," Danny smiled, "Lets go meet little bear Messer."

--

* * *

Lindsay glanced up from her position on the table and gripped Danny's hand, "What?"

"Nine weeks," the doctor smiled,

"But… It can't be… nine weeks? Are you positive?!"

"Fairly," the doctor chuckled, "About as positive as I love my job,"

"But… nine weeks, that dates me all the way back to… no, there's no way..."

Danny chuckled, "So, you're saying nine weeks? Like as in two months and a week?"

The doctor nodded, "I feel like this is some sort of shock,"

"We took a test or two, or you know… five around that time…" Danny explained, "They came back negative."

"All five did," Lindsay piped up, "Seriously, all five. Negative."

"I believe you," she chuckled, "I don't know what to tell you… Other than perhaps you had just gotten pregnant and there weren't enough hormones to detect it on the test. Or you got pregnant just after you took that test, or them tests, should I say?"

"Nine weeks," Lindsay whispered, "Nine?"

"Yeah babe," Danny laughed as he kissed her temple, "Nine. How many times would you like her to smile, and tell you you're nine weeks pregnant?"

"But I don't look nine weeks pregnant." Lindsay declared as she looked at her stomach,

"You've been in denial, baby." Danny teased, before looking up at the doctor, "We were a little stressed about it all. Panicking and what not…"

"Is this your first baby?" she asked,

"No, we have a 15-month-old, little girl called Amanda," Danny smiled

"You want them close then?"

Lindsay shrugged in response, "We didn't really think about that. We just wanted another baby."

The doctor nodded, "Well, I'm sure you're already aware, but stress isn't good for your baby, Lindsay."

"I know," she nodded, "It was a lot of things I was worrying about. I'm okay now…"

"I can imagine, it's a worrying time, having a baby. A wonderful time, but worrying. But I can see you have a wonderful husband," she smiled at Danny, who had his arms wrapped around Lindsay while leaning against the 'bed' where Lindsay was laid. "Just make sure you give her support, and be extra tolerant." The doctor added with a smile,

"Well, I am pretty awesome," Danny, grinned, "And extremely tolerant to put up with her non pregnant bitchin' and demands, so this will be a walk in the park … When will we meet Little bear. Because it's been a while since we did all this, and I'm not up to date on my ultrasound procedures and all that jazz..."

"We'll book you in for an appointment to meet baby Messer"

"Little bear," Danny corrected

The doctor glanced at Lindsay as if for her to explain what Danny meant.

"He nicknames us," Lindsay smiled, "I'm Montana, our daughter is M&M and this one here," Lindsay said, rubbing her stomach, "is little bear."

The doctor smiled, "I wish all daddies were as enthusiastic as you, Danny. But, referring back you your question, it's usually between the 16th and 20th week that you'll meet your little bear. Usually, if it's a low risk pregnancy, some people don't have an ultrasound, but I feel it's necessary, because of the stress you talked about, and the nature of your job. I can imagine you have some stress inflicted upon you now and again,"

Lindsay glanced up at Danny and chuckled, "from time to time,"

"Well, we'll say 16 weeks. We can determine the sex, if you like."

Lindsay smiled, "We'll talk about it, decide whether we want to keep it a surprise or not…"

"That's fine," the doctor assured her as she sat up from her seat. "I'll leave you two a minute… Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Messer."

Lindsay watched the doctor shut the door and swivelled in her seat and looked at Danny. "It was in the shower."

"What was in the shower?" he laughed

"When we conceived our baby… Remember? The hot steamy sex after we'd taken the test and it had been negative."

Danny's eyes widened, "The shower."

He then broke into a fit of laughter.

"Danny," Lindsay scolded as she slugged his arm, "it isn't funny."

"I'm not saying it is," he teased, "it's the way you were so serious. _The shower_."

"I wont be able to go in the shower again, it has sentimental value now."

"Oh for gods sake," Danny laughed as he rolled his eyes. "We had sex in the bed minutes before, it could have been there Linds,"

She shook her head, "the shower."

"Whatever," Danny laughed as he helped her down from the examination table, "What time you on shift?"

"Four," she told him,

Danny nodded, "Fancy going into the city, pick some things up?"

"Danny," she sighed, "there could be things that go wrong yet, we need to take it slow… be realistic about it all…"

"I didn't say I was buying the baby his or her first car, Linds. We can just go and window-shop. Look at what they got nowadays"

"That does sound like fun," she smiled, warming up to the idea as he took her hand and led her out of the doctor's office.

--

* * *

Lindsay let go of Danny's hand as she took the phone he was handing her, "Sammie?"

"Hey Linds," Sam sing-songed into the phone casually, "What'cha doing?"

Lindsay glanced over and Danny and covered the mouth piece "Can we tell one person each?"

"I knew you'd break," he chuckled as he kissed her temple; "go ahead," he sighed as he looked into the shop window they were stood by.

"Linds?"

"Yeah hon?"

"What'cha doing?" Sam asked again.

"Baby shopping." Lindsay smiled, waiting for her friend's reaction.

"You gonna get that doll for Amanda then. I knew you'd cave."

"No, real baby shopping, Sam. Not dolly shopping."

"Oh. So Amanda wants... Wait. You. You're-" Sam stuttered

"Nine weeks," Lindsay confirmed

"OH MY GOD!" Sam squealed down the phone, so much so, Lindsay had to hold the phone away from her ear, "OH MY GOD. I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!"

"Sam, Sam. Stop screaming, alright, you're deafening the baby..."

"My best friend is having a baby, I can scream all I want," Sam told her before squealing again, "When… How…"

"How?" Lindsay snorted, "Well Sammie, when a man and a woman love each other…"

"I know how… wiseass. But how… how do you know… wait. That's where you are, or were or went, or whatever. You were at the doctor's you sneaky twosome. Weren't you? Day-care my ass. How did I not read into that… Danny said twice last night… you two knew, last night… didn't you. You two knew that you were pregnant."

"You spoke to Flack then? Seen as you mentioned Danny's lame butt, Day-care excuse," Lindsay mused as she took Danny's hand.

"He asked me out," Sam giggled,

"HE WHAT?!" Lindsay squealed down the phone, "WHAT? WHEN? HOW?!"

"In the middle of the precinct." Sam told her, "It was pretty cute actually."

"It was?" Lindsay sighed as she squeezed Danny's hand to get his attention to turn into a shop, "What happened? What did he do?"

"Leant down by the side of my desk, and like crouched down on his knees…"

"Mhmm," Lindsay nodded as she held the phone to hear ear with her shoulder while holding Danny's hand with one of her hands and shifting through the racks of baby clothes with the other, "Go on."

"Brushed my hair off my shoulder, and whispered it in my ear…"

Lindsay dropped the phone, and signalled for Danny to pick it up and hand it to her, before retaking her free hand, "Sorry… he did what?"

"Whispered it to me… Asked me if I wanted to go out some time, me and him…"

"What did you say? Please tell me you said yes…"

"I did," Sam smiled into the phone, "but I don't know now."

"What!?!" Lindsay all but yelled down the phone, causing people to turn and glare at her, "What?" she asked again, a lot quieter.

"I dunno, I want to celebrate with you, Linds. It's not every you find out you're pregnant."

"We weren't really gonna celebrate, Sam. I'm working tonight, and so's Dan. Just a quiet night at the crime lab."

"No way…" Sam scolded, "You're having a baby."

"You're going out with Don Flack," Lindsay countered, "the baby is gonna be here for another 8 months, Sam. We can celebrate whenever. Donald Flack asking you out…"

"He what," Danny laughed, "Give me the phone," Danny told her, taking the phone. "Brooklyn?"

"Hey Danny." Sam smiled,

"So he stopped prancing round like a fairy and asked you then…?"

"He told me you said something about fairies." She laughed, "And yeah."

"Cute," Danny smiled, "Get your ass back to work, you slacker. Talk to Montana when she gets to work." He said as he hung the phone up and attached it to his belt hook.

"Do not tell me you just did that," Lindsay glared at him.

"We are baby shopping," Danny told her, "Samantha Ross and Donald Flack's love life can wait. My baby," Danny smiled as he rested his hand on her stomach, "Needs his mommy and daddy to buy him everything in this store."

"Him? Everything?"

"It's a boy…"

"Oh yeah?" Lindsay smiled as she took his hand, "What makes you think that…?"

"I told you Linds, I have a feeling…. I tried extra hard." He grinned,

"Thanks," Lindsay slugged him in the arm, "there was me thinking you put your heart and soul into it every time we make love…"

"I do," Danny assured her as he pulled her into his side, "Just sometimes, I try extra harder."

Lindsay laughed, "Extra harder? Somebody's been playing with Amanda for a little too long…"

Danny shrugged, "I love my kids, and love playing with them. Sue me."

"You love your kids," Lindsay smiled, "I love the way that sounds."

"I love my kids," Danny whispered in her ear, "My wife and kids. My two children."

"Careful," Lindsay warned him; "I might have to take you back home,"

"What for?" he asked as he picked up a baby pair of converse

"Talking like that, I have wants and needs now."

"Whatever, Linds… you tell me where and when, and I'm there."

She chuckled as she headed off in the direction of princess dresses and other various dressing up clothes for toddlers.

Leaving Danny with the credit card, and the cutest pair of converse he'd ever seen.

--

* * *

"That's a Hundred and ten then, please." The assistant smiled.

"I thought we were window shopping," Danny grumbled as he gave Lindsay the bag full of stuff and handed the store assistant his card.

"Danny, Amanda will love this little dress. It's Belle, from beauty and the beast. She loves that movie."

"She loves finding Nemo."

"That was last week," she sighed, "this week it's Belle."

"I don't know how me and Baby D will keep up with you girls."

"Baby D? I am not calling my son Danny Jr. Sorry. No. Not happening," Lindsay smirked, "You wouldn't let me call Amanda, Lindsay."

"Two Lindsay's? That's just confusing. Amanda's Amanda."

Lindsay winked as she handed him the shopping bag. "Wait a second," she laughed craning her neck around to see his 'so called' free hand. "What did you buy?"

"Something," he smirked.

"Go on, what is it," she asked dancing around him as he edged towards the door, "Let me see what it is, what did you buy?"

Danny sighed as he opened the bag and pulled out a baby shoebox. "It's a pair of baby converse."

"Awwwww!" Lindsay gushed as she took them in her hands, "They fit in the palm of my hand."

Danny smiled, "I though they were cute…"

Snorting, Lindsay handed the shoes back to him, "Did you just say cute?"

"You're damn right." He chuckled, "What else did you buy?"

"Nothing," Lindsay giggled as she snatched the bag away.

"Linds… let me see."

She rolled her eyes and handed him the bag, "They're clothes… But it's really cute, Danny."

"Amanda has enough clothes, Lindsay."

"They're for me."

He raised his eyebrows, "You? From a baby store?"

"Maternity clothes, dumb ass."

"Oh yeah… forgot you'd be needed some more clothes." He laughed as he pushed through the door of the store and took Lindsay's hand.

He opened the bag, and took out the item of clothing she'd purchased. "Linds, seriously… Pyjamas?"

"I'll need PJ's," she told him, "Read them, it's cute."

She rolled his eyes as he let go and unfolded them in front of him.

'_I BLAME MY HUSBAND'_ it read on the front of the baby pink camisole set, with flannel pyjama bottoms.

"Sounds about right," he mused as he handed Lindsay the bag.

"Turn them over, it says something on the back."

He rolled his eyes and complied, '_HE'S JUST TOO PRETTY_,'

"Actually, _I_ blame your smokin' body," Danny added, "And how beautiful you are when you're carrying _my_ baby. And i am anything, _anything_, but cute"

She blushed and shoved them back in the bag, "I got a top aswell."

"Let me see," Danny laughed,

She pulled a navy blue T-shirt out of the bag and unfolded it carefully. It had light blue lettering, and displayed across the front it read.

_DON'T MESS WITH A COUNTRY GIRL_

"Okay, so that's cute. I like it."

"Told you they were cute," she smirked as she put them back into the bag. "I need to be at work soon." She reminded him, "You have another what, two hours?"

"Mhmm," Danny nodded, "You okay finding your own way there, I have something I've been meaning to do…"

"Sure," she nodded, "Should I be worried?"

Danny snorted, "No… no… just have something I want to do…"

"Alright then, so I'll see you soon, Daddy?"

"See you soon, Mommy," Danny smiled as he laid a hand on her stomach while rubbing it affectionately before kissing her softly, "I love you, Linds."

She smiled as she kissed his nose, "I love you too."

"Let me take them." He told her as he reached for the bags, "Saves you lugging them to work wi' ya."

"Alright," she smiled, as she kissed him one last time before heading towards the subway.

Danny watched her disappear as he turned in the opposite direction and took a deep breath as he entered the store that had caught his eye before they had reached the baby store.

He pushed the door open and grimaced at the sound... "Messer, long time no see."

* * *

**_Huge thankies to..._**

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**Keep it up guys, you are incredible! I really appreciate all the support!!!**


	133. The only thing that's true

**_So the millon dollar question - where the heck did Danny go last chapter?? _**

**_And, random but ACTUAL DL SCENES this week, people! Can I get a hell yes! _****_And, Flack's cheating on our Sam. Screw you, PTB! Screw you. LOL._**

"You're twenty minutes late, Danny," Lindsay scolded as Danny walked into their shared office.

"I got held up," he shrugged as he hung his coat up, "And it seems that the place didn't collapse without me, so it's all okay."

"You're still late."

"I'm here now," he sighed.

"Where've you been?" she asked while she turned her attention to the case report on her desk, "Anywhere exciting,"

"Nah," he shrugged as he turned around and stretched.

She looked up at him, cocked her eyebrows and shook her head, "What's your problem? You bang your head. OD on your sappy pills? You're acting weird"

"No," he snorted, while he stretched with his back to her, revealing part of his lower back.

Her eyes widened, "Danny…"

"What?" he asked with a glimmer in his eye as he turned and smirked at her.

"You hurt yourself," she gasped as she rushed over to him, "Is that where you've been… the hospital… what happened?"

"Peel it off," he smiled.

"No" she squealed. "God no."

"Linds, just do it,"

"No" she shook her head adamantly, "no way."

"Linds. Do it." He instructed.

"But Danny, if you're hurt…"

"It's self inflicted," he told her as he reached round and ripped off the bandage. He turned to look at her and sighed, "Crap sake Lindsay, move your hands and open your damn eyes."

"No," she shook her head.

"Open them," he told her as he turned around and lifted his shirt up, revealing his back.

She squinted her eyes open through her open fingers and gasped. Quickly she moved her hands away from her eyes and she was examining her husbands back.

"Danny…" she gasped.

"Yeah?" he smirked as he turned his head over his shoulder, "You like?"

"I love it," she gushed as she ran her fingers over his lower back,

"I thought you might like it."

"I do… The lettering is beautiful. It makes her name look perfect."

"She is perfect," Danny smiled, "I've been meaning to get it down for a while now… her name… But, I sucked it up, and got it done."

"You didn't mention you wanted to get Amanda's name tattooed on you, babe."

"Wanted it to be a surprise," he smiled, "So, do you honestly like it?"

"I can say I honestly love it, sweetie. It's perfect. And the daisy next to her name, I love the meaning and sentimental-ness behind it… it's so… just, thoughtful. Wonderful. Beautiful."

"I've got her wherever I go now…"

A tear fell down Lindsay's face, "Danny," she sighed as she traced her finger over the lettering, "It really is beautiful."

"It hurt like a bitch," he whined, "Honest to god, I was close to passing out when he hit the sensitive bit of my lower back."

"Give birth to a baby. Then complain about pain, until then, you say nothing, kapish?"

"Kapish," Danny nodded, "I got something else done, aswell."

"You did?"

"Mhmm," he nodded, "You wanna see?"

She nodded, "Only if it's clean."

"Lindsay," he laughed, half scolding her, "Wash your mouth out…"

"Ha-ha." She said, rolling her eyes. "Come on, the suspense is killing me here…"

He turned slowly, and unbuttoned the top two buttons on his shirt, to reveal a small sized red love heart on his chest, with the letters LM inside of it in black lettering.

"Is that for… me?"

"For you." He told her, "You're my heart, Linds. It belongs to you…"

She took an intake of breath and gripped the material of her shirt around her heart, "that could be the sweetest thing you've ever done for me," she sniffed, close to tears, "Danny… that's…"

"That's completely inappropriate," Sam laughed as she walked into the office. "Guys, it's all about the locker room lovin'"

"Shut it, Brooklyn, we were having a moment then," Danny teased as he buttoned his shirt up, "I was showing Linds my tattoo."

"Hasn't she seen it?" Sam snorted. "You know, being your wife and all?"

"No, I got it done today," Danny told her, as Sam tapped her foot and folded her arms, "Would this be my cue to leave?"

Sam nodded.

"Seriously," Danny mused as he kissed Lindsay on the temple before turning towards the door while buttoning his shirt, "Do you do work?"

"Get out of your office, Messer." Samantha laughed, "Me and Linds have some serious girl talk to get on with."

Shoving his fingers in his ears, he chuckled as he headed down the hallway, sticking his tongue out at Lindsay as he passed the glass walls of their office.

"I don't think he could love you more if he tried," Sam gushed as Lindsay watched Danny head into the AV lab full of smiles.

"He surprises me sometimes," Lindsay smiled as she moved to sit next to Sam. "So, Donald. What's the latest."

"Grab a chair," Sam smiled, "I'll do you one better."

"You're gonna show me?"

"You're damn right I am," Sam laughed as she set a chair in the middle of the office. "Sit,"

Lindsay sat.

"Pretend to be typing."

Lindsay chuckled, "I feel like a dork, typing on a pretend keyboard."

"Type, pregnant lady, type."

Lindsay rolled her eyes as she "typed".

"Now, this is word for word what happened." Sam informed her as she stepped behind Lindsay.

"Do I have to say anything?"

"No," Sam shook her head, "Sit there with your mouthing hanging open."

"Smooth Sam." Lindsay laughed, "real smooth."

"In my defensive, he caught me off guard,"

"Whatever," Lindsay laughed, "come on…"

Sam took a deep breath and walked towards Lindsay who was pretending to type. She crouched down next to Lindsay, and placed a hand on her leg gently. "Sammie…"

Lindsay turned, and dropped her mouth dramatically.

"I know you're mocking me, Lindsay Messer. I did not look like that."

"Flack said that?" Lindsay laughed.

Sam glared at her, "As I was saying…. Sammie."

"Yes Donald," Lindsay teased as she blinked and smiled sweetly.

"No talking, kapish?"

"Kapish," Lindsay nodded

"Sammie," Samantha continued, "I've been wondering."

Lindsay looked at Sam and shivered slightly, willing Sam to carry on.

"Now, I know that you're probably gonna kick my ass to the high heavens, but…" Sam broke off, and moved Lindsay's hair from her shoulder, and tucked it behind her ear before leaning towards her ear. "I'm willing to take that chance."

Lindsay nodded.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out some time, me and you." Sam whispered, "I like you Sam, a lot."

Lindsay felt chills run down her spine, "Screw Flack, can I date you?"

"I don't do baggage," Sam teased, "two kids and a husband? Sorry babe."

Lindsay shrugged, "What else did he say?"

Sam leaned forward and kissed her shoulder, "Think about it, hon."

Lindsay turned in her chair, "he did that?"

"Grab my arm and pull me back down," Sam instructed her. Lindsay complied, and looked at Sam, willing for her to carry on.

"I said that I didn't need to think about it, and I could stop wondering when the hell he was gonna pluck up the courage and do something about it."

"What did he say?" Lindsay asked.

Sam leaned forward and kissed her cheek, "we'll talk,"

"I think my heart just melted. All this fluff is not good for my health. My heart skipping beats here there and everywhere. Little bear's gonna come out dizzy."

"It was totally cheesy," Sam laughed, "but the romantic in me loved it. My only hang up was that it wasn't in the rain. I love rain scenes."

Lindsay nodded, "Oh yeah… My favourite TV couple had a rain scene last season. I all but died. It was a shitty season for them… but this rain scene. Man, I wish that the show revolved around them, 'cause the continuation – like what happened after that scene. I would have paid huge money to see that…"

"What show is it?" Sam asked as she moved over to the couch,

"Some crime show," Lindsay shrugged, "it's not bad… they've suffered some seriously sucky writers though… But enough about a fictional couple, once I get started gushing about them, I won't stop, so, … what you gonna do?"

Sam shrugged, "Should I?"

Lindsay nodded adamantly, "Hell yes, girl. The man's smitten." She moved to sit next to Sam and nudged her, "then we can double date,"

"I wonder about you, sometimes," Sam laughed, "You're like a fourteen-year-old stuck in a thirty-one-year old body. Well not even that, you're tiny you're just like a tiny fourteen-year-old."

"Says the definition of Thumbelina." Lindsay laughed, "I'm going to get fat," she declared.

"You already look a bit fat, Linds." Sam teased. "So fat, you'd think you were pregnant, or something." Sam added sarcastically. "You're nine weeks pregnant. you're baby is like the size of a peanut."

They were interrupted by a knocking at the glass door, "Brooklyn, What'cha doing?"

"Asking Linds out," she smiled happily, "Why, what you doing?"

"Any reason you're asking my wife out… I saw you two in layout and I felt the need to come and investigate. Not everyday you see your girl's best friend kissing her in a place where i've marked my territory many a time,"

"Sam's showing me how Flack asked her out." Lindsay explained, "Will you ask me out like that?" she asked hopefully, "please?"

"Sure, I'll divorce you, so I can ask you back out," Danny snorted, "Lindsay, put my chair back. Sam. Go and get some freakin' work done. Go find your fuck buddy or whatever the hell he is."

"Don't you go starting them type of rumours, Daniel." Samantha warned him, "My bite is worse than my bark,"

"You. Work. Now." Danny scolded, pointing to the door, "Linds, we gotta go talk to Mac."

"About," she pointed to her tummy, "Baby M?"

"Mhmm," Danny nodded.

* * *

--

"What brings you two here?" Mac smiled as they sat down on his sofa.

"We have something we need to tell you, Mac. Sit down."

"Is everything okay?" Mac inquired.

"We think it is," Lindsay smiled.

"You have my attention" Mac smiled, "Go on…"

"Lindsay and I" Danny started "we're – she's…"

"I'm nine weeks pregnant, Mac."

His eyes widened. "Is that where you were earlier,"

They nodded, "We wanted to confirm it before we told you."

Mac nodded and smiled proudly, "that's wonderful,"

Lindsay smiled as she hooked her arm in Danny's and rested her head on his shoulder, "You're gonna be a grandpa again," she teased.

Mac smiled, "sounds good to me. We'll need to talk about your hours, Lindsay. Talk about you moving to lab work and paper work in the next few months."

She nodded, "I want to stay out in the field until I have to be assigned to desk duty." She sighed.

"It's not desk duty," Mac told her, "you're doing lab work. I'm not going to make you sit at a desk all day, Lindsay."

"I don't want her in the field much longer, Mac. It's not safe…"

"Danny, we went over this when she was pregnant with Amanda. We'll leave her until four months, and then we'll think about reducing her hours and making the transition to lab work."

"I am here," Lindsay laughed, "feel free to talk about me, to me."

"Sorry," Mac laughed, "What did the doctor say?"

"The usual, dated my pregnancy, took my starting weight. Told me I needed to be calm as possible, not to let things stress me out."

Mac nodded, "No high stress cases. Minimal cases relating to children."

"Mac, come on," Lindsay complained, "I'm perfectly capable in dealing with children in cases. If I do say so myself, I'm one of the main people that we have to deal with kids, with me having Amanda. What are you going to do if I'm stuck in the lab?"

"The first case you struggle with Lindsay and I'm pulling you off. I'm aware that you were stressed before, and that doesn't give you a good footing for the rest of the pregnancy. Do you understand?"

She nodded, "Just give me a chance Mac, that's all I ask."

"Consider it done," he nodded, "Danny, you've got to be tolerant aswell, we won't go into it, but I don't expect to be getting calls regarding you and Lindsay having an altercation because of something that goes on at a crime scene. Private life stays private unless it's dangerous for her to go in, then I expect for you to listen, Lindsay. I don't want you or the baby's life to be put into danger."

They both nodded, and smiled. "It's for the best," Lindsay said, as she rubbed her legs, and stood up, "We just thought we would let you know,"

"I'm glad you did," Mac smiled as he stood up from his desk and moved to hug her, "Congratulations Lindsay. You make a wonderful mother, this baby is blessed to have you two as his or her parents"

"Thanks Mac," Danny smiled as he shook his hand, "It means a lot."

Mac waved it off and pulled Danny into a hug. "I want you two to take the rest of the day. Celebrate. Cut backs are limiting the amount of workers I have on shift anyway. You two go ahead, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Are you sure?" Lindsay asked, looking at Danny, "I mean Mac… we were on the graveyard."

"Go home, go out… go do something. Celebrate together."

A smile tugged at her lips as she looked at Danny contently, eyes pleading for him to agree.

"I think Sam and Flack have a date tonight that we could chaperone I guess," He shrugged as he took Lindsay's hand, "you sure, Mac?"

"Positive," he waved them off, "Enjoy yourselves."

Lindsay smiled as Danny wrapped his around her, "You owe me, Montana." He warned, "You owe me big time..."

"What'd you have in mind, cowboy?"

"You don't wanna know."

--

* * *

"Lindsay, you're pregnant."

"Thanks for that, Flack. I'm well aware of that. Doesn't mean I can't go into a bar and drink water."

Sam nodded, "this is true."

"I don't know, it looks…" Danny shrugged, "I think I've been here before on a case."

Lindsay raised her eyebrows, "you've been everywhere in this city on a case, Danny. Come on… we never just go out."

"We do, we went to pizza hut like a month ago."

Flack, Sam and Lindsay snorted.

"Alright, one hour. One hour and then we're heading home, alright? Kapish? You hear, Mrs Messer. No party animal antics?"

"Cross my heart, I won't even swing on the poles or anything," she smiled as she grabbed Sam's hand and squealed excitedly. "I love this song."

Sam tugged her into the club,

"You two girls got ID?" the bouncer inquired, holding his arm out stopping Lindsay and Samantha from going in.

Lindsay snorted, "Excuse me?"

"ID" he repeated, "You got some?"

"Hmm," Lindsay pondered as she searched through her bag, "Will this do?" she asked, shoving her drivers licence in his face, "I'm thirty one."

"Hey, I'm just doing my job," he said throwing his hands in the air, "What about your friend there?"

"NYPD" Sam chuckled as she pointed at Flack and Danny and informed the bouncer that they would be paying the entrance fee.

"She's got you trained on the first date?" Danny laughed as he broke open his wallet, "Nice, Flack."

"Did it look like I had much choice?" Flack asked him,

Danny shrugged as he made his way into the club, "What's the deal with you and Brooklyn?"

Flack shrugged, "We have fun,"

Danny snorted, "You know that's bullshit," he told him as he ordered himself a beer and got Lindsay a bottle of water. "What's the deal between you and Brooklyn?"

"I like her," Flack shrugged, "Big deal."

"What about Stella?" Danny asked as he shoved his wallet into his back pocket and headed to where Lindsay and Sam had chucked their handbags on an empty booth surrounding the dance floor.

"What about her?"

"I thought you were madly in love,"

Flack shrugged, "your guess is as good as mine as to what we were. Friends more than anything."

Danny nodded as he sipped his beer, "Is this the same singer as the 'I kissed a boy'"

"She kissed a girl, Danny. And she liked it…" Flack laughed, "And yeah, it's a newish one."

Danny nodded, "they seem to like it,"

"A lot," Flack added.

They moved to sit on the table and their eyes fixated on Lindsay and Samantha. They had their hands intertwined together, singing loudly- Danny suspected out of tune- along with the song.

"What's she sayin'?" Danny asked, "You're hot and cold…?"

"I think so," Flack shrugged as he nodded appreciatively at Sam shimmying her way down the floor, and back up, before pulling Lindsay towards her again. "Girls' got some moves."

Danny nodded, "I'm pinching myself, cause surely I'm dreaming."

Flack snorted as he took a sip of his beer, while watching Lindsay and Sam. His eyes widened and he spluttered as he watched Lindsay and Sam bump and grind against the other

"Your wife is pregnant, Mess." Flack snorted, "She's in a club, bumping and grinding."

"She's having fun, Flack. She's safe. I'm watching her. Anyone goes near her; I'm there in a heartbeat. She wouldn't do anything to hurt the baby. She's being careful, I can see it in her eyes, she's making sure she doesn't over-do it."

"You're enjoying the preview to what's gonna happen when you two get home," Flack laughed.

"Well yeah," Danny admitted, "But seriously, someone- anyone makes their way over, I'm gonna start bumping and grinding with her there and then."

Flack set his beer down and snorted, "Did you just say that?"

He shrugged, "Mine."

"Yeah, alright, caveman." Flack teased. "Speak of the devils," Flack smiled as he moved off the table and sat in the booth making room for Sam.

Danny pulled Lindsay to the seat next to him and handed her the opened bottle of water, "You having fun, honey?"

She nodded child like. "Mhmm,"

Danny moved her bangs from her forehead and kissed her lightly, "Yeah well, just take it easy there, Montana."

She nodded, as she blew up to try and get her bangs out of her eyes.

"I hate being best friends with a disgustingly happy married couple," Sam declared.

"Why?" Flack snorted as he handed her a bottle of beer he had gotten for her.

Smiling Sam took it and set it on the table before grabbing his from his hand and took a huge swig of it.

"Um, Brooklyn?" Danny smirked, "What'cha doing?"

"Always tastes better when it isn't yours."

"You'll get cooties," Flack teased

"That all you got?"

"I resent that," Flack glared at her,

"I'm just kidding, we'll see what you got later on, wont we," she smirked before she squealed at the song being played.

"They are so not playing Will Smith," Lindsay said as she slammed her hands on the table. "Please tell me they are not playing this song. I love this song."

"Wasn't it on that movie, Hitch?" Danny asked.

Lindsay nodded adamantly, "Danny come dance with me." she pleaded.

"I don't know, Montana."

"Danny," she whined, "Please. It's switch, by Will Smith. You have to dance to switch by Will Smith."

He rolled his eyes at Flack, "You comin'?"

"I'm good," he snorted, "I'll admire you from here."

"Please yourself," Danny shrugged as Lindsay pulled him towards the dance floor, "You coming Brooklyn?"

She nodded as she handed Flack his bottle of beer and kissed his cheek, "You're a good 'un Donald. Sharing with me… Sharing's caring, ya know?"

"Get," Flack laughed as he swatted her ass encouraging her to move towards the dance floor.

She wiggled her way in-between Danny and Lindsay, taking one of their hands, and forming a circle between the three of them.

Chuckling, Danny pulled Lindsay as she sung along with the lyrics, and danced crazily.

_The many layers to Lindsay Messer_, Danny thought to himself as he found himself bumping and grinding against Lindsay while Sam was waving towards Flack, begging him to come and dance with them.

"Can we make this a weekly thing?" Danny called into her ear over the music,

"We can make it a nightly thing, if you want," Lindsay smiled sweetly, as she pulled Danny towards her, and shimmied down his body, before slowly working her way back up.

He bit his lip, and glanced up the ceiling of the club before pulling her close again.

"Linds?" he asked

"Mhmm?"

"What is your opinion on sex in a club bathroom?"

She snorted, "Are you telling me you want to have sex in a bathroom, you have to be crazy."

"Far from it." Danny whispered into her ear, "All I know is that I'm crazy about you, and we need to head on home. Now."

"One more song," she begged, "one more song then I'm all yours all night."

He shook her hand, "That's a deal Mrs. Messer. A very, very hot deal."

She giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close, "go and get Flack, Sammie wants him to dance with her."

He sighed as he let go of Lindsay's waist, "Since when have they played Ryan Cabrera in a club?"

"They're doing requests," Lindsay shrugged, "And it's a hell of a good song,"

He rolled his eyes as he moved towards the booth, and tapped on the table, getting Flack's attention, "Flack, you're services are required."

Flack stood up and cracked his knuckles, "I thought she would have been kicking my ass a lot earlier in all honesty… what's with this song," Flack laughed as the sounds of Ryan Cabrera "True" filled the club.

"I have a sneaky feeling my better half and whatever the hell Sam is to you did a number on us, and requested it."

Flack shrugged, "Doesn't surprise me."

Danny snorted as he grabbed Lindsay's hand and twirled her towards him before wrapping his arms around her waist, "There, you happy?"

"Very," she nodded as she wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder, "I love you."

"I'm glad," he chuckled, before kissing the top of her head, "Cause I kinda love you, as well"

"Happy baby day," Lindsay giggled.

He pulled away, "Baby what?"

"Baby day" she repeated, "the day we found out we're having a baby"

"Oh," Danny smiled as he kissed her cheek, "You're cute."

She smiled sweetly, and tapped Danny on the chest, "Dan, look at them," She smiled as she looked across the dance floor at Sam and Flack.

"You'd think they were an old married couple." Danny laughed. "Look at him, practically towering over her."

"Shut up," Lindsay laughed as she smacked him, "They're extremely cute."

--

* * *

"Are they still looking?"

Sam nodded against his chest, "I feel like a zoo animal with them staring,"

"Hey, they don't get much romance anymore."

Sam snorted and moved away from him, "Danny and Lindsay Messer are the definition of romance I will have you know."

"Maybe so," Flack shrugged as he brought her head back to his chest, "So, you having second thoughts about coming out with me?"

She shook her head, "Not as of yet, you've been quite the gentleman."

"Only the best for my Sammie." Flack smiled as he kissed her head

"Your Sammie?" Sam laughed,

"Yeah, my Sammie. You're my partner. You were my Sammie before you were Lindsay's Sammie."

Sam shrugged, "I suppose."

"You know I'm right, freckles."

Sam rolled her eyes, "You have yourself some good moves, detective."

"I try," he chuckled, "You like this song, then?"

"Love it," she nodded against his chest. "It's a perfect song for a couple just starting out, and all the excitement it brings."

"You're quite the romantic, aren't you?"

She nodded, "very much so."

Flack took a deep breath, and moved her hair from her ear, "It's time to try anything to be with you."

She shivered, "You know this song?"

He nodded, "You might think I don't look, but deep inside the corner of my mind, I'm attached to you..."

Sam giggled as she sang along with the lyrics, "I'm weak… It's true, 'cause I'm afraid to know the answer…"

"Do you want me to? 'Cause my heart keeps falling faster."

"I've waited all my life,"

"To cross this line,"

"To the only thing that's true,"

"I will not hide," he smirked

"It's time to try," she added.

"We're about as sappy as Dan and Linds," Flack snorted, "I swore to myself I'd never let myself get as sappy as them."

"You hadn't met me then," She chuckled as she leaned up on his tiptoes and kissed his cheek, "I bring out the good in some people, sometimes."

Flack nodded, and moved his hand from her waist to her chin, lifting it up slightly, before kissing her lightly on the lips.

--

* * *

Lindsay squealed, "Danny. Danny."

"What? What?"

She pointed wildly at Sam and Flack, "He just kissed her,"

"Awesome," Danny teased sarcastically, as he tapped Lindsay on the shoulder and then turned her head to face him, "Oh hi… remember me?"

"Ha-ha, very funny." She laughed as she rolled her eyes, "I want to go and tell them we're leaving but…"

"But they'll figure it out when they can't find us." Danny told her, "Go grab your bag, baby."

She nodded as she made her way across the room, before doubling back on herself, "I'm just gonna pop to the restroom,"

He nodded, "Me too, meet you out front in ten?"

She nodded, and they headed off in their different directions.

--

* * *

"Sammie," Lindsay smiled as she tapped her on the back and pulled her away from Flack, "Me and Dan are leaving,"

"Alright," she smiled, before pulling Lindsay into a hug, "I'll call you when I get home."

Lindsay nodded as she slipped something into Samantha's hand. "Just in case,"

Sam looked at her as she walked away, and then glanced down at what Lindsay had slipped into her hand.

Sam snorted.

--

* * *

"Flack, me and Linds are heading off. We've had enough."

"You're going to have sex."

"Well yeah," Danny nodded, "That too…"

"I'll text you tomorrow,"

Danny nodded as he held a hand out, "Just in case, yeah? I don't want to be goddaddy just yet."

Flack snorted, "Thanks…"

Flack then turned to Sam who was on the opposite side of the club, and smiled lopsidedly at her, while holding up Danny's parting gift.

She mimicked him and did the same.

Leaving the other in a fit of laughter at their best friends.

"Do they think they're funny?" Sam laughed over the blaring music, "This some kind of joke?"

"I think they're trying to tell us something, actually."

Sam raised her eyebrows. "I think you're dreaming."

"Wishing. Actually."

"I don't put out on a first date," Sam told him, "Not even for someone like you."

Flack chuckled as he pulled her close.

That little Brooklyn girl was officially going to be the death of him.

But, it was one hell of a way to go.

--

* * *

**_So, how many of you thought that I was having Danny get a tattoo? ;) And what about SamFlackie... Did the muse and i provide the goods?_**

**_As always thank you to my awesome reviewers, you guys are the BEST!!!_**

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	134. The One With All the Secks

**_A/N: I think the title clearly indicates the content of the chapter more or less ;) But, we'll rate it M anyway. So read it caution... And Enjoy :) _**

"I'm not saying that I don't appreciate it Danny, because I do… it's just…" Lindsay sighed as she shoved her key in their front door.

"It's just what, Montana? Come on?!" Danny pressed as he walked in behind her kicking his shoes off and throwing his coat on the floor, "Just what?!"

She rolled her eyes, "it doesn't matter, I just can't believe you freaked out like that…"

"Montana, I got outside, and you were shoving somebody against the wall because he wouldn't leave you alone. Like hell I'm not gonna do anything."

"I had it handled," she snapped as she flung her bag down and roughly switched the light on, "I had put the fear of god in him all by my self, thank you very much."

"I think you forgot the fact you're pregnant with my baby, Lindsay. That means that someone comes near you and makes you feel uncomfortable, like uncomfortable enough for you to shove them against a wall, it's my cue to go postal on them."

"Danny, he was drunk, he didn't know what the hell he was doing. He looked like he was fourteen anyway… There was no need for you to get that possessive. You could have really hurt him."

"Alright then Linds, say he shoved you into that trash can that was right by you after you had shoved in to the wall. Stomach first, what then? He could have really hurt you and killed my baby. Our baby."

"You're overreacting, Dan." Lindsay told him as she took her shoes off and lined them neatly on the shoe rack, she then grabbed Danny's glared at him, and made a point of setting them neatly on the rack next to hers before heading into the kitchen,

"Don't walk away from me, Lindsay!"

She rolled her eyes, "Are you not done bitching yet? Seriously? I've had it all the way home. We're going round in circles Dan, it's pissing me off."

"You're pissing me off, you're pregnant Lindsay, you cant be doing all that shit on your own now."

"What shit?" she asked her previous calm tone and demeanour, losing its resolve, "Looking after myself, handling myself? Danny, I'm a police officer. A CSI. An NYPD detective I'm someone who works closely with murderers and doot-da-doots day in, day out. What do you expect me to do, quit my job for the next 7 months so you'll feel better then take maternity leave?"

"I didn't say that," Danny defended himself,

"No, but you're thinking it, aren't you… that's what you want, you want me on desk duty in a bubble room. You were the same with I was pregnant with Amanda."

"In my defence Lindsay you were recovering from a car accident."

"I meant after that… you didn't like me going into the field, Dan. We both know why Mac put me on lab work earlier than what he should have – to stop you from as you put it, 'going postal'" she air quoted "on suspects and perps."

"Lindsay, you're my wife, who's carrying my baby. Cut me some slack."

"Trust in me Danny," Lindsay sighed, "Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do, but how is trust related to this?" he asked gesturing between himself and Lindsay

"Because," she started as she moved towards him where he was stood by the kitchen table, "I know how to handle myself, alright. I feel uncomfortable in a situation, and I'm the first person to get myself out of there. Not once did I put our baby or myself in danger when I was pregnant with Amanda, alright. There were times where it could have been dangerous – and why wasn't it? Because I had already gotten out of there. So trust in me, alright… Stop breathing down my neck. We found out today Danny – today, and you're already riding my ass."

"I'm only riding your ass because I care."

"Show me you care in other ways then," she yelled as she backed him into the table as she laid a clenched fist against his chest, "Show me how you love me instead of making me feel like you think I'm incapable of looking after myself."

"You know I love you, and you and me both know you're more than capable of looking after yourself. Hell, you look after me and Amanda aswell while you're at it… so I don't doubt you looking after yourself for one second…" Danny assured her, as he took her clenched fist, opened it up and held her hands in his, fingers intertwined, "I just worry Linds, and you're my life, you and the kids. And I want to protect you,"

She sighed, quickly losing her resolve, "I just want you to-"

He pulled her towards him, and kissed her lightly on the lips before pulling away, "I'm sorry." He said, voice genuine.

She blinked, and absent-mindedly touched her lips with her fingertips before pulling him back into a scorching kiss. He carefully pushed up from where he had been perched on the edge of the dining room table, and wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close, before edging forward towards the hallway.

She fisted her hands through her husband's short spiky hair in a desperate need to feel him. Overridden with emotion from their bust up moments previous.

He broke of kissing her for a second while he stepped over the baby gate separating the kitchen from the hallway and living room and lifted her over carefully. Instantly, he pulled her back into a kiss, and stumbled backwards as she pinned him to the wall.

"Erm, Montana… ain't it supposed to be me pinning you to the wall?"

"We're different," she said simply as she pulled him into a kiss.

"Oh yeah?" he laughed in-between kisses.

She nodded as she moved to kiss his neck languidly, "Make love to me,"

"Here?" he laughed, "Now?"

"No" she shook her head, "Upstairs,"

He nodded as he bent down and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her upstairs.

--

* * *

He tugged her shirt over her head, and tossed it to one side as she frantically kissed down his chest where she had just ridden his thin white wifebeater that was forever clinging to his chest.

He made work on her slacks that she had worn to work, and then the bar they had gone to. He pushed the trousers down her smooth legs, making sure his fingers connected with her pale skin. Shivering lightly under his touch, Lindsay moved forwards, pinning him against the wall behind him as she desperately tugged at his zipper and button before shredding his strong legs of his jeans.

"Where's the fire, Montana?"

She put her index finger to his lips, silencing him.

His eyes widened, desire evident in them as she reached behind him, and slowly opened the shower door. She popped her hand in, checking the temperature of the water, before stepping in, willing him to follow her suit.

He shut the door and shook his head; "I knew you'd have us back in here, I just knew-"

Her lips crashed down on his as she backed him up against the wall, "Shut up," she murmured as her hand slipped down and took him in her small hand, stroking him gently.

"Shit Linds," he whispered into her hair, "a little warning,"

She pulled away from him and snorted, "What? You want a play by play of what I'm gonna do,"

He shook his head no, voice failing him as she made work on his throbbing erection, "Just didn't expect it."

"A girl full of surprises," she teased as she sucked lightly on his neck,

"You're gonna leave a mark, Montana."

"And what," she asked in between planting kisses on his neck, "you taste nice, and you're mine, so what does it matter?"

"Cravings already starting?"

She didn't respond and, instead bit his shoulder,

"Fuck Lindsay! That hurt!"

"Don't tease me then," she smiled sweetly as she slowly, dropped to her knees.

Danny's head rolled back as the shower spray beat down on them both as he watched his wife take him in her mouth.

"You need to be pregnant more often," he gasped, "seriously, always pregnant."

A few minutes passed, before she stood up slowly, kissed his stomach as she did so, "Why... cause I…" she chuckled as she looked to her husband who was biting his lip, and had his eyes closed as her hand dropped to stroke him gently. "I thought so,"

She stood up fully, and kissed the tiny tattoo on his chest, that was dedicated solely to her. That was _her_ tattoo. _Her_ name. On _her_ husband.

She pressed a kiss against his chest, and whispered "I love you," against his burning skin, "More than words can say,"

"I know you do," he breathed, as his hands brushed up and down her sides, lovingly. He picked her up, and turned in their position, and held her against the wall. "And I'm about to show you how much I love you…"

He set her down, and shut the water off.

"Danny, what are you doing?"

"Come on," he said as he took her hand and pulled her onto the fluffy bathmat and wrapped a towel around her, "You'll see."

--

* * *

"Don" Samantha muttered into the kiss, "Donald,"

"What?"

"Move me, the doorknobs in my ass again,"

He pulled away and smirked at her, "Babe, that isn't the doorknob,"

"You're sick," She declared as she pulled him towards her in a smouldering kiss,

He broke away from her and grinned, "In my defence, you walked into that one,"

"Shut up," she demanded as wrapped her arms around his neck, "and seriously, move me."

He chuckled as he placed a gentle kiss to her lips, and picked her tiny frame up, as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Slowly, he navigated his way through his dimly lit apartment and set her on the breakfast bar, before moving into the kitchen and flicking the light on.

"Want a drink?" he asked over his shoulder as he opened his fridge.

She snorted, "a drink?"

He narrowed his eyebrows and looked at her again, "yeah, a drink, want one?"

"I'm good," she laughed, "do you always do that?"

"Do what?" he asked as he twisted open a bottle of water,

"Set your dates on the breakfast bar and leave them hanging?"

"I don't know what type of person you think I am, Sam, but I don't have masses of time on my hands. Don Flack doesn't have 'dates'"

"Oh," she sighed, "So I'm what, a hook up?"

He set the bottle down, "I think I need to rephrase it,"

"Yeah," she nodded, "I think you do."

"Don Flack never used to have dates."

"What does he have now?"

"He has just the one constant girl in his life."

"Who is…?"

"Stop acting stupid, Sam." He told her,

She smiled sweetly, as she jumped down from the counter, and moved towards his sound system sat proudly next to his Wii and his DVR.

"What'cha doin' Freckles?"

"I forgot my I-pod" she reasoned, "I can't sit in silence,"

"Who said anything about sitting?" Flack smirked as he moved around the breakfast bar watching her desperately trying to reach up to the sound system, "Sammie seriously, what are you doing?"

"Checking to see what CD you have in. Gotta have good music taste," she told him,

"Should I be offended you're judging me on my music taste."

"Hey, you got this far already, be pleased I'm checking through your stuff. Means you've passed a hell of a lot already."

Flack smiled as she turned her back and stood on her tiptoes to try and see into the CD player. Sighing heavily, she turned with her hands on her hips, "What did it say on it, 'keep out of the reach of children'?"

"Something like that," he chuckled as he moved towards her, kissed her temple, and took out the CD from the player, before handing it to her,

"Peter Gabriel, 'Red Rain' I'm impressed." She commented. "And just the single?"

He shrugged "So I passed?"

"Not yet," she smirked as she set the CD in the player and hit play, and moved towards him, "We have one more piece of evidence to analyse."

"You're a dork, Sam"

"But," Sam hesitated, "I'm your dork, right?"

Flack smiled as he pulled her down towards him on the couch. He stretched out, pulled her on top of him, and wrapped his arms tightly around her, "You're my dork for as long as you'll have me."

She smiled as she rested her head against his chest. "You wont be going anywhere for a while, put it that way."

--

* * *

Lindsay bit her lip in appreciation, as Danny kissed in inside of her thigh, "You need to stop that," she whispered, "seriously."

"Why?" he smirked as he looked up from his position, "you don't like it? It too much for you to handle? Want me to go easy on you babe?"

"I… I didn't say that," she gasped, "Hell, never mind, carry on."

He laughed as he trailed kisses up her stomach, and hovered around her abdomen, "Hey little bear," he whispered against her stomach, "How you doing in there? Mommy keeping you warm?"

"Wiseass," Lindsay smirked as she hitched herself further up the bed,

"You'd miss me if I was gone," he told her as he flopped on his side and supported himself with his arm placed under his head, so that he was watching over her as she laid on her back with her hands placed over her stomach.

"Maybe," she said as she turned so that she faced him, face serious, "I don't think I would be able to cope without you around."

Danny chuckled and drew her into his arms, and placed a kiss to his forehead, "I think you would,"

She shook her head, "You're my heart, Danny. If I lost you, I don't know what I'd do."

"You'd stay strong and raise Amanda and little bear like you would if I were here."

"I don't want to talk about this," she said as she turned in his arms and faced away from him, "I don't want to talk about it. It hurts too much."

"It's something worth talking about Linds, we have dangerous jobs, and…"

"I said," she turned in his arms, "that I didn't want to talk about it. So give it a rest, please?"

"Lindsay, I'm just saying…"

"Danny," she said, voice slowly rising, as she sat up, and switched the lamp on next to her, "I said I didn't want to talk about it,"

"And I hear you, baby. I do, it's just… I feel that we need to talk about some things. Make sure the other knows."

She shook her head, "It's in my will."

"Which we need to change, now that you're pregnant, make sure that we have Little bear in there too, once the baby's born,"

"What the hell is your problem," she asked as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and reached for a T-shirt of Danny's on a wicker chair next to their bed that they stored laundry on when they couldn't be bothered putting washing away. "You know something I don't?"

"I'm just saying," Danny told her, "I'm not going anywhere, but I just want to make sure we're on the same page,"

"Everything I want is in my will." She told him as she pulled the shirt over her head.

"Where you going?"

"Downstairs," she told him, "I'm not up for having sex anymore. Death kinda kills the mood." She said flatly as she moved towards the bedroom door shut. "Maybe you should stay up here and work on your pillow talk, _babe."_

He rolled his eyes as she slammed the door, letting out a breath; he swung his legs over the bed and pulled on a fresh pair of boxers before heading out of the bedroom in pursuit of his wife.

His extremely pissed off wife.

--

* * *

"Seriously," Sam gasped as she bit her lip, "Do not stop,"

"Yes ma'am," Flack smirked as he placed a kiss to her bare shoulder, making her shiver under his touch, "You like that?"

"I'm whimpering and begging you not to stop, and you ask me if I like it when you kiss my shoulder,"

"I should have known you're one of them that talks during sex. Do you talk in your sleep?"

"Can we not have this conversation later?"

Flack kissed her lightly, before resting his forehead against hers, and intertwined her fingers with his. He withdrew from her completely, before thrusting forwards, catching her off guard,

"Fuck!"

"Very good Sammie, that's right, we are fucking."

She bit her lip as she glared at him, "Watch it, wiseass."

Flack smirked, as he wrapped his arms around her small frame, and quickened his pace.

Thrusting into her again, she gripped to his arms, pleading and begging him not to stop. Nibbling lightly at her skin, he felt her quiver under his touch.

"You need to stop, Donnie, I'm gonna come."

"Come for me then," he whispered against her shoulder as he held her protectively, "I have all night, and you're not going anywhere, cause I'll make damn sure you can't. You're mine now, and I'm not letting you go..."

It was all she needed to push her over the edge, screaming his name as he pumped into her slowly, milking her, as she contracted around him.

Feeling the connection that they had, Sam Ross came to the conclusion, that right there, in that moment, she had fallen madly in love with Don Flack.

And there wasn't a damn thing in the world she was willing to do to stop it.

--

* * *

Danny stood at the entrance of the kitchen, ready to step over the baby gate and sighed, "Montana…"

"I fucking told you to stay up stairs," she said with her back turned, "Which part of that didn't you understand,"

"Don't shut me out… we should talk about it…"

"I said I didn't want to... What part of that don't you understand?"

"Don't get smart, Montana. Talk to me."

"I'm not gonna win, am I," she sighed heavily, "you're just gonna keep pushing and pushing,"

"You should know that by now, baby." He said as he stepped over the baby gate and moved towards her, "Tell me what's the matter."

"I'm just terrified, alright. I'm scared I'm gonna lose you."

"I know baby, and it hurts, and it's a scary thing, doing what we do. I'm not saying it isn't."

"I'm just…" she sniffed noisly as a tear fell down her cheek, "I'm waiting for the day when your bed is still made up on your side when I wake up, or waking up with that feeling that… that…"

"That I'm not coming home,"

She nodded as a sob escaped her, "I don't think you realise how much I need you, Danny. Especially now. I need you more than ever, and… and…"

"And you're scared." Danny finished for her, "Honestly Lindsay, I get that. I do baby," he said as he took her into his arms, "because you know what, I think the same thing."

"You don't," she insisted, "You don't what it's like."

"Lindsay, baby I do. Believe me, I do. Even more so that you've got my baby growing right there," he said as he placed a comforting hand on her stomach, "When you walk away Linds, I count the steps that you take. You've got no idea how much I need you. How much I love you. And how scared I am to lose you."

She let her tears fall and hit the material of the shirt she was wearing, "I'm scared you're not gonna be around. That your voice won't be here telling me it's okay, and I'm doing good, and you've got me, and that you love me."

"I'll always have you Montana, always."

"But you won't if you're gone. I don't know what I'd do."

"You'd manage baby. You would. You're an amazing mother, and an incredible wife, and it actually hurts how much I love you. And I get why you're hurting and upset, and I'm sorry I pushed you about talking about this…"

She sniffed, "I think I'm overly emotional," she said as she grabbed a tissue from the box on the counter, "is all baby."

He grabbed her by the hips and picked her up and set her on the counter before wrapping his arms around her waist, and looking up at her, "I'm sorry Montana. I didn't mean to upset you."

She sighed, "I've never felt this way before… You changed my whole life, and I love everything about you. And it scares me. I know that's stupid after like two years of marriage, but it's true. I love the stuff you leave on the floor, for me to go round and pick up after you. The way you load the dishwasher here, and when I get to the lab, I know that you loaded it last, because stuff is broken because you threw it in there. The way you laugh. I love the way you love Amanda and me with all you have. How funny you are. And how generous and caring you are. The way you would kill for your baby girl, and how much you already adore little bear. And it kills me to think that I could lose that. That I could lose you within seconds. I could lose my life from one dodgy move, or you being in the wrong place in the wrong time. You'd be gone, Danny. And I don't think I would be able to deal with you not here."

"I'm not going anywhere baby. Just know that everything I do, I give my heart and soul, and I love you with everything I have. I'm never gonna leave you. I promise."

"Pinky promise?" she laughed, tears sparkling in her eyes.

"I must be crazy in love to pinky promise you," he chuckled as he pulled her into his arms, and held her to his chest as she wrapped her legs around him, and rested her head on his chest,

"You love me though," she whispered, "that's why you pinky swear me,"

He nodded, "that and I know you'd kick my ass. It's me and you Montana, forever. No matter how long forever is, it's always gonna be me and you."

She nodded and kissed his cheek, "Can you make forever a long, long time?"

"I'll do my best, have a word with the big guy, see what he can do,"

She giggled and kissed him on the cheek again, "Would you carry me upstairs?"

"Why, you tired?"

"No," she said, shaking her head, "I want to have life affirming sex with my husband,"

"That, I can do." He smiled as he kissed her and made his way through the kitchen.

--

* * *

She ran her small hand up and down his arm, and let out a breath, "that was amazing,"

"See, I'm not that bad, no?"

"Never said you were," Sam chuckled, "You have some moves, Detective Flack,"

"It comes with the badge," he declared, "that and my amazingly good looks. It was a package deal. The ability to flash a badge, good moves, and a name that sound so perfect coming out of your mouth."

Sam blushed feverishly and turned in his arms, "was knowing how to make a girl blush part of that package,"

"All inclusive," Flack smirked, "S'amatter Brooklyn, didn't take you for one to blush."

"I'm not," she defended as she turned and glared at him, "I'm just really warm and worked up."

"That what they calling and afterglow nowadays?" Flack smirked, "It's good babe, I wont tell anyone that feisty little Brooklyn blushed while we were laying in each other arms,"

"You're a sap, Donald, do you know that?"

He shrugged as he pulled her close to him, and placed a kiss on her sweaty temple, "Would you blush if I told you that my sappiness only comes out for those that mean a hell of a lot to me?"

"No," she snorted before turning a deep shade of crimson. "I told you, I don't blush,"

"I'd say that was bullshit Miss Ross."

"I'd say you're full of it," Sam laughed,

"We'll work on them comebacks of yours, don't you worry your pretty face."

"Well, clearly you're not looking in a mirror,"

"That hurt me deep Brooklyn," Flack feigned hurt, "I'm gonna have to find a way to punish you for being so damn mean,"

"Bring it," she smirked as she stuck her tongue out,

--

* * *

"Danny," Lindsay breathlessly sighed against his shoulder, "Don't stop,"

He kissed her shoulder as he held her tight, "No intentions of," he assured her in-between his heavy breathing and panting. "You like that?"

She nodded, "don't stop,"

Chuckling he kissed the sensitive spot on her neck, and sucked lightly, "I love you, Montana," he whispered.

"Don't let go of me," she breathed as she gently raked her fingers down his back, pulling him down, "I need you to…"

"I'm holding onto you 'till the end of time, baby" he whispered, "I'm keeping you forever and for always."

She shivered as he kissed the area just underneath her ear lobe, encouraging her to grip tighter to him, "I love you, Danny."

He withdrew from her completely, and then thrust into her, leaving her breathless, and whimpering.

"You like that?" he smirked as he kissed her quivering lips. Nodding she kissed him back passionately, spurring him onto repeat his previous actions.

He withdrew from her completely again, and she gasped as he thrust back in to her, as he laced his fingers through her hair, tilting her head towards him, off her pillow, so that she met him in a searing kiss.

"I'm gonna come," she whispered breathlessly against his lips, "I can't hold off much longer,"

"We have the rest of our lives," he promised her,

His words were exactly what she needed to hear. His words were a major factor for one of Lindsay's most intense orgasms she had ever had, which shook her very being, whilst gripping onto the very man that was her whole world. His words were a loving gesture of reassurance.

His words were the truth.

* * *

**_Huge massive thanks to all those reading and reviewing. it's much appreciated - i'm glad you all still like it after 395769607 chapters. LOL. _**

_**And, last chapter, i kind of forgot to mention IluvPeterPetrelli and thank her, seen as I (inadvertently... sp?) borrowed her 'locker room lovin'. Love ya hun! **_

_**Thankies to Twinkeyrocks, just cause i love her... :D **_

**_And thankies to Megs, for kicking my butt with getting this chapter up. _**

_**Now, i'm using the liberty of an A/N: to plug a fantastic story that i really reccommend. It's by Sammie's mommy -**_ Brown eyed girl 75_** - and features Sam, Flack, Danny and Linds - you will all love it, honestly. The first chapter is up, and I really reccommend that you check it out. It's called "**_Less than perfect, More than ideal." _**You won't regret it. it's going to be an epic ;)... You heard it here first ;) **_

**_Special thanks to...._**

Brown eyed girl 75

Twinkeyrocks

IluvPeterPetrelli

PenguinGoddess

Vicki-Boo

KTmac09

Kerrie

PatryTrusky

iheartcsinewyork

edward-and-bella-forever

ncisabbylover

gwen24

frozenheart412

aussietasha

dantanaforev

.queso

MeredithandDerekfanforever

_**And the award for the review that made me LOL the most... is....**_ Raya Dreamer. _**LOL** _

**_You guys are amazing with the reviewing! The muse and I love you all! _**


	135. Case 4, part 1

"Look alive, Linds. We got a scene"

Sighing, she stood and smiled at her friend who had just entered her and Danny's shared office, "What happened this time?"

"Homicide, jealous and high husband from the sounds of it. Flack's heading over there with Danny right now."

"I thought they caught the B&E over on 24th and 6th?"

"They did," Sam sighed, "Mac pulled them off and sent them over to Queens, Where we're headed. Needs the four of us apparently. The A team" She giggled,

"Long night then?"

"To say the least," Sam grumbled, "I wanted to sleep. I miss sleep. Sleep's nice."

"Sleep in the car," Lindsay laughed, "I'll drive, can call Danny on the cell, get him to bring us up to speed, so we know before we get there."

"Sounds like a plan…"

--

* * *

Lindsay shook Samantha as she unclipped her seat belt. "Sammie, wake up."

"I'm good," Sam huffed as she snuggled up to the seatbelt. "You go, I'll wait here."

"Sam," Lindsay warned, "Wake up, you snore like there's no tomorrow."

"I do not," Sam defended as she rubbed her eyes, "We here?"

"I'm not even bothering with some wiseass comment. Get out."

Groaning, Sam unclipped her seatbelt and followed Lindsay's suit as she climbed out of the SUV.

"What we got Dan?" Lindsay asked carrying her case to the front of the brownstone. "I couldn't get through to your cell earlier,"

"Montana? What the hell you doing here, I thought Mac was sending Sam…"

"You got the double act," Sam told him, "What can't Linds be here?"

"I just-"

"Say there's a little girl in there, Danny, and watch me pummel your ass. I'm perfectly capable of-"

"Whoa there Montana, I'm just saying that I thought you were staying in the lab tonight, is all. Louise Claremont is the victim. 31. We think it's the husband. There's been a few anonymous calls reporting the husband for abuse, but they never gave the name and address, just the fathers name."

"Father's?" Lindsay asked,

"They have a daughter," Flack told Lindsay. "Samantha, me and you are gonna go interview the neighbours next door. Dan's going to start with the evidence and shit, and Linds… Well, Danny's got something he needs you to do."

Lindsay turned and looked at Danny as Sam and Flack headed towards the next house. "What did he mean?"

"Their little girl is upstairs, Lindsay," Danny said quietly, "I can't go and get her. I want to so bad, you know, get her out of there… But I can't. She heard it all. I can't – I-"

"I got her Danny," Lindsay said, "she upstairs?"

"Top of the hall, turn left."

Lindsay nodded and touched his arm in a silent comforting gesture before making her way into the house.

She took a deep breath as the copper smell hit her, it was overwhelming to those with a strong stomach, never mind being nearly three months pregnant and suffering left right and centre with all day sickness. Whoever said it was morning sickness was quite clearly male and had no idea what on earth he was talking about.

She switched on her flashlight, and stepped carefully around the traces of blood she saw on the ground. It was a bloodbath. No two ways about it. Whoever had killed this woman was brutal and unforgiving.

A monster.

She glanced down the hall, and saw the little girls mother lay on the floor, broken. Losing her composure for a moment, she pinched the bridge of her nose, while taking a deep breath before knocking lightly and entering the little girl's bedroom.

"Mommy?" the little girl cried from her hiding place.

"Sweetie, I'm Detective Messer. I'm a police officer. You can come out, honey. I'm not gonna hurt you." She said as she shut the bedroom door.

"Where's my daddy? You haven't got my daddy there with you, have you?"

"Your daddy isn't gonna hurt you sweetie."

"He will," she cried, "he knows I know."

"I know you know, and I promise, I wont let him touch you. You're safe with me, sweetie." Lindsay held her breath, searching for all the possible hiding places that the little girl could be in.

The closet door creaked open, and there stood a girl, no older than five, sucking her thumb and clutching a teddy bear, lit up by the nightlight in her room.

Lindsay felt her heart shatter.

"He hurt my mommy, didn't he? My daddy. He really hurt her."

Lindsay bit her lip, "Shall we get you out of here?" she smiled weakly as she moved over to the little girl's bed and grabbed her little duvet. "How about we wrap you up in this, so you're snug as a bug in a rug, and I carry you downstairs?"

The little girl nodded and moved, gingerly towards Lindsay. "Are you a mommy too? You're really Mommy-ish."

"I am," Lindsay smiled as she wrapped the "Strawberry shortcake" duvet cover around the little girls' shoulder. "I have a little girl called Amanda."

"That's my name," the little girl squealed, "My name's Amanda,"

"It's such a pretty name, don't you think?"

"My mommy likes it. She calls me Mandy."

"That's a pretty name," Lindsay smiled as she scooped her up in her arms,

"Do you have just one little girl?"

Lindsay smiled as the little girl looked inquisitively into her eyes, as if she knew.

"Actually, I'm having another baby."

"Wow," the little girl gushed, "so she's in your tummy?"

"Well, we don't know whether it's a boy or girl yet."

"My mommy is having a baby." Amanda told her, "It's a boy. I just know it."

Was, Lindsay thought to herself, close to tears. "Tell you what sweetie, you rest your head in the crook of my neck and I'll carry you downstairs, then you can come with me to the police station, and we can get you some colouring books, sound like an idea?"

The little girl shrugged, "Will my mommy come and get me after."

Lindsay took a deep breath, no idea what answer to give the little girl. Instead she cuddled her close, and held a hand protectively to the little girls head, covered by the duvet cover as she stepped out in to the hall, guarding her from the image of her mother laid on the floor.

Lindsay shuddered at the view, and held the little girl tighter against her chest, protecting her with the duvet.

She made it outside, and released her grip a little, and motioned over to Danny who was sat, on the front step with his head in his hands.

"Everything okay?" She asked as she moved towards him,

"Fine," he told her, wiping his eyes, before moving round to look at the little girl. "Hey sweetie." He smiled, "Are you okay?"

"Who are you?"

"I'm Detective Messer," Danny told the little girl.

"Are you Amanda's daddy?"

Danny chuckled as he glanced at Lindsay who shrugged before answering her, "I am,"

"My name's Amanda too. Is it true Amanda's mommy is having another baby?"

Danny arched his eyebrow at Lindsay, and then smiled "Yeah, she is."

"My mommy's having a baby." The little girl told Danny, "Daddy doesn't know yet. It's a surprise. Well, she told me not to tell him, because she wanted to tell him. It's a mommy and daddy thing my mommy said."

Danny could feel his heart drop and turned to Lindsay. "Honey, child services are on their way."

"Why?" Lindsay asked, holding the girl tight, while shifting the girl on her hip.

"They're putting her into custody, just until they can contact a relative."

"I was going to keep her in the office until we got round to talking to her."

"Babe, you know protocol."

"Danny," Lindsay glared at him, "She's not going with them. I'm taking her back to the lab. I'll talk to her. Find out some stuff."

"They wont like it, Linds."

"I didn't say they would," she told him, as she hitched Amanda further up her hip. "She's suffered a hell of a lot, Dan. Don't let them take her away from a safety net. I can keep her in the office, talk to her."

"Linds, I don't think-"

"Danny, please." She begged, "She's five-years-old. She shouldn't have had to witness what she has – don't let them take her. Not yet."

"Okay," he said, hands in surrender, "Okay baby. I'll get you some time. I'll say you're talking to her or something. Buy us some time so that by the time they've contacted someone, they haven't had chance to take her."

"Thank you," Lindsay said as she touched the side of his face and placed a loving kiss to his cheek. "Will you be okay?"

He nodded, "Is it bad?"

Lindsay bit her lip and shook her head, "it isn't good."

"I hate these," Danny said jerking his kit up from the floor. "I don't understand how someone could do this to their wife. A person they promised to love, cherish and protect. Who could protect her from the person that was supposed to protect her when he got a little too high, or a little too drunk?"

Lindsay sniffed at Danny's slight breakdown, "Everything will be okay, and we'll nail him Danny. We'll get him."

"It's not good enough." Danny told her, "What about her-" Danny said, motioning to the little girl who was snuggled up to Lindsay's neck, asleep. "What kind of life will she get now? Hearing that. Hearing what she did."

"She's little," Lindsay reasoned, "it might never go, but it will fade over time for her."

"It's not good enough for me." Danny told her, "I swear to you, Montana. Our kids aren't ever going to hear us argue. Not like that. Not if I have anything to do with it."

Lindsay smiled softly and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Baby, we wont ever have to argue like that. We'll argue. But we wont ever argue to the extent of that. I know you wouldn't lay a finger on me or our kids," she said, nodding her head towards the door. "And I'd hit you back anyway," she smiled trying to make light of the conversation.

Danny nodded, and kissed her on the cheek. "Let me know what you find out. I'll cover your butt and say you've taken her to the precinct."

"That's what I'm doing," Lindsay told him over her shoulder. "But thank you."

"For you Lindsay, anything."

--

* * *

"Why didn't you call the police during that incident?" Sam questioned slowly losing her patience.

"Louise told me not to."

"Had Louise told you to jump of a cliff while kissing her ass, would you?"

"I don't like your tone, detective…"

"Flack," he told the man, "I don't like your story. You neglected to help a woman and her child in an abusive relationship. Makes you pretty low on my list of upstanding citizens, Mr. James."

"She had two legs, she could have walked out."

"We see this type of thing every day, Mr. James," Sam explained "and with each one it's the same. It's too hard. And for the ones that do get that courage to walk out, nine times out of ten, it ends the same way."

"Don't start the relationship in the first place then,"

"Look," Flack said slamming a hand onto the coffee table, "I ain't here for your opinion on abusive relationships, and what to do when…"

"What happened tonight?" Sam interrupted trying to get them back on track.

"They started screaming about something… I couldn't quite catch what they were talking about. I heard the regular bumps and crashes. Few more screams. Kid started crying. Doors slamming, then silence."

"What did you do, sit there and listen?" Flack spat, "You waited until it was silent to call 9-1-1. I should arrest you for that. You didn't help that poor woman and her –"

"Thank you for your time, Sir. We'll be in touch," Sam said as she grabbed Flacks arm and jerked him off the couch, "We'll let ourselves out."

Flack glared at her as she pulled his strong body into the hallway, "Samantha, what the hell."

"Push him, Flack, and we wont get anymore info. We need that man on side regardless of how sick, and twisted he is. He can back up whatever their little girl tells us." Sam said as she shut the door. "We'll need something to solidify the little girl's statement, and he does just that. You threatening and calling him every name under the sun will make us lose that."

Flack sighed, "It makes me sick though, Sam. He – he-"

"He isn't worth your time, Donnie," she said, as she rubbed his arm affectionately. "Honestly Don – let's focus on nailing this son of a bitch, and getting justice for the little girl and her mother."

He nodded; Scagnetti had quite possibly picked him the best partner. It took a lot to calm him down when it came to subjects such as this, and she had done it effortlessly and cautiously.

And as she slowly walked away, he felt something inside him change.

--

* * *

"Sweetie, do you need anything else?"

The little girl looked at Lindsay, and shook her head as she looked down at her colouring book, "When's my mommy coming, Lindsay?"

Lindsay took a deep breath. "Sweetie, come here a second," Lindsay said as she patted the couch in her shared office, "I need to talk to you."

Dropping the crayon, the little girl moved towards Lindsay and plonked herself on the couch. She sat waiting, eyes inquisitive and boring into Lindsay.

"Your mommy won't be coming to get you sweetie. She's an angel now. And you're going to live with your Aunt and Uncle."

"But I want my mommy," the little girl told Lindsay. "I prefer my mommy. I love my mommy."

"I know, honey. But your mommy watches you now, she's an angel, making sure nothing bad happens to you."

"Did god need her as an angel more than he needed her as my mommy?"

"Do you think that?" Lindsay asked the little girl.

She nodded. "Mommy always told me that if she left me, it meant that god knew she had done her best, and wanted her to do even better in heaven. She said that they day she got her and me and my baby brother away from my daddy, was the day that god would probably want her as an angel. She'll be the best angel."

Lindsay wiped a tear that had rolled down her face during the logical explanation that Amanda had provided her with. Louise Claremont knew that if she ever did get them away from the evil clutches of her husband; she wouldn't survive it.

"Sweetie, do you know what your daddy did to mommy?"

"He hurt her," he shrugged, "Said she didn't love him. She did, but he couldn't see that. He liked this nasty kind of soda that mommy wouldn't ever let me taste when he left it lying around. He hit her once, or maybe it was twice…"

A lot more than that, Lindsay thought to herself.

"Maybe a few more times. But he was mean. I don't love my daddy."

Lindsay pulled her close, and rubbed her arm lightly, "And that's okay honey."

"Lindsay, does your Amanda love her daddy."

Lindsay nodded, "Why sweetie?"

She shrugged, "Dunno, I hope he does... it's not nice to have a daddy that doesn't love you. When's my aunt getting here?"

"Sweetie, your daddy does love you. He just has some problems that he has to deal with, I know that wont make much sense or mean much, but he does."

She shrugged, "when's my aunt getting here?"

"A few more hours sweetie. Do you feel like getting something to drink?"

"I'd love some chocolate milk," the girl smiled, "My mommy usually has it with her, but I don't know where she left my bag."

"I'll get you some," Lindsay said, "Shall we go for a little walk?"

The little girl nodded,

--

* * *

"Where is the little girl, Detective Messer?"

"With my partner, Detective Messer, at the crime lab, she's getting her account of what happened."

"She didn't have-"

"With all due respect," Danny spat sarcastically, "The little girl is part of a on-going investigation, hence my partner needing to question that little girl about her family life as it may give us a lead as to where the murdering SOB her father is so we can lock his ass in jail and get justice for that little girl. But if you want to hold up our investigation and let her jackass murdering father get away with the murder of his wife, I'll give you my wife's cell phone number. Just have it on your head that you were the reason we couldn't catch this bully."

The CPS agent stood, his hands in the air, "I'm just doing my job."

"You're giving me attitude, and I don't appreciate it." Danny yelled at him on the front lawn of their murder scene, "I have been in there for four hours, collecting evidence on a mother who was 3 months pregnant with her second baby. All the while thinking about the little girl she has had to leave behind. So I apologise if I'm not all sunshine and rainbows at this early morning hour. Now if that's everything, get the fuck off my crime scene, and get back to your desk. My wife will call you when she has finished questioning that little girl."

"Sir there is no need-."

"Get the _fuck_ off the crime scene." Danny bellowed

"But sir-"

"Want me to tell you in French? Italian? Hell, I'll try Japanese if it gets through to you. Off the crime scene."

The CPS agent backed off, and stood on the sidewalk, "I'll be waiting for your call."

Danny turned, and snapped his gloves back on, "Fucking do that." He muttered to himself as he ripped his case up and headed into the house to finish with the photographs and collecting of the evidence.

--

* * *

**_Huge thankyou to all the usual reviewers. It's always much, much appreciated. I love you guys!! :D _**

**_Special shoutout to... _**

**twinkeyrocks**

**Brown eyed girl 75**

**Makristina**

**Raya Dreamer**

**Vicki-Boo**

**IluvPeterPetrelli**

**muchmadness**

**AngelicStars**

**MeredithandDerekfanforever**

**gwen24**

**PatryTrusky**

**afrozenheart412**

**iheartcsinewyork**

**aussietasha**

**JavaJunkie4evr**

**jordinajamaica**


	136. Case 4, part 2

Danny sighed as he let his burden down as he set his case down in the office. He glanced over to the couch and saw Lindsay sleeping peacefully with his jacket wrapped securely round her with one arm resting over her stomach protectively. Glancing to another corner, he saw the little girl he had seen at the crime scene wrapped in her blanket and on a blow up mattress.

He moved towards Lindsay kissed her nose, her lips and then her slowly forming bump that only he, Sam and Mac knew was there, officially, before moving her hair out of her eyes.

He turned on a desk lamp and strained his eyes to look at the desktop computer sat in front of him that read 6:05AM

Seven hours he had been at that crime scene.

Seven hours of sheer hell.

He would be lying if he hadn't glanced down a few times and seen Lindsay for a split second. Which almost killed him. It confused him. Why did he see her? Did it mean he was capable of doing something to that extent to her? Or was it that he was just making parallels to his own life. He didn't know.

What he did know, was that if he ever, ever felt the urge to even pull a hair out of her head, he was going to walk away. From her. From them. Her and the kids.

Regardless of how much it would kill him – hurting her would kill him even more.

Mac always told him that there were cases that affected you, more than others. Some that you just couldn't let go of, and this one was one of them.

He dropped to Lindsay's side and kissed her on the lips, "Lindsay, Lindsay wake up."

She blinked, and rubbed her eyes, "When did you get home?"

"We're still at the lab," he told his disorientated wife, "Baby, I need to talk to you."

"What time is it?"

"Just after six." He told her, "Can you get someone to come and watch her," Danny asked nodding towards the sleeping child. "I – we – I need to –"

"I'll call Sam."

--

* * *

He set down two glasses of milk in front of them along with two blueberry muffins, and he took her hands across the table.

"I thought you didn't like blueberry muffins?" Lindsay smiled,

"They're growing on me," he shrugged as he broke a bit off his own muffin and slipped it into her mouth with his free hand, "I mainly just have them when I miss Amanda."

Lindsay smiled and pulled his hand towards her and kissed the top of it while chewing on the muffin, "You were saying?"

"Don't speak with your mouth full," she scolded with a smile before turning more serious, "It's made me think," he carried on from what they had been talking about, "About you, the kids."

"The kids," Lindsay smiled as she bit into her muffin, "We can say the kids now."

"Our kids." Danny said, "And you…"

"Me?"

"You," Danny told her, "And how much I honestly love you, and I just want to make sure you know that I would never hurt you or our kids. No matter how mad I was, or how angry we were in an argument. Never let me do that to you. Remind me of this case. And if I do even as much lay a finger on you, walk away from me Linds. Leave me. Don't put up with it; don't stay with me. Leave me, don't let me hurt you like he hurt the victim."

"Danny, where is this coming from, we both know you would never lay a finger on me or Amanda."

"Our kids," he corrected her, "I just want to tell you, make sure you know, Linds. Do you understand?"

"I do," she said honestly, "You don't need to tell me, Danny."

"Just – I need to Lindsay. I need to."

She stood up from her side of the table, and moved to where he sat. Dropping to her knees, she pulled him into a hug and kissed his temple, "I'm here now, you can break down; I'm here to hold you, if you want-"

A hot tear fell onto Lindsay's shoulder and silence overtook them, as she cuddled him close, and buried his face into her shoulder.

--

* * *

Sam paced the shared office of her best friends as she pressed her cell phone against her ear while looking at Flack, "they aren't answering."

"He's down in interrogation," Flack said, "I need them, now."

Sam cancelled the call and redialled Danny's cell, "Pick up… Pick up…"

Flack turned and glanced into the hallway, "Sam, I see them."

He pushed through the doors and headed towards the two walking hand in hand through the crime lab, "We got him, and he's in interrogation."

"What? How? Who picked him up?"

"Handed himself in."

"What?" Lindsay laughed, "he just walked through the doors and handed himself in,"

"Apparently so, I wasn't there… but Scagnetti tells me he's a mess."

Danny clenched his fist as he glanced into his and Lindsay's office at the little girl sleeping on the floor.

"I haven't finished with him." Danny spat venomously. "You haven't seen mess. Come on Linds, interrogation."

Lindsay's eyes widened as she glanced at Sam, then Flack and hurried after Danny.

--

* * *

"I heard you the first time, wiseass!" Danny spat as he slammed his hands down on the table, "You didn't mean to! I didn't ask that. I asked why did you do it?!"

"I don't know," the man shrugged, "But I did, and I'm sorry."

"Tell it to your dead wife, laying in autopsy." Danny spat, "I'm sure she'd appreciate the gesture, seen as you beat her to death."

The man shoved his fingers in his ears.

Danny reached over the table and pulled them out, "Truth hurts don't it, asshole? You know what my partner here had to do. She had to explain to your daughter why her mommy wasn't coming to get her. Your daughter has no one now do you know that? You were so high and wasted, in your mad rage you couldn't even think of the consequences for that child you helped create."

"I love her," Graham Claremont declared, "My little girl is my life."

"No," Danny spat, "MY little girl is my life. I cherish my daughter. I love and protect her. You put her yours in danger. You took her mother away. That isn't love. That's irresponsibility. Selfishness. You're a coward. You make me sick."

"You don't know what it's like," Graham cried as he slammed his hands down on the table, "We wouldn't have had anywhere for a second baby."

"So you kill her?" Danny laughed as he threw his chair back and leaned over the table so that he was in the guys face "You kill your wife because she was carrying your child. You didn't want a kid then use a condom. There's ways and means of preventing conception, Mr Claremont. Beating your wife to death doesn't usually fall under the category."

"It was an accident." Graham cried, "Honest to god, it was an accident."

"What was an accident, the way that your fist beat down on her time and time again?"

"We wouldn't have had space for another baby."

Danny opened his mouth, but was cut off by his wife, who had stayed silent throughout the whole exchange.

"You had room in your arms, you could have kept the baby safe in your arms. Babies don't take up much room."

"With all the shit they need… We wouldn't have had space."

"All the need is love, warmth and a full belly. That's it. Nothing more. They don't need cribs, and strollers and what not. Just a pair of arms to hold them. You had the money to support the baby; all you had to do was love the baby. Protect them; protect your family. You couldn't have done that? You couldn't have loved your wife, daughter and new born child?"

-

* * *

"They make an amazing double act," Sam said in awe as she watched Danny and Lindsay interrogate their perp, considering he had handed himself in…

"They've been at this for years, together. The bounce off each other well. It helps when you've got the relationship down like they do…"

"They are so madly in love," Sam sighed.

"You the romantic type, Sammie?" Flack teased.

"No," she shrugged, "I don't need candles and flowers. Just the love keeps me happy."

"You ever been in love?" Flack asked,

"That's quite personal Detective Flack, don't think I like where you're going with this," she chuckled as she leant against the wall.

"It's a simple question" he shrugged.

She sighed, "Yeah… once."

"Once?"

"Mhmm," she nodded, "he broke my heart."

Flack nodded silently, as he turned to the glass separating interrogation, and them. "I don't understand how someone could kill someone that they love, it doesn't seem right. Why would you do it?"

"Not right in the head," Sam shrugged, "My mom always taught me that if you find love, hold onto it tight with both hands, because it's too special to slip away."

Flack smiled, "Wise woman,"

"She is," Sam told him, "What about you?"

"Lust," he answered immediately.

"Including…?"

"Including," he nodded, "I love her as a dear friend."

Sam nodded.

"What I can't comprehend is the way that people totally disregard their love for their other half." Flack continued, "Or at least how they claim they love their other half. I'm going to cherish, protect and love my wife with every inch of my soul." Flack said quietly as he stared at Danny and Lindsay, still nailing the perp with their facts and figures from the evidence they had pulled from the scene.

"Whoever that happens to be, will be the luckiest person in the world," Sam smiled, "apart from maybe after Lindsay… Nobody could love their wife as much as Danny Messer loves Lindsay. Not even you, Donald." she added

"So close, Freckles, but yet, so far. Couldn't be nice, could ya?"

"Could have, but wasn't." Sam laughed

"You think Messer's gonna go postal on him?"

"Give him five more minutes and he'll have him concreted into the floor. He hates child abuse, doesn't he."

"You've seen him and his daughter." Flack said, "That man would lay down and die for his baby girl,"

"I think we all would," Samantha concluded.

--

* * *

"I didn't think…"

"Clearly not…" Lindsay said, sadly. "And now, you have nothing to think about, because it's all gone."

"But, the guy next door, he told me that kids need a lot more…"

"When did he tell you this?"

"When I was talking to him a hour ago… he said that I was in the right, and he said that…"

--

* * *

Flack looked at Sam, "Are you hearing this?"

"Don, it might not be the same guy."

"Samantha, he said the guy next door, and considering no-one lived to the other side of the Claremont's, it's leaving me with one feeling that the sicko we were talking to not nine hours ago is our guy that put the sick SOB up."

"We'll send some guys and pick him up, Don. It's fine, we'll get him."

"You bet your ass we will, Samantha," Flack declared as he stormed out of the observation room.

--

* * *

--

Lindsay smoothed down her clothes and fluffed her hair as she unlocked the cubicle door and headed out into the staff restroom. "Danny?"

Danny Messer stood, learning against the wall with one foot, arms folded with a grin on his face, "How you doin'?"

"Sick." She sighed, "I hate you."

"Love you aswell," he sighed, as he handed her a paper towel, "Linds…"

"Look, if this is about me going to the doctor, I already called, she said it was completely normal for me to be feeling this sick, she also said that…"

"Today, in interrogation," he said, cutting her off, "What you said. Babe, that was amazing. 'You have room in your arms'. It brought me back down from wherever I was, reminded me you were there, you had my back."

She shrugged as she turned the faucet on, "It just came to me,"

"It was amazing. You are amazing," he said as he wrapped his arms around her stomach and kissed her neck as she lathered her hands up with soap.

"You shouldn't be in here, or did you miss the ladies sign on the door,"

"I'm Danny Messer. I can go wherever the hell I want. Mac Taylor is the face of this lab, I'm the real brains of the operation"

"That's what we tell you, darling. We all know I'm in charge of the fun and games."

He rolled his eyes as he turned her in his arms, "Honestly babe, you were amazing."

"I have a confession," she giggled as she flicked her wet hands at him, soaking his face, "I stole the line."

"Whatt?" he laughed as he grabbed the edge of her shirt and wiped his glasses.

"Use your own," she scolded while swatting his hands "revealing my tummy for everyone to stare at,"

"Who? There's no-one in here." He laughed, "Plus, you're even more beautiful with my baby in there,"

She rolled her eyes, as she reached for a paper towel, "Steve Wilkos."

"Who's that?"

"Steve Wilkos," she repeated, "has his own talk show. Used to be the security on Jerry Springer."

Danny narrowed his eyes as she chucked the paper towels in the waste bin, "Bald? Ex cop."

"The one" she nodded, "I was watching re-runs yesterday, and there was an amazing woman that said it to a dead beat on stage, I was wowed."

"So you went Steve Wilkos on the guy."

"Damn right," she giggled, "He'd do good in a interrogation. Get a guy paying child support quicker that he could say 'dead beat'"

"I'm putting parental controls on the TV. You're terrible. If it's not shitty CBS shows, it's stupid daytime talk shows."

"Hey, at least I'm not watching Rikki Lake or something"

Danny rolled his eyes, "Why, what's wrong with Rikki? Rikki's awesome"

She bit her lip and glanced down sadly.

"Linds…" he sighed, running a hand down his face, "I didn't mean…"

"I know you didn't," she sighed, "It's just – I dunno, it still hurts in all honesty."

"I didn't-"

"You didn't hurt me. She did though Danny. She hurt me a lot. It was a god awful thing for her to do."

"I know baby, I know…"

"But, it doesn't matter," she shrugged, "I'm the one that you love, right?"

"With all my heart and soul. You, Amanda, and the little one." He said as he laid a tender hand on her stomach and rubbed it lightly.

Lindsay smiled, and laid her hand on top of his, "Good to know."

"We ought to get back, Linds. Sam and Flack were about to go into interrogation when we called a bathroom break."

"Seriously? Flack's gonna have ripped the guy to shreds. He lied straight to his face."

"Don't piss off the Crimestopper." Danny concluded.

--

* * *

"DO NOT make me repeat myself!!" Flack bellowed, "Where was he last night?"

"You spoke to me, interviewed me, he was no-where to be seen in my home."

"WHERE WAS HE?!"

"He wasn't there!!!" The man bellowed at Flack, "I don't know!!"

"You're a liar, and a shit one at that." Flack told him, "I had you pinned from the start, now tell me what the hell you have to do with all of this…"

"Detective," Sam said from where she sat on at the interrogation table, attempting to calm him down.

"Did you hear me?" Flack asked the man, "What did you have to do with all of this?"

"Detective!" Samantha repeated trying to get Flack's attention.

"Is it cause they pissed you off? Having each other? Or was it because you have nothing better to do with your life than…-"

"Detective Flack?!" Samantha bellowed, "A word outside?"

"Samantha."

"Now," she glared at him as he turned to the character sat on the opposite side of the table.

"I'll be back," Flack told him before heading to the door.

She ripped the door off the hinges nearly and slammed it when Flack had walked through it, "Get a grip. What the fuck is your problem, Don!?"

"He's involved Sammie! He's the reason that woman is dead."

"So you feel the need to go postal on him in order to get information out of him?! I feel I need to feed you a sedative to calm you the fuck down. Take a breather. I get that this case hits you in a sensitive spot, but you're way too involved. "

"I'm not too involved," he corrected her, "I'm just passionate,"

"Do I look like I'm stupid? You're staying out here," Sam told him. "Watch from observation. You're not going back in there."

"Sam… you don't have the authority to tell me what to-"

"I'm doing this for you. You're ready to smash the guy's face in. and I couldn't give a shit about you pulling the authoritative card, Donnie. I'm looking out for my partner. Now, either go outside and take five minutes, or go in observation, but I swear to god, I hear you, and I'll have your ass."

Flack nodded, and laid a hand on her arm as she turned back into interrogation, "Thanks Sam."

She waved it off and opened the door.

--

* * *

"Where was we?" she smiled as she took up her seat

"You the good cop?" Howard James smiled at her, with his feet propped up on the table.

She smiled sweetly before whacking his feet off the table, "You don't put your feet on my furniture," she told him.

"Whatever, sweetheart,"

"Original" she mused as she crossed her legs underneath the table, "So you gonna tell me what you know?"

He shook his head, "You know what I know…"

"Cut the crap," she chuckled, "I'm a woman, you can't pull the wool over my eyes. You and me both know you were hiding him in your home when we were there. I have investigators there at this moment finding evidence to support that."

"You don't have the right to go through my things."

"S'what God made warrants for, my dear. Now, last night. What happened?"

"Must we go round in circles detective…"

"Ross." She told him, "Refresh my memory,"

"Well, like I told you before… They started screaming about having a baby; I heard the regular bumps and crashes. Few more screams. Kid started crying. Doors slamming, then silence."

Sam nodded and pulled out a tape recorder. "Are you sure?"

He looked at her with his eyes narrow, "Of course, that's what happened. What are you suggesting?"

"Well," she smiled as she set the tape player on the table, "Let's play a game. You ever heard of spot the difference."

He nodded,

"Fabulous, You just said that they were arguing about a baby, no?"

"I did indeed,"

"Okay… And this is what you said last night…"

Sam pressed play and sat back in her chair

_They started screaming about something… I couldn't quite catch what they were talking about. I heard the regular bumps and crashes. Few more screams. Kid started crying. Doors slamming, then silence._

"Tell me what's different, Howard."

His face blanked. "I – I must have…"

"You must have lied, to me and my partner." Sam whispered as she leant across the table, "We don't like liars."

"I must have…"

"You must have forgotten your story," Sam told him, "When you lie, you have to have a good memory, because nine times out of ten, liars forget their story."

He gulped.

"You were there. Because you know how I know?"

He shook his head

"We found evidence. Your DNA actually, underneath her fingernails. She scratched you."

He shook his head, "that doesn't prove anything."

"You're right," Sam smiled "it doesn't. This however-" she spat as she bent down for her case file and slammed it onto the table. "Does. You see that, it's a match to your fingerprints. Fingerprints, that my colleague found on her neck. Checking for a pulse. You were there. You had a part in this. We have enough to nail you to the wall. And guess what," she whispered across the table, "You hit the jackpot. You're the ninth one on the list today that forgot their story… Guess what first price is…"

He shrugged.

"Expenses paid trip to sing-sing." She chirped happily, "And you're lucky that we gave the runners up prize away."

"What was that," he humoured

"A beating of a lifetime from two highly pissed off NYPD detectives. 'Cause let me tell you, the mood me and my partner are in, you would have been a resident in trinity way after you'd be eligible for that pension of yours. Never mind the two CSI's you kept up all night with your antics along with Mr Claremount."

He shuddered, "I know you're shitting me,"

Sam stood up and shoved the table forwards into his gut, "Oops, I'm terribly sorry. I really didn't mean to shove the table that hard into you."

He yelped in pain as he shoved it into her legs, "You'll pay for that"

She shook her head, "And what? You killed a pregnant mother. I'm sure I'm not that high on the higher powers' shit list for punishment. A chauffeur will escort you to your limo momentarily"

He shook his head and grabbed his stomach as she snapped open the door and headed down the hallway.

His mother always told him that screwing with Brooklyn girls would bite him in the ass.

She was right, apparently.

--

* * *

**_Huge thankyou to my wonderful reviewers - i really appreciate all of your support! _**

**_Special shoutout to... _**

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**_Drop me a review, it's much appreciated, guys :)_**


	137. No more CBS, Danny

**_A/N: OH MY GOD! Tell me you all saw TEH DL EPISODE. I died. Clearly, seen as i'm updating. but all the same. *squee* _**

**_And, contrary to what it may seem in this chapter - i loved the episode. I did, honestly... I just - well, it's amusing poking fun at TPTB. And the Muse told me to. _**

**_if you haven't seen the DL scenes at least, you might want to skip this until you have, i dont want to wreck anything for you _**

**_Although Peter Lenkov, i freakin' love you. _**

**_Anna. i heart you. And Carmine. Well, you're not so bad yourself. Just kidding. I totally love them equally. _**

**_This chapter takes place at the same times as next chapter, so if things seem a little confusing, just wait till next chapter. All will make sense ;) _**

_**Annnnnnd, /end longest A/N ever.**_

**_*SQUEE* _**

**_--_**

* * *

"_Why didn't you tell me? Look, you can't just drop that on me and walk away…"_

"_Danny, I know you, alright?"_

"_What is that supposed to mean?"_

_"I'm not expecting anything…"_

Danny Messer's eyes flew open. To find his heart was beating rapidly, and extremely heavy.

Thank god _that_ was a dream. Why he had dreamt it, he had no idea. But it felt so real. He could feel how hurt Lindsay was. He had seen tears in her eyes, and he just ached to reach out and wipe them away, but couldn't. He wanted to draw her into his arms, and tell her everything would be okay while kissing her temple lightly, in a comforting gesture, but couldn't.

And he had no idea why. Something was stopping him.

He had gotten the sense that he had screwed up. And she was pregnant. But didn't know why. Or how. Well, he knew _how_ she got pregnant. But, how he had screwed up… no idea.

All he knew was that whatever _that _Danny Messer had done, this Danny Messer wasn't about to repeat in anyway whatsoever.

He had Lindsay's back no matter what- he loved her with every inch of his soul. Every tear, he would wipe away. Hold her every time she ached for a hug. And he would tell her he loved her every chance he got.

He figured the dream was in some way related to the case. Him travelling different paths of how he could be with Lindsay- how he _could _treat her. He _could _beat her. Or he _could_ turn his back on her, and think of himself – worry about himself before her. How she could keep it from him. How she said that she knew him. Not how she was. Or what he could do for her.

He was just glad he would do it the _real_ Danny Messer way. Putting Lindsay first. Making sure she was okay. Making sure she knew how much he loved, adored and cherished her, as opposed to making her feel as if she had to keep something as special as a baby away from him, in fear of him – well, 'she knew what he was like', apparently.

He didn't want that. And it wasn't him. That was for damn sure.

Why he thought it had been a good idea to curl up in his office chair, and rest his eyes for ten minutes was beyond him. He stretched attempting to get the creaks out of his back that had developed during the time he had been hunched over his desk.

He wiggled his mouse on his desk, and smiled at the desktop wallpaper of his girls, smiling and grinning on Christmas day morning; Lindsay clad in red satin Pyjamas, and M&M sporting a very attractive red onesie with, "Daddy's little girl," across the front.

Purchased by him, of course.

He loved the picture. No if ands or buts. Amanda was smiling brightly, gripping the teddy she had just unwrapped from Lindsay's parents, as she sat on Lindsay's lap. What Danny loved most about the picture was the twinkle he saw in Lindsay's eyes every time he looked at said picture. She had been so happy that morning. Her curls were loose and messy, bangs hanging into her eyes, and no make-up.

And he had never seen her so beautiful.

He touched the screen with his index finger, tracing his wife's face, before moving to his daughter's, while tracing her delicate features.

He felt a twinge of pain in his chest at a recollection of what he had been attempting to solve for the past eleven hours. It scared him; the similarities in the two families. Two girls called Amanda. Both Lindsay and their victim were nearly three months pregnant.

And he just hoped and prayed that he would never, ever, ever do what that scumbag he barely even wanted to think had would do to his wife and unborn child.

He knew, deep down, that he was being ridiculous, but when faced with a situation as such, he figured it must be normal to question your morals; gave you the chance to see what you're really made of.

He glanced down at his desk, and sighed at the mountain of paperwork awaiting him.

_That_ was why he had decided a nap was in order.

Glancing round the room, he looked for distractions. Something he could busy himself with to prevent him shifting through the ever-growing mountain of paperwork demanding his attention.

He glanced down at the phone and sighed, heavily.

He knew he should.

He had been meaning to call that one person on his mind for the longest time. But something inside him made him think twice. It had been a while since they had spoken, and he figured, it would be odd, him calling out of the blue like that…

But, the case had put a lot of things into perspective, for him especially.

He shook his head and glanced onto Lindsay's neat desk and saw her yellow I-pod nano he had bought her for a surprise a week ago, just because.

Just because she was driving him crazy with "Sammie's I-pod is really good, Danny… Sammie's I-pod stores 3 million songs on, Danny… I want an I-pod, Danny… You know how you love me, Danny… Would you buy me an I-pod, Danny?"

He had smiled and nodded for the first part, humouring her, but eventually, he sighed and had taken Amanda to their local Target superstore, and juggled the bubbly 15 month old, while picking out the correct style, colour and spec of I-pod, while Lindsay was at work.

And, he had delivered, apparently.

She had spent about fifty dollars since then, on the beloved MasterCard downloading allsorts of random babble off of I-tunes.

He cursed Samantha Ross. Lindsay had never wanted an I-pod, but whatever Sammie had, Linds wanted, and vice versa.

He unwrapped the I-pod issued headphones from where Lindsay had neatly wrapped it around the I-pod before heading off in search of Samantha Ross as "little bear was talking again," so she claimed, and told him she was "going for lunch, and if or when he wanted anything, to give her a call, and she would see what she could do, because he wasn't going anywhere with the amount of work he had to finish". He turned the tiny thing over in his hands, and groaned audibly at the sticker stuck proudly to the back of it.

He shook his head as he placed both headphones in his ear, _matching stickers? For Real?_

He had been with Samantha when she had begged him to pull the Navigator over while they had been on the lunch run, so she could run into Wal-Mart for something…

_Something_ had turned into a Hello Kitty shopping spree – where she had purchased pencils, pens, stickers, and memo books.

And apparently, judging by Lindsay's desk, Samantha Ross had gone all out, and bought them matching sets.

Danny chuckled as he turned the I-pod over, to check to see whether Lindsay, or Sam had engraved their initials and BFF on the back of the I-pod.

Quite frankly, he wouldn't put it past them.

He took the button off hold, and pressed play, while he browsed through Lindsay's song list.

He clicked absent-mindedly on a song he thought he might like, and locked it, and placed it on his desk.

He chuckled as he pulled his document from before up, "You can take the girl out of the country, but can't take the country out of the girl."

Lindsay was quite frankly, a little country bumpkin. The amount of country singers she had on there astounded him. Where she got the damn songs from, he had no idea. Well, he did. When taken into account her country background and a certain firecracker dubbed Brooklyn, he knew exactly where all the songs and artists came from.

But, saying that he wouldn't have his little country bumpkin any other way.

He skipped a few songs, stopped on a random one, and began listening.

It had a relatively slow tune compared to some of her other tracks, but he was enjoying it all the same. Easy listening was what it was.

_Yeah, everything is O.K., just needed to talk to you  
Today I had one of those days  
But I didn't call to complain_

Oh yeah, today had been one of them days if he was quite honest.

He happily hummed along to the song, his emotion from before, slowly leaving him. He wasn't sure whether it was because he was calm now, or if it was the fact that he was listening to Lindsay's music, which had a calming effect. Either way, he was going to do it more often.

_No I can't find one spare minute,  
The days run together but I don't remember you,  
Ever letting us down._

Didn't he know it? If it wasn't him running out the door to work in the morning, it was him having to throw a load of laundry in before he put the dinner on in time for Lindsay coming home, and feed Amanda. And if it wasn't that, it was him playing with Amanda, in and amongst helping with some of the housework, before moving onto doing much needed paperwork.

_You were the judge and the jury when I did wrong  
Been my biggest fan from my very first song  
The gas in the engine that always kept me moving on  
A seamstress a counsellor and the one referee  
That could cold stop a fight between my brother and me  
And I'm sorry it's taken me so long to say  
Thank you I love you  
Twenty years late_

Oh yeah, that was his mom. He chuckled at the words, "_That could cold stop a fight between my brother and me"_ the various fights he and Louie had engaged in over the years. She was a damn good referee – strict but fair, and didn't let them get away with shit. At the time, it had pissed him off to no end, but in retrospect, he wouldn't have had it any other way.

He sucked his pride up at not calling her for months, and reached for the phone, while he put Lindsay's I-pod on pause, and dialled his childhood landline number, before holding the phone to his ear with his shoulder.

He smiled at her voice, answering the phone, and he cleared his own voice, "Hey mom, it's me; I just needed to talk to you. I had one of those days today,"

He relaxed into his chair as his mother chattered down the phone, happily about the random events of Theresa next door, and how little Johnny from down the road was getting married next week.

"Mom…" Danny interrupted, "I'm sorry, I haven't called recently. I love you."

"Rough case, love?"

"Something like that…" Danny sighed as he shifted in his seat, "You were saying about Johnny?" he inquired, changing the subject.

"It doesn't matter," Isabella Messer told him, "I'm a good listener, remember… My shoulders are nice and strong aswell."

"I already broke down on Montana," he admitted, "I'm good, I just wanted to call my mommy."

"You're still calling poor Lindsay that?"

"It's a term of endearment," Danny chuckled, "She's been dubbed it for life,"

"You're terrible," she chuckled down the phone, "So go on, what happened?"

"Nothing, it doesn't matter anymore, me and Linds got him."

"Well, you know if you ever do want to talk-"

"It'll probably be twenty years late when I do, but I know mommy, you're there when I need you, right?"

"Always, always," she sing-songed down the phone, "How's my grandbaby doing?"

"Amanda's good."

"I meant Little bear,"

"Fine," Danny chuckled, "Food bills gone up about sixty dollars a week with all the crap Linds is buying. On top of the crap she already bought,"

"She eating healthily?"

"If you call eating strawberries and melted chocolate healthy, that's the craving this week. Last week it was rice and mustard with hotdogs chopped up in it.."

"That's disgusting,"

"My sentiments exactly," Danny laughed, "Think about me, I make the damn stuff."

"I miss you, Danny. You need to come and see me and your pop more,"

"I know mom… I know..."

"You remember the address? Need me to send it you through a text? I finally figured out to work this cell, so I can if you need me to,"

"Haha, you're a riot, Mom."

"I try," she sighed dramatically, "What about the light in my life,"

"Mac's fine mom, told me to give you his kind regards,"

"Funny," she snorted down the phone, "I meant my baby girl."

"Amanda's fine. Into everything and anything."

"As can be expected." His mother smiled, "remember what you were like?"

"Like as if it was yesterday," he snorted sarcastically down the phone, "no mom, I can't remember what I was like 33 years ago, when I was like 15-months-old. I'm good, but I ain't that good."

"Well, you were into anything and everything. You and Louie had a stint in being interested in my high heels-"

"I beg you to stop, Mom." Danny begged, "Please?"

"How's my Flack?"

"Ahh, your boy Donald Flack." Danny chuckled, "I swear you love him more than you love me."

"Sometimes, I do. He's a nice boy… How's he coping since he and Stella broke up?"

"Ever the same. Little womaniser that he is."

"Really?"

"No, not at all," Danny laughed, "He's got himself a little Brooklyn girl. Absolute firecracker mom, he's head over heels."

"No…" she gasped in disbelief, "really?"

"Really really," Danny laughed, "Yeah, sorry mom. You've lost your chance."

"Shucks," she chuckled down the phone, "What's her name?"

"Samantha. Lindsay adores her, Mom. Spends every waking moment with her, or talking about her, or talking to her."

"She has that bond. I presume their similar ages?"

"Both born in March," Danny told her, "She's like a different person compared to what she was like with Stella. I mean she still loves Stella, don't get me wrong, I think she just felt Stella babysat her. Still hasn't got it into her head that Linds got 2nd grade."

"And we're so proud of her," His mother gushed, "She deserves it."

Danny nodded, "And more. The case we worked last night and today, Lindsay held me together. I wouldn't have been able to deal if she hadn't of been there."

"What happened, can you talk about the details, or…"

"It was a husband that beat his wife."

"Well you would never beat Lindsay Danny, you know that surely."

"They had a five-year-old daughter, called Amanda, and the Vic was 3 months pregnant."

"Oh," his mother said simply, "Now that makes sense, how do you mean Lindsay held you together."

"She did everything. Got the girl out of the house. Processed the girl, talked to her, held her while she cried. She told me afterwards… I processed the scene, and mom, it killed me."

"You caught him, Danny. It's okay now…"

"I know… I broke down on Linds, you know…"

"I know, you said… what happened?"

"We went to have chocolate milk and blueberry muffins for breakfast this morning when I got back from the scene, and I just broke down. Like when I was there, I pictured me standing over Lindsay's body, processing her."

"You did?"

"Yeah," Danny sighed, "I think it was cause I was tired and just emotional, but it still hurt like a bitch,"

"Don't curse,"

"Sorry," he grinned sheepishly, "But, me and Montana nailed him. She quoted Steve Wilkos… My Montana went Steve Wilkos on the guy."

Isabella Messer snorted, "Saying?"

"I'll give her credit, she pulled it off something amazing. Stopped the guy dead in his tracks… Basically, it was something along the lines of the guy would have had room in his arms for a baby, and that said baby didn't need much room."

"I can hear our Montana saying that," his mom laughed, "Is she there, can I talk to her?"

"She's gone out for lunch actually, girl lunch with Sam."

"They have lunch everyday don't they?"

"Yeah, but every day's a girl day," Danny chuckled, "if I'm honest, it's cute. I love seeing her like how she is. She was stressed at first, panicked a little about the pregnancy. Started doubting herself, and I think Samantha was exactly what she needed. Samantha came into our lives at the perfect time. And it helps that me and Flack are as tight as what we are."

"Definitely." The woman agreed, "Hows the cute Texan Lindsay was telling me about?"

"Nick?" Danny asked, "He's alright. Keeps himself to himself, but he's really nice. He and Sam came round for dinner a few weeks ago. He wants to steal Montana and her bitchin' cooking skills."

"Daniel!" His mother scolded. "Two dollars for that swear jar."

"It's overflowing with money," Danny complained, "I'm broke."

"Don't swear then,"

"As I was saying," he snapped, "Nick loves Linds' cooking."

"I love Lindsay's cooking," his mother gushed, "she could teach me a thing or two."

"She said the exact same thing the other day about you,"

"I miss Lindsay." His mother told him, "You, I can deal with not seeing, my Lindsay on the other hand…"

"Thank you very much, mommy. I love you too."

She laughed heartily down the phone, "Get Lindsay to give me a call, would you? I haven't spoken to her since she called about the baby."

"I will," he promised, "I'll let you go," Danny sighed, "I just wanted to tell you I love you, and thank you."

"What for?"

"Making me who I am."

His mother beamed down the phone, "Only half of that is down to me, Lindsay's the one that made the drastic changes."

"I know… did I ever tell you what her dad bought her for her birthday when she was eight?"

"I dread to think… An ant farm? She didn't eat them did she?"

"No," Danny laughed, "A fly fishing rod. And for her ninth, he bought her a knife,"

"I know, you told me about the knife when she first started."

Danny laughed, "Have you ever heard of a girl like that,"

"What can I say, Lindsay's one in a million."

"That she is," Danny agreed. "Sorry, I'll let you go, Mom. When I start talkin' about Linds, I find it hard to stop."

"I'll tell pop you called, love. Take care, alright. Don't be a stranger."

"I wont," he promised, "I love you mommy."

"You too, Danny."

He hung the phone up with a smile displayed across his face, wondering why he had been worried about calling his mother.

He sat back in his chair, and saw Lindsay heading down the hallway, with her head down, like she had in his dream. He stood up instantly as she pushed through their office door.

"Everything okay?" he inquired

Lindsay shook her head, "Danny, I need you to do me a favour, I… Sam… I need to go and talk to Flack."

He raised his eyebrows, "Linds, have you been crying?"

"Sympathy tears," Lindsay told him, "come on… I'll tell you on the road."

"What am I doing?" he inquired as he grabbed his jacket from the coat hook in the corner of their office.

"Take Sammie for lunch, baby? Please?"

"Can I not take my darling wife that I love and cherish?"

"I'll make it up to you baby, I swear." She said as she headed off in the other direction.

"Hey Montana," he whispered as he caught her hand and pulled her back towards him and wrapped his arms around her, "I love you, you know that right?"

"You tell me everyday," she smiled brightly, "And since nothing's changed since yesterday, I would have to say yeah I know, and I love you too."

"And that you don't gotta be worried about anything."

"Okay," she smiled, slightly concerned.

"And I love this baby, and you, and Amanda, with all my heart."

"Right, that's it," Lindsay laughed as she pecked a kiss to his cheek, "No more CBS for you Danny,"

Danny chuckled as he kissed her forehead lightly, "I love you, Linds."

She smiled and kissed the tip of his nose, before wiggling out of his embrace. He watched her walk quickly down the hallway.

"Stop staring at my ass, Daniel." She called to him, without even turning

"I wasn't even," he called back to her, chuckling.

"Bullshit,"

He smiled to himself as he turned on his heel, heading off towards the locker room.

To be fair, it was the cutest ass he'd ever seen.

And it was all his.

--

* * *

**_See, i told you it was fun poking fun at CBS. LOL. And sorry guys, i've been sucking at review replies recently. I blame the excitement that was 5x09. I'll get my wisebutt in gear with that now. LOL. _**

**_

* * *

_**

Special thanks to:

**Brown eyed Girl 75**

**Twinkeyrocks**

**Vicki-Boo**

**PatryTrusky**

**muchmadness**

**gwen24**

**iheartcsinewyork**

**LME**

**AngelicStars**

**jennabby**

**PenguinGoddess**

**Raya Dreamer**

**JavaJunkie4evr**

**MeredithandDerekfanforever**

**aussietasha**

**afrozenheart412**

**edward-and-bella-forever**

**_And a special welcome and thanks to:_**

**Simplelove3663**

**Bulletgirl1723**

**Luckys butterfly girl**


	138. You Can't Break A Broken Heart

**_A/N: What happened between Sammie and Flack you ask...? Read on and you shall see ;) _**

**_FYI - this chapter was taking place at the same time as last chapter, just to make things a little clearer._**

**_I poke fun at CBS again this chapter - brownie points and M&M's to those who can figure out which scene i'm talking about_**

**_And I blame my dear Megs for introducing me to the damn song that inspired this chapter. _**

**_--_**

* * *

"You have a minute Flack?"

Flack sighed from his position where he stood, arms crossed, staring at the one of their perps from where he was sat in interrogation.

"Not really," he answered the figure stood at the door, "I have some paperwork I need to get on with, and I need to check on something,"

"By that I presume you mean Sam," the woman asked as she shut the door,

"Stella, I said I didn't have…"

"It won't take a minute," she assured him,

He sighed, "Good news travels fast"

"I suppose" Stella Bonasera shrugged, "I've missed you, Flack."

Flack smiled politely, and pulled his phone out of his pocket, "I really have to go Stella, it's-"

She laid a hand on his sleeved bicep, "What are you scared of, Flack? Me?"

He shook his head, "I have shit to deal with Stella. Paperwork. Rosters."

"I just don't want to see you get hurt, Flack."

"I wont," he told her, "You suggesting Sam's gonna hurt me more than what you did? I could feel myself really falling for you Stella, and you pushed me away, no consideration for me and my feelings."

"You said we were going to be friends,"

"Well, it wasn't as easy as I thought." Flack chided, "Friendship's a two way street Stella, I see you and Lindsay aren't as close,"

She shrugged, "Yeah… But, I'm just worried about you, Flack. I don't want you rushing into something and hurting both you and Samantha in the process."

"What, like a rebound thing?" Flack snorted, "Sure, okay."

She shrugged, "You said, it. You seem to have fallen hard and quick. I know you Flack, you're making it seem like she's the perfect girl, and she's come along at the right time. Just think about it, really think about it, because I care a lot about you, and don't want to see you hurting."

"You hurt me, Stella. So you're one to talk. And anyway, she wouldn't ever hurt me. I know her."

"Really?" Stella asked with raised eyebrows, "How well can you know her? She's been here, what? A month?"

"Your point?"

"My point is how much can you know someone in a month?"

"When you spend as much time with her as I do, you get to know her pretty well."

"Beyond just sex Flack," Stella snorted, "I'm not talking about what positions she likes, I'm talking about what makes her tick, what fuels her? What makes her the person she is?"

"Get the fuck out of my face, Stella."

"Hit a nerve?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "The fact that you would think that my relationship with her is purely sex. And it really actually has fuck all to do with you. So…"

"Maybe not," Stella agreed, "But you know I'm damn right with what I'm saying. Why did she leave the Phoenix PD, Flack?"

He shrugged,

"And why doesn't she talk about her past life? Why doesn't she tell anyone anything?"

"Because you're a gossiping little girl," Flack told her, "It's Sam's life, and I for one aren't about to push her into spilling every last detail to me, when she wants to tell me, I'm all ears. Until then, oh well. The company and sex is pretty good to tide me over until she wants to open up to me. I'm in this for the long run, Stella. I really feel for her. And I'm not intending on going anywhere. So she can take her sweet time in telling me what haunts her, cause guess what, I'm not going anywhere. I'm holding onto her with two hands."

Stella shook her head; "You know she had a thing with Nick before you?"

"Actually, I was aware of that."

"You were?"

"Yeah. She has a mark on her neck, I asked her what it was, and she told me. She was honest, and I appreciated it. And what's more- I'm still there, chasing her. 'Cause I like her, and she chose me over Nick."

"Did she though? Why did she choose you, Flack?"

"Ask her, I don't know…"

"Is it 'cause she knows you're vulnerable?"

"Who made me vulnerable, Stella?"

"I guess I deserved that…"

"Yeah," Flack nodded, "You hurt me Stella. And you are completely out of order saying this to me. What is it; do you want me back? You miss me?"

"I don't know," she answered, "I don't want you… but…"

"But you don't want Sam to have me?" Flack snorted, "You're insane. Have you heard yourself?"

"At least I'm being honest with myself. You're leading yourself and Sam on, Flack."

He shook his head, "I'm not."

"I can see it in your eyes. You have doubts, Flack. You do. You can't figure out whether or not this is a rebound thing. And it's unfair to make her suffer while you figure that out. She's my friend and I don't want to see her get hurt."

Flack turned his back on Stella as the sounds of her heels moved towards the door, and it clicked shut.

Suddenly, everything that seemed so definite in his life he was questioning.

He looked at the door where Stella had just been, and cursed her.

He pulled his phone out and took a deep breath as he pressed speed dial one and held the phone to his ear.

"Sam, it's me. I need to talk."

--

Lindsay pushed through the locker room doors in a desperate attempt to find Samantha Ross.

"Samantha, you up for lunch? Me and Little bear are…" Lindsay stopped her excited babble as she heard devastating sobs fill the locker room. "Sammie?"

"In… here…" her best friend sobbed,

"Sammie, where?"

She saw a hand emerge from the side of the lockers and wave in her direction. Smiling softly at Sam's animated action, she makde her way over, and stood in front of her best friend with her hands on her hips. "Sam?"

She sniffed, as she paused her I-pod. "Yeah?"

"Everything okay?"

She shook her head no and pressed play again, letting the tears cascade down her cheeks.

Lindsay leaned down and pressed pause on her pink Ipod nano, "What happened?"

Sam shook her head, words escaping her.

"Alright then," Lindsay said as she stood against the wall, and slid down it, next to her best friend, and stole a pink headphone from Samantha's right ear. "What are we listening to?"

"Kate Voegele," Sam replied, "You can't break a broken heart."

"Doesn't sound good." Lindsay said as she placed the headphone in her ear and pressed play.

"It isn't," Sam said as she leant her head on Lindsay's shoulder.

Lindsay took a deep breath as she listened to the song, while Sam sang quietly along through her tears.

"_So try your best now baby, try your best to break me, you can't break a broken heart. No damage you can do now; I'm immune to you now. You can't break what broke apart. There's nothing you can do to me no more, you can't break a broken heart,"_

Lindsay placed a kiss to her friend's temple, "You have a beautiful singing voice,"

Sam snorted and wiped her eyes, "You're mental."

"No, honestly," Lindsay said as she tucked a stray piece of Sam's shoulder length hair behind her ear, "they say singing is the best outlet for emotions, you know… They say talking is aswell, Sammie. What's going on?"

Sam took a deep breath, "Donnie… He…"

Lindsay gasped, "He didn't… he didn't… break up with you, did he?"

"He did," Sam, sobbed as she snuggled into her best friend shoulder, "He broke up with me,"

"Tell me I'm being punk'd," Lindsay said as she drew a sobbing Sam into her arms, "Tell me you're fucking with me. And you've got Ashton there hiding in your locker."

"I bloody wish I had Ashton Kutcher hidden away," Sam sniffed, "cause that means he'd have links with Daniel Craig somehow, and I'd be in there… Think I could be the next Bond girl Linds? Danny boy would have me, wouldn't he? I could pull off them skimpy dresses, right?"

Lindsay laughed, "Whatever your little heart desires sweetie, I'd go and watch you at the movies."

"You could be my guest to the premiere," Samantha giggled, "And yeah you, dollar for the swear jar," Sam sing-songed through her tears, "I'll tell Danny."

"Tell him," Lindsay laughed as she kissed her friend's temple, "He owes a Benjamin to that damn jar."

Sam managed a weak laugh, before a tear slipped down her cheek, "Why did I let myself fall for him so quick, Linds?"

"Because you trusted him, sweetie." Lindsay told her, "There must be something more to it… what did he say?"

"What do you think?" Sam sniffed, "What have I been saying the whole time?"

"It isn't a rebound thing," Lindsay sighed, "we've been over this… he never loved her like he loves you."

Sam shook her head and wiped her face, "He said that Linds, he said he thought it was a rebound thing, and didn't want to hurt me and lead me on any more."

"Smell that, Sam? Bullshit. He's either scared, or somebody's had a word with him, and made him think about things."

"You think Stella's said something?"

"And you don't?" Lindsay asked, "Honestly?"

"Oh no… I'm positive she has."

"And you're okay with that?" Lindsay asked as she took the Ipod headphones out of their ears, and turned the Ipod off.

"No, but what choice do I have?" she said as she pulled her knees into her stomach, and wrapped her arms around her knees, to keep them clutched close to her chest, "I'm not okay with that at all. But I've already reduced myself to crying over him. I'm not about to beg him to reconsider. I'm a big girl,"

"Well, mentally. Physically, not so much" Lindsay giggled

"Yeah Linds, make short ass jokes. Go on,"

"Kidding, go on…"

"I'm a big girl, and will surely get over him."

Lindsay raised her eyebrows, "you will?"

"Yeah, it's only been like a month that I've worked with him, only been in a relationship for like two weeks, Linds. It's exactly two weeks since we all went out. Yeah, we've spent alternate nights at each other's but that doesn't mean it's been long enough for me to fall in love… I'm just…"

Lindsay shrugged, "There's no time limit on how long it takes to fall in love with someone, Sam."

Sam shrugged, and stood up "I'm hungry, want to go and get something to eat?"

"Rain check," Lindsay said, as she reached for Samantha's hand to help her up, "paperwork to finish"

"You just said that you wanted to get something to eat…" Sam reminded her.

"I'm not hungry anymore… Danny will be though. I'll go and grab Danny."

Sam rolled her eyes as Lindsay wiped her tears away with the pad of her thumb, "You're going to talk to him, and kick his ass, aren't you?"

"No," Lindsay lied unconvincingly, "What makes you think that, Sammie?"

"You can't lie for shit, Montana,"

Lindsay chuckled at her best friend as she linked arms with the tiny brunette, "But you don't know anything, right?"

"Know anything about what?"

Lindsay smiled, "that's my girl, you wait here, babe. Danny will come and grab you in a few. Go sort your make-up out."

"What would I do without you?" Sam asked her,

"I could ask you the same thing," Lindsay smiled as she touched Samantha's chin, "keep it up, babe."

Samantha Ross smiled through her tears, thanking the gods for her best friend.

--

* * *

She stood by the edge of his desk arms folded as she glared at the top of his head.

"Don't even pretend you don't know I'm here."

"Not now, Linds. A'ight… not now."

"When?"

"Never," he sighed, "I just want to keep my head down,"

"You hungry?" Lindsay asked

He looked up, "What?"

"Hungry? Want some lunch?"

"Sam made me my lunch today Linds-"

"Good, my treat," she said as she pulled him out of his chair, and linked her arm through his,

"Linds, what'cha doing?" he asked nervously.

"Giving myself an alibi, so a precinct full of people think we're friendly," Lindsay said with a sweet smile on her face, "I'll be the last person they expect to your murder."

Flack let out a small laugh,

"Think I'm kidding?" Lindsay smiled up at him, and spoke through gritted teeth, "'cause if I knew I'd be able to get away with it, you would be dead right now, you know that…"

"Absolutely," Flack smiled down at her as they pushed through the precinct doors. Knowing full well she wasn't joking.

She was tiny, but Don Flack was ready to admit that he was, in that moment, terrified of Lindsay Messer.

And terrified that he had made what was most possibly the worst mistake of his life.

--

* * *

"So, wait… Flack did what?"

"Make me said it again Danny, please. I love hearing I was a rebound thing for Flack over and over again."

"I'm sorry Brooklyn, I wasn't listening."

"How does Lindsay cope with you?" Sam sighed dramatically,

"I perfected the art of smiling and nodding," Danny grinned, "But seriously, Brooklyn – he say why?"

"That it was a rebound thing,"

"Bullshit," Danny spat as he bit into a fry.

"Linds said the same thing,"

"Great minds," Danny chuckled before reaching for Sam's hand across the diner's table, and rubbed it softly, "Is there anything I can do?"

Sam smiled weakly and picked up her drink with her free hand, "turn back the clock to where he didn't have the epiphany that whatever we had was a rebound thing?"

"I would if I could," he said honestly. "I meant more along the lines of kicking his ass."

Sam chuckled, "You're better half has that down."

"Doesn't surprise me," Danny chuckled, "She thinks she's supergirl, saving the world one day at a time."

"Next day she's superbitch," Sam chuckled, "I didn't know you liked Christina Aguilera."

"I was thinking more along the lines of Jessica Simpson, in 'with you'. I caught Linds dancing round the kitchen in one of my shirts and my sport socks singing into a whisk, to dear Jessie Simpson when we first got back together."

Sam laughed out loud, her infectious giggle filling the small diner, "That's why I love her."

"I'd list why I love her, but we'd be here until Little Bear's graduation,"

Sam laughed, "What would I do without you two clowns?"

Danny stood up and slipped into Sam's side of the booth, and wrapped his arm around her, "Find some shittier best friends?"

"Take it on the road, Mess," she chuckled as she shoved him playfully, before sighing. "Thanks Danny."

Danny smiled and pulled her into a hug and kissed her temple, "Anything for Montana's Brooklyn."

--

* * *

_You're fine_, she told herself. _You've done break ups before. And it doesn't matter anyway, you're professional, and you wont let this bother you. _

Samantha Ross walked into the precinct with her head held high. Trying to forget that her eyes were red and puffy, or her make-up completely wiped from her face.

As much as she shouldn't, she wanted him to see how she was hurting.

And hoped deep down that he was hurting a little bit too.

She smiled politely as she sat down at her desk joined with his,

He looked up, tears in his eyes, hurt and devastation at what he had done displayed across his face.

"Sammie," he whispered.

She held her hand up, and reached in her bag for her Ipod, pulled it out, and plugged the headphones in her ear, and turned the volume up loud.

She flipped open a case folder, and began reading through while humming along to the song she had on.

He opened his mouth to try and get her attention, but was cut off by her quiet singing voice he had heard that morning while she had made them breakfast and his lunch.

He glanced down and gripped his pen, gripping it so hard, he could decipher whether it was the fact it was the pain from his nails digging into him, or her broken voice singing softly to the music.

He relented, and sat back on his chair, and closed his eyes, while listening to her intently.

"_Won't be so easy,  
This time to hurt me,  
You can try,  
And this time oh Baby,  
There are no tears left here to dry,  
If you think you can woo me like before  
If you think you can do that anymore,  
Won't get to far,  
NO!  
You Can't Break A Broken Heart,_

So try your best now baby,  
Try your best to break me,  
You can't break a broken heart,  
No damage you can do now,  
I'm immune to you now,  
You can't break what broke apart,  
There's nothing you can do to me no more,  
You can't break a broken heart,"

He swallowed the lump in his throat as he leaned forwards and pulled the headphone out of her ear, "Sammie, I'm…"

"Don't," she said, as she grabbed the headphone from him, "Please… just don't."

"Sammie let me explain."

"Don't waste your time, Flack."

"You never call me Flack."

"Well, there were a lot of things I thought you would never do to me, but you did."

"Can we talk?" he asked, "Please?"

She shook her head,

"Sam?"

"Look," she said as she put her Ipod on pause, "I'm on shift for another ten minutes, I would appreciate you leaving me alone. You've done enough damage today, alright? Just leave me for the last ten minutes."

"But Sam…"

"Which part of no would you like me to define for you?"

"Sammie, please,"

"Don't reduce our relationship to you begging. When I wanted to ask you to reconsider, I didn't. Alright, don't do that to us, Don."

"I don't care, Sam."

She put her replaced her headphone, and turned the music up loud.

"_And i don't need you  
And guess what  
I'm having more fun  
And now that we're done  
I'm gonna show you tonight  
I'm alright, I'm just fine  
And you're a tool  
So so what?  
I am a rock star  
I got my rock moves  
And i don't want you tonight"_

Despite himself, he smiled. He couldn't help it. She had music for every mood on that I-pod.

And if that wasn't the mother of 'Fuck you,' songs, he didn't know what was.

He stared at her, willing for her to look up. She broke into the chorus, again, and he sighed.

Standing up, he moved round their desks and tapped her on the shoulder. Instead of looking up at him, she grabbed her I-pod from her desk, and turned it all the way up to maximum volume.

He let out a breath and bit his lip in frustration, and tapped her again.

She glanced up at him, "_And guess what, I'm having more fun, now that we're done… and I'm…"_

He had had enough. He pulled the headphones out, and leant down to her level, "Sammie, listen to me,"

"No" she said grabbing her headphones off him, "give me them,"

"Stop acting fucking childish Sam," he barked at her, "Listen to me,"

"I don't want to talk to you, I'm trying to stay professional,"

"When you decided you wanted to make love to me, you lost that professional relationship, we have more than that Sam,"

"Made love? What are you? A girl? Look, I get that it was a rebound thing for you, and that's fine. Had you of let me known, I would have helped you out without getting my heart broken."

"Samantha, listen to me goddamnit." Flack yelled at her, "I didn't mean what I said,"

"In the words of Pink, Don Flack, you're a fucking tool. Can you move? I want to go."

"No" he said, shaking his head as his hands rested on either one of her chair's arms, "Not until we have this out,"

"Alright, I'll rephrase it." She smiled sweetly as she moved into his face, and whispered, "Get the _fuck_ out of my way," before adding "please"

He considered it for a second, and moved, as she ripped her bag up from its position on the floor, and her Ipod from the desk.

"Where you going?"

"Home, I'm off duty."

"We came together," he reminded her,

"I'll get the subway,"

"It's not safe, Sammie."

She had started to walk away from him, but turned back, and stopped inches away from him.

"You don't get the right to call me Sammie, Flack."

"Don't call me Flack," he told her, "You call me Don, or Donnie. Come on Sammie, just talk to me," he said as he rubbed her arm affectionately, "please?"

She pushed his hand from her arm, "Please? Stop making this hard. You said what you wanted to say. You meant it at the time, otherwise you wouldn't have said it…"

"Stella said that…"

"Bullshit, this isn't Stella. This is you. She didn't make you say it. I'll see you tomorrow, Flack."

He watched her turn, and slowly walk towards the door where Scagnetti had been waiting and watching.

The older detective instantly drew her into a hug, the whole time his eyes fixed on Flack.

Demanding answers. And informing him he was in shit.

His gaze cast downwards as he closed his eyes. Wishing that he could take back that phone-call with everything he had.

He opened his eyes and realised that Scagnetti had obviously whisked Sam off somewhere.

Stood in their places was an extremely pissed off colleague.

"Crimestopper," the person called across the buzzing precinct, "get your ass over here."

Flack rolled his eyes and sat down at his desk, and turned his attention back to the case file, hoping said person would find something better to do with their time.

He was quickly proved wrong when he sense said figure stood at his desk.

"I'm sure you misunderstood me, because surely you wouldn't be that fucking rude to ignore me like that. Me and you are having a few words, Donnie."

He sighed heavily and looked up, "What?"

"You want to have this out here?"

Flack shrugged, "I'm beyond caring,"

Danny nodded and sat at Sam's desk, "Right, okay… What's going on? 'Cause I know you're either having a meltdown, or the hell's freezing over, because I know for a damn fact that you felt something more than just "rebound" feelings. I was on the phone to my mom not a hour ago, telling her how much you loved Sam. Little did I know, you were breaking up with her, while I was declaring your undying love for her. What were you thinking, Flack?"

Flack shook his head, "I don't know anymore. I don't know what to think."

"Alright, let me pose this question to you… When you were with her, how did you feel?"

"With her as in boyfriend girlfriend, or physically with her?"

"When she's in the room, how do you feel?"

"Like she's the only one that's there. My eyes transfix on her."

Danny nodded, "Anything else?"

Flack sighed, "Like I love her, or at least falling in love with her. And I've made a huge mistake."

"Why do you give a fuck what other people think, Flack? Why second-guess what you're feeling. Just get some balls, fuck everyone else, and concentrate on you and Brooklyn, and fight to get her back"

"We've been dating two weeks, Danny."

"And?"

"And, don't you think it's a little soon to be throwing the word "love" about?"

Danny snorted, "Since when has there been a time frame on how long it takes to fall in love, Flack?"

He shrugged, "I fucked it up,"

"Spare me, Flack. You're talking to Mr. Fuck up. You just need to apologise. Do some grand romantic gesture."

"You don't have that song Monroe loves on your cell, do you?"

"I need a little more than that, Flack." Danny snorted, "She likes a few songs,"

"Some British guy, Lemar I think."

"That sappy crap? No chance."

Flack raised his eyebrows, "Sorry, because you're above sappy, right… I forgot."

"You want me to get it?" Danny asked, "Do I want to know why you want it?"

"It involves me busting my guts out, swallowing my pride, and saying sorry."

"I don't want to know," Danny laughed as he stood up. "I'll be back."

"I owe you, Danno." Flack called after him.

"Summer house in Florida will do fine,"

"Wisebutt," Flack sniggered as he turned back to his forgotten case file.

--

* * *

He sighed as he juggled his phone, flowers and chocolates in one hand, while he held a finger to the buzzer. He knew it would piss her off sooner or later. She had limited patience, and him buzzing, constantly, for the past five minutes was surely sending her mental.

But, he was a man that was hell bent on apologising. And he was planning on doing whatever it took.

"Yeah?"

"Hey, it's me… let me up… I want to talk to you,"

"I'm done talking," she sighed,

"Sam… I was your boyfriend. I'm sorry… Don't make me do this out here…"

She began to walk away from the intercom, and figured she could bury her head under the pillow in the bedroom, and it would muffle him apologising. Muffle him breaking her heart.

"Last chance Sam," Flack said down the intercom,

Tears cascaded down her face as she turned away and headed towards her bedroom, until the sounds of her's and Lindsay's "song of the moment" filled her apartment.

_Gotta find a way to tell her how I feel before it is over,  
I guess I could have done things better,  
I never should have let it get this far.  
She's all ready to give up and move on,  
I don't think she know,  
How I wish sometimes she could read my mind._

The thought of losing her, cause I did something wrong,  
or cause I should have been there whenever she needed someone,  
It's a feeling that I know would kill me, cause,  
She's my heart, my soul, my love,  
I would never give her up.

Flack bit his lip in anticipation, as he paused the music on Lindsay's i-Phone. Hoping and praying that maybe – just maybe his efforts hadn't been in vain.

He stood, bouncing almost, waiting for the sounds of the buzzer to buzz him up.

The more he waited, the less faith he had.

He let out a breath, and bit his lip as he turned on his heel, and slowly made his way down the concrete stairs of her apartment building.

He turned and took one last look of the apartment building before taking a deep breath and walking down the road. His intake of breath was cut short at the sound of a loud buzzing and a click, indicating that she was in fact, letting him up.

He dropped the box of chocolates he had thought it would be wise to take along with him, and shot up the stairs. He ripped the door open, and sprinted towards the stairwell, taking them two at a time.

Silently cursing himself for deciding to sprint up the five flights of stairs, he stopped in the hallway, allowing him to regain his composure before he tried to convince her that he hadn't meant anything to what he had said.

He pushed the door open and headed towards apartment 509.

Taking a deep breath, he turned the corner, only to be greeted with the sight of Samantha Ross, stood there, arms folded, with one leg propped up against the wall outside of her apartment. He gasped at her appearance. Clad only in his shirt, his oversized socks, her hair tied in a loose ponytail, and puffy eyes.

And he had honestly, never seen anyone more beautiful in all his life.

"Sammie… I…"

"What did you want?" she asked as she shut her door.

"Can I come in?"

"No," she snorted, "what did you want? You wanted to talk, so talk."

"I'm sorry," he said as he offered her the flowers.

"I'm more of a chocolates kind of girl."

If Don Flack could have, he would have kicked himself. "I had some, but I kinda dropped them downstairs."

"Great," Sam sighed dramatically, "some hobo's eating my chocolate. Nice."

Despite the situation, Flack smirked at her, as she let out a small laugh.

"Would you believe me if I said I made a mistake?"

"Probably," Sam laughed, "More fool me."

He itched to move towards her, "I didn't mean what I said, I got scared Sam. I freaked."

"Well, freak on someone else's time, Donnie, because I can't cope with that. My job means the world to me, and I can't afford to lose it, because I can't work with you."

"You said Donnie," he said as he moved towards her, "Come on Sammie… Please?"

"No," she said, determined "Don't do that to me."

"Don't do what," he whispered as he rested his rough hands on her delicate face.

"Don't treat me like shit and then expect me to take you back as if nothing happened. I know it's been what, all of two weeks, but, what can I say, I was stupid, and I'm acting stupid now, but… I just thought…"

He cut her off by placing a gentle kiss to her lips, he pulled back, and rested his forehead against hers, "I'm sorry, Sam."

"You're a tool, Donnie," Sam told him as she looked towards the ground, "An absolute tool."

"Sammie," he said, lifting her chin up towards him, "Sammie, look at me… The thought of losing you, 'cause I did something wrong, and the fact that I should have been there when you needed someone kills me, 'cause you're my heart, my soul, my love. I don't want to give you up, Sam."

"Has Lindsay been teaching you the lyrics?" Sam smirked as she slugged him in the arm.

"I was trying to be romantic." Flack laughed, "Sam, for the record, I'm sorry."

"Don, I said I didn't want the flowers and candles. Just the love. It's you I want. And I get that if you can't give it to me, just do us both the favour, and let me…"

The finger he had placed over her lips silenced her, "You sure you're not related to Adam, you have a real tendency to – how should I phrase it- chat shit. I made a rash decision, and I really regret it now, Sammie. At least consider giving me another chance. It don't gotta be now, just whenever. Just think about it. Please?"

He kissed her cheek, and turned, ready to walk away from her, until he felt a small hand wrap around his larger one and pull him back, "You expect me to make an informed decision on a kiss like that, then you're mental. Put some emotion into it, Detective Flack."

Flack smiled as he kissed her lips slowly, before drawing her into his arms, and trying to convince her, through his emotions channelling into the kiss, that he was truly sorry.

She laced her fingers through his jet black hair, and tipped his head back slightly, before wiggling out of his embrace, and shoving her key in the door, "See you tomorrow Donnie,"

He was stood, dumbfounded staring at her, "Sam?"

"Ring my cell three times when you get in, so I know you're safe."

"Sam?"

"Yeah?" she said, as she was about to shut the door.

"We, um, we okay?"

She nodded and smiled at him, "We will be,"

He listened to the door click and a small smile graced his lips as he reached for the I-phone in his pocket.

Lindsay Messer was a lifesaver.

--

* * *

_**Huge thankyou to my loyal reviewers**__**. you guys mean the world to me... **_

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_**Your reviews are much appreciated guys, and they mean alot. So thankyou!!!!**_


	139. Mayhem at Bear Factory

**_A/N: This fluffy chapter goes out to Twinkeyrocks and KTmac09_** **_. I hope you girls feel better. *daisy* And while i'm at it, Megs and BEG75. 'Cause i love them dearly. _**

**_So you all get online Brownies and M&M's for getting that reference last chapter. It was a reference to TPTB's Sam and Flack and how he played the song over the intercom. Two can play the poaching game, folks. _**

******_Side note: (cause it isnt an A/N without me randomly gushing.) DL MADE TV GUIDE FOLKS!!!!! *throws M&M's in celebration* _**

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Danny started as he set his case down, "the ex broke the boyfriend and girlfriend up, and now the boyfriend's wound up dead."

"Save the wiseass comment, Mess." Flack sighed, "I get that it's strangely familiar to what I did the other day, a'ight. I get it."

"Commenting. Is all." Danny smirked, "So, is this not an open and shut case then? One of the girlfriends did it."

"You'd think," Flack snorted, "who's your money on?"

"I'm staying neutral." Danny replied, "I've been hanging around Mac for too many years."

"Save me," Flack smiled through gritted teeth, "Save me, Danny."

"You mean from darlin' Stell?"

Flack nodded, "she's been smiling. She doesn't know me and Sam are back together."

"You are?" Danny asked surprised as he placed his case and shoulder strap over his shoulder, "'cause Sam told Linds it's a work in progress."

"It is," Flack sighed, "I just cant handle saying that I broke us up out loud, so I say that we're back together. I like living in denial apparently."

"You fall to pieces without that girl, Flack. When did you turn into a sap?"

Flack wiggled his eyebrows and flashed Danny the 'Don Flack grin,' and looked at his watch, "I'd say since the eleventh of last month."

"Didn't Sam start on the eleventh?"

"Maybe," Flack grinned as he walked towards the scene, leaving Danny shaking his head and returning the grin. "But, to be honest, who's counting the hours and minutes since she smiled at me in the precinct?" he called over his shoulder

"Donald Flack, you're a sap!" Danny Messer called out to him.

--

* * *

"Samantha!" Lindsay laughed over the noise of the screaming children currently running around _"Bear Factory"_

"I'm sorry Linds, but you can't bring me here, and expect me_ not_ to join in."

"Samantha, how old are you?" Lindsay laughed

Sam held up 3 fingers and smiled proudly.

"Plus how many Sam?"

"Thirty give or take."

Lindsay shook her head as she shifted Amanda further up her hip, "Pick a teddy baby girl."

Amanda chewed her lip contemplatively as she looked at the rows and rows of un-stuffed teddy bears ready and waiting for some unsuspecting family to spend an absolute fortune stuffing said bears and providing them with a whole wardrobe.

"How hard of a decision is it, sweetie?" Lindsay laughed, "Come on baby girl, pick a teddy," Lindsay coaxed as she set her daughter on the floor.

"I still can't get over how adorable she is, Linds." Sam gushed, "She's the most beautiful little girl I've ever seen,"

Lindsay smiled brightly at her friend as she tucked a honey brown shoulder length curl behind her daughter's ear. "She's okay, I think me and Dan are gonna keep her around."

Amanda turned and smiled brightly at her mother as she handed her the teddy that had made the cut.

"Hell no, M&M." Lindsay laughed, "Samantha!"

Sam turned from her position, and laughed heartily. "That's my girl." She praised,

Lindsay rolled her eyes, as she carefully bent down to Amanda's level, "sweetie, you have hello kitty teddies, how about we pick another teddy?" she said as she took the un-stuffed Hello kitty from Amanda's soft grip.

"But mommy," Amanda sniffed, "Me like dis."

"I know sweetie," Lindsay smiled, "but Aunt Sammie has the hello kitty down, and daddy would kill me if I came home after buying you another hello kitty teddy."

"Danny's gonna kick your butt anyway Linds," Samantha smirked as she picked a ballerina tu-tu from a clothing rack, "you took the MasterCard, remember."

"He told me to take Amanda out and have fun, code for max out the credit card baby, wear your seatbelt, and I love you."

"Can you get me that translation book please and thank you?"

Lindsay laughed heartily as she bent down to Amanda's level again to see which bear she had picked out instead. "That's a sweet bear, baby girl."

Amanda nodded in agreement, and held it up proudly for Samantha to see "Look!"

Sam turned and smiled brightly, as she bent down and setting the various outfits she had been picking out on the floor. She picked Amanda up, and sat her sideways on her knee, while balancing herself. "Did you pick that out all by yourself, M&M?"

Amanda nodded,

"That's a sweet teddy, honey," Sam praised, "Shall we go and stuff it while Mommy takes a rest?"

"Sam, I'm good," Lindsay told her, "I'm only like three months pregnant."

"Three months more than what I am," Sam laughed, "Leave my niece and me to have fun, Mommy."

"What do you suggest I do then?" Lindsay chuckled,

"Go get a peppermint hot chocolate."

"How many times, Sam? I'm not understanding the obsession with them."

"You will," Sam declared. "Trust me."

"Sam, I can't just leave Amanda with you… she's a handful, and…"

"And she's my niece, and I adore her, so go away, and let me spoil her rotten."

Lindsay bit her lip in contemplation, "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Sam nodded adamantly, "I have my cell. If you're having withdrawals from your best friend, you know where you can call."

"Ha-ha," Lindsay laughed, as she swatted Sam, "you're hilarious."

"I try," she shrugged dramatically as she passed Amanda over to Lindsay to give her a kiss, and stood up herself.

"Be good, baby girl." Lindsay whispered into Amanda's ear as she smothered her with kisses, "Don't go crazy on Auntie Sam's credit card, okay?"

"Who's saying I'm not gonna go crazy?" Sam asked,

"Who says you're not already crazy?" Lindsay sniggered as she set Amanda on the floor of the store, "You promise this is okay, Sam?"

"One hundred percent," Sam nodded, "Leave me and my niece to buy this place out in peace."

"Well, I'll be mindlessly walking around baby stores in search of clothes and stuff. So call me when you're done and I'll come meet you two."

"Sounds like a plan," Sam grinned as she headed off in the direction that Amanda had toddled off to.

"God give her strength," Lindsay chuckled to herself as she dropped the diaper bag in the stroller, and headed out of the mayhem.

And, oddly enough craving a peppermint hot chocolate.

"Curse you Samantha Ross." She muttered to herself as she made her way towards the Starbucks in the food court of the mall.

She turned back for a second, and let out a sigh.

She missed her baby girl and best friend already.

--

* * *

Danny smiled politely at Stella as he crouched down by the DOA, "How goes it, Stell?"

"It goes," Stella, sighed, "I tried to call Lindsay all weekend, everything okay?"

"Fine," Danny nodded as he bagged some evidence, "she's screening her calls."

"Why, what's the matter? Is everything okay?"

"Nothing," Danny said as he labelled the envelope, "She just gets pissy when somebody tries to break her best friends up,"

"What?" Stella asked taken aback.

"Look, Stella, you wanna fuck with Sam and Flack, go ahead. Got nothing to do with me."

"I'm looking out for him," Stella defended herself, "And, clearly he was on the same wave length as me,"

Danny raised his eyebrows, "Stell, look honestly, it has nothing to do with me. Call me neutral in this mess. Would you go and grab me the ALS, I left it in the navigator,"

"Sure," she nodded as she stood up, and stretched her legs; "I need to speak to Flack anyway"

She made her way out of the suburban house, and headed down the footpath, and smiled as she saw Flack with a phone pressed to his ear.

"You're where?" he laughed down the phone.

Stella halted in her position on the path, wondering who he was on the phone to.

"With M&M? Where's Linds?"

Stella sighed. She had a pretty good idea who he was on the phone to.

"I miss you too, honey." He sighed, "I know, I promise I'm going to make it up to you. You know how much I regret it, don't you? That I didn't mean a thing?"

Oh yeah. Stella thought; Samantha Ross was on the other end of that line. Don Flack only had that tone of voice for one person. And that one person was the pain in Stella's ass.

"For me? What is it babe?"

Stella rolled her eyes. _Honey? Babe_? Where had Don Flack gone? She wondered.

"Well, give me a clue," Flack laughed, "Will it look good on the floor?"

Stella could see Flack's grin from where he stood with his back facing her.

"I'm not a perv, Sam. Keep your panties on… or don't. Kidding. Just kidding."

Stella coughed nosily, attempting to get Flack's attention to someone else's presence,

"Baby, I told you I'm just kidding. Go on, tell me what you really got…"

Stella rolled her eyes as she moved to tap Flack on his shoulder,

"You made a bear?" he laughed "Amanda and Lindsay are bad influences…. Well actually, you tend to be the bad one."

Stella sighed. "Flack?"

Flack turned quickly, and blushed at the sight of Stella, "Sam, baby, I gotta go… I do love you Sammie. You know that right?"

Flack smiled down the phone, "You too baby,"

He quickly slipped his phone back in his pocket, and turned to smile at Stella, "Sorry about that…"

"Sam?" Stella questioned as Flack walked in step with her towards the Navigator.

"Yeah," Flack laughed, "Her and Linds took Amanda to Bear Factory."

"Nice," Stella smiled weakly as she unlocked the doors to the departmental issue, "I thought you two were…"

"We're working on things," Flack told her, "Look, Stella. What you did,"

"Save it," She said, holding her hand up as she grabbed the ALS kit, "I already heard it from Danny, and I'm sorry, I was just…"

"I want to thank you. You made me realise how much Sam means to me. You're a great friend, looking out for me like that Stell."

She cleared her throat as he pecked on the cheek lightly, "You're um, welcome. I just… well, you and Sam mean a lot to me…"

"And you mean a lot to us. We owe you."

Stella smiled, "Like you said, I'm your friend. You don't owe me anything, Don."

Flack shrugged as he wrapped one arm around his friend, "I do though, Stella. I mean had you not made me question my relationship with Sam, I still wouldn't have learnt not to listen to others, and let them fuck things up. So honestly, Stell; I do owe you."

And with that, he took off in front of her, with a smug look on his face. Part of what he said was true. The break up had put things into perspective for him. He was positive he wasn't going to give Samantha Ross up without a fight, no matter how long it took them to get back on track. He was in it for the long run. He loved her. Plain and simple.

He also realised that Stella Bonasera was a piece of work. And he was all for giving as good as he got.

After all, Samantha Ross was a girl worth fighting for.

--

* * *

"Pass the teddy to the nice lady, M&M," Sam coaxed Amanda to hand the un-stuffed teddy bear to the assistant sat at the stuffing machine.

Samantha picked Amanda up from her position on the floor, and effortlessly placed the toddler on her hip before handing the assistant the teddy bear.

"It shouldn't be long if you want to go and pick some clothes out," the girl smiled,

Sam nodded politely, but refused the offer, "We want to see teddy bear getting stuffed, don't we sweetie?"

Amanda nodded excitedly, and placed her head on Samantha's shoulder, bringing a bright smile to the detective's face.

"Your daughter is beautiful," the girl currently stuffing Amanda's teddy bear, gushed. "Honestly, them loose curls she has. Adorable. Does she look like her daddy?"

"She looks like her mommy actually. Spitting image."

"Oh, I'm sorry," the girl apologised, "I just thought…"

"I'm her Auntie." Sam smiled, "don't worry about it. I'd willingly have her as my baby girl. She's an angel."

"She looks it," the girl smiled, "How old is she?"

"God, I should know that," Sam laughed, "Her birthday is in November, so I would say about 16 months."

"She's smart for a 16 month old. I'm sure I heard her talking earlier."

"You did," Sam laughed, "She has insanely smart parents."

"Explains that then," The girl laughed, "she has good dress sense too."

Sam glanced down at the little girl's attire. She had the most cutest denim skirt on, with a pink and brown cowgirl shirt on, with brown tights with matching brown baby Ugg Boots.

"I dressed her," Sam smiled proudly.

"Like hell you did," a voice laughed from behind her.

"Busted," Sam sniggered in Amanda's ear, "Hey Mommy."

Lindsay beamed as she took Amanda who was reaching towards her, "You been good baby girl?"

Amanda nodded, and then looked at Samantha for confirmation.

"She has," Sam nodded, "An Angel."

"As usual," Lindsay laughed, "We stuffing the teddy?"

Amanda nodded.

"Have we named him, honey?" Lindsay asked Amanda as she cuddled her and placed a kiss to her temple.

"Lickle bear," the girl babbled happily,

Lindsay's eyes widened, and her eyes met with an equally shocked Samantha, "Did you tell her to say that?" Lindsay asked

"Not at all," Samantha shook her head adamantly, "I swear to god."

"Swear," Lindsay said as she stuck out a pinky finger.

Sam stuck her pinky finger out, "I swear to god Linds,"

"Well," Lindsay smiled proudly at Amanda, "My baby girl is the most smartest baby in the whole wide world."

"Shame about her mother," Sam sniggered as she took the teddy from the girl that had finished stuffing it

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," Lindsay glared as she walked over to the clothing section,

Sam smirked as she headed off in the same direction, "You love me regardless,"

Lindsay glanced over her shoulder and smiled brightly at her best friend, "I love you regardless, and wouldn't know what to do without you."

"I thought as much," Samantha laughed as she stuck her tongue out at an amused Amanda. She let out a breath as she watched Lindsay lovingly poke Amanda's nose before kissing her and picking an outfit and holding it up in front of 'Lickle bear' that Samantha presumed by that Amanda meant 'Little'.

Sam swallowed as she watched Lindsay chuck both outfits Amanda had been holding into her basket she was juggling, along with the stroller, diaper bag and Amanda.

"Linds," Sam called out to her

"Yeah?" she asked as she glanced over her shoulder.

"Don't ever change," Sam said,

Lindsay cocked her eyebrows and smiled crookedly, "Why?"

"'Cause I said so," Sam smiled. "And cause I love you dearly."

Lindsay smiled and stuck her tongue out at her best friend before turning her attention back to the teddy bear shoes.

Both wondering what they did without the other.

Mindlessly, Sam wandered over to Lindsay and Amanda who were giggling over a fairy outfit.

"What's so funny?" Sam inquired

"Nothing," Lindsay chuckled as she set it back on the shelf, "Me and M&M thought it would be funny if we got Daddy a bear and put this fairy outfit on it."

Sam chuckled at Amanda's excited giggle. "I think we should make Uncle Donnie another one,"

Amanda nodded adamantly. "Donnie!"

"Well, M&M agrees" Sam chuckled, "You in Linds?"

Lindsay laughed, "Well, I was in before you were in, apparently." She handed Amanda to Samantha as she rooted in her basket filled with Bear accessories.

"Christ Linds, Daniel Messer is going to eat you alive."

"Pregnant with his second child." Lindsay said without looking up.

"Point taken," Samantha laughed as she poked Amanda's nose while wiggling the little girl on her hip.

"Found it!" Lindsay said proudly, "Close your eyes,"

"What?"

"Close them," Lindsay repeated

Sam let out a sigh as she complied. "I swear Lindsay."

"Okay, when you open your eyes, think Stella."

"Christ, is this safe for Amanda's eyes. No cleavage?"

"No…" Lindsay laughed, "No cleavage."

"Can I open them?"

"Go for it,"

Sam opened one eye carefully, before shutting it again, and bursting into a fit of laughter, "Are my eyes playing tricks on me Lindsay Messer?"

"Open them and see,"

Sam complied and slowly opened her eyes. "Christ, my eyes aren't failing."

"Can we call it Stella? Please Sam? Please?"

Sam bit her lip as she took the outfit in her free hand. "A devil outfit Linds?"

"She's been the reincarnation this week with her meddling."

"Lindsay. Come on…"

"Fine," Lindsay huffed, "You know I'm right though…"

"Oh no, I know that…" Sam said as she rubbed her best friend's arm in reassurance, "I was being serious, come on… let's go pick out the cheapest bear and fill it and dress it."

Lindsay smiled as she watched Sam and Amanda head off in the direction of the teddy bears and whipped her cell out, and quickly sent a message.

_Hurry up x_

--

* * *

Donald Flack shook his head as he bit into his cookie as he headed down the escalators. It had been a long time since he had actually gone to the mall for anything, never mind out of his own accord – never mind him actually _wanting_ to be there.

But, the things he did for the woman in his life.

He stepped off the escalator, as he shoved the remaining bit of the cookie in his mouth as he approached the store in question.

He glanced in, and his eyes instantly found her. She was smiling brightly, and tickling Amanda's stomach as Lindsay attempted to hold the little girl still.

Flack let out a sigh as he watched the woman quickly becoming the love of his life play and interact with the other girl in his life.

Amanda.

Lindsay glanced up, and winked at him before turning Sam so that her back was to Flack.

He grabbed an already filled regular brown teddy, and darted across to the other side of the store, and grabbed a black Henley's style shirt and a pair of jeans, before ducking behind one of the displays.

He crouched down, and attempted to pull the t-shirt over the teddy's head and the jeans at the same time, while keeping his balance. All in the name of love.

He craned his neck round the side of the display, as smiled as he saw her blow her bangs out of her eyes and smile brightly at Amanda as she kissed the tip of the little girl's nose lightly.

He sighed heavily as he saw her tuck a stray curl behind Amanda's ear as he stood up and moved towards the checkout.

"Good afternoon sir," the sales assistant smiled brightly,

"Hey," Flack muttered as he glanced over his shoulder at Lindsay and Samantha.

"Would you like a wardrobe to go with your bear?"

"No," he said

"Is it a present?"

"No." he answered, "Just ring it up, I don't even need a bag."

"Okay," the perky teenager smiled, "Would you like to purchase one of the special features this week?"

"Special what?" Flack snorted as he looked at Lindsay

"Features," the girl repeated, "We have policeman and fireman teddies."

"I'll take a policeman one." He answered, "Could you make it quick, I'm kinda short on time."

"Sure thing," she smiled "they for yourself?"

"Girl, actually. My girlfriend, that is stood over there," he pointed at Samantha, "and it's a surprise."

"Say no more," the girl smiled as she quietly and efficiently rang the items through the till. "Anniversary?"

"A just because present… Well, a sorry present, actually."

"Got'cha." The girl nodded, "that'll be a hundred and two."

"Christ." Flack muttered as he pulled some cash from his back pocket. "It's a good job I seriously love that girl."

The girl smiled as she quickly counted the cash, placed it in the till. "Hope it works… The sorry present,"

Flack smiled politely as he tucked both bears under his arms, and made his way over towards Samantha, Amanda and Lindsay.

He held a finger up to his lips in attempts to silence Lindsay and Amanda as he slowly placed his hands over Sam's eyes.

"What the hell, Donnie? Is that you I smell?"

"Left or right?" he whispered in her ear.

"Donnie?"

"Left or right."

"Left," she said, "But why?"

He chuckled, "Hold out your hands,"

"What?"

"Hold out your hands babe."

She shook her head as she held her hands out straight in front of her as he covered her eyes with one hand as he placed the bear that had been under his left arm. He then gently moved her hair and kissed her bare shoulder lightly, "Open them."

Her eyes fluttered open and a huge smile radiated from her, "Donnie, it's you!!" She exclaimed

Flack smiled brightly as he turned her around in his embrace, "What do you think?"

"I adore it," she said as she snuggled it to her chest. "Did you make this?"

"Especially for you, babe." Flack smiled as he gave her an Eskimo kiss, "I'm sorry sweetie. Really sorry."

"I know," she nodded sadly, "It just hurts still. You just – you-"

"I made a mistake, and I want to make it up to you," he said as he revealed the second teddy, "It's another me."

Sam smiled brightly as she leant up on her tiptoes to place a kiss on his lips. "I love them."

He laced his fingers through her long brunette locks as he placed a gentle kiss to her lips.

"MOMMY!" Amanda squealed, "MOMMY!"

"What baby?" Lindsay asked, "What, what's the matter?"

"Donnie." Amanda managed, "Sammie!"

"What about them sweetie?"

"Mommy, Daddy. Not Donnie Sammie."

Lindsay laughed as she placed a kiss to Amanda's forehead, "Come on M&M, let's go pay for Little bear. Leave Auntie Sam and Uncle Don to make out in a children store in peace."

"Lickle bear," Amanda corrected with a glare in her eyes.

"Don't look at me in that tone of voice, young lady." Lindsay scolded her daughter, "Mommy didn't know."

Amanda laid her head on Lindsay's shoulder and curled her tiny hand around a lock of Lindsay's shoulder length hair, as Lindsay approached the sales desk, "Love mommy."

"I love you too, baby girl."

"Love Daddy too."

"I know you do, princess," Lindsay smiled as she unloaded the basket onto the counter, "And he loves you…"

"Wots?"

"Lots and lots," Lindsay gushed as she sat Amanda on the counter and rubbed noses with her.

"Where Daddy?"

"He's at work princess." Lindsay told her daughter. "He'll be home later,"

Amanda giggled as she looked over Lindsay's shoulder.

"Baby, what you looking at?" Lindsay asked Amanda.

Amanda shrieked as darkness took over Lindsay.

"Flack, knock it off, I'm balancing Amanda."

"I have her, baby." The voice whispered in her ear as he kissed her neck.

"Danny?"

"The one and only," Danny smirked as he leant forward to place a kiss to Amanda's temple. "So, I presume you got 'max out the credit card' from 'take Amanda out and have fun'?"

"I think I need to get you one of my translators," Lindsay grinned as she set Amanda on her hip, as Danny placed his hand on the small of her back.

"You can max out my credit cards, baby." Danny told her, "Whatever my girls want… I can just work my ass off doing overtime."

"You love us though?" Lindsay smiled up at him,

"With everything I have," Danny declared as he kissed Lindsay and then Amanda. "You're my girls, no matter how badly you two bankrupt me, I'll always love you two."

"You're sappy," Lindsay giggled as she placed a kiss to his unshaven cheek.

"But you love me," Danny grinned as he handed over the credit card to the sales assistant.

"With everything I have," Lindsay declared

* * *

**I think that has to be the longest chapter with Amanda to date, so I hope you liked a in-depth look at baby M&M. lol **

**A huge thankyou to all the readers and reviewers, i love you all! **

**_Extra special thanks to..._ **

**Brown eyed girl 75**

**Twinkeyrocks**

**Vicki-Boo**

**muchmadness**

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**gwen24**

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**Bulletgirl1723**

**_AND A SPECIAL WELCOME BACK TO..._**

**KTmac09 - missed you girl! :)**


	140. Chapter 140

**_Apparently TPTB are playing me at my own game with that INCREDIBLE DL episode. Snow Day? What's Snow Day? it's all about The Triangle, now folks._**

**_Huge thankies to Megs for the prompt for the last section of this chap, and to BEG_** **_for letting me send her bits of the chaps. And their encouragement when i'm slacking in the confidence section :) _**

* * *

Lindsay sighed as she leant over the stroller and mindlessly wheeled it down another aisle of baby clothes and Disney accessories.

"Danny, I'm really hungry," she whined. "Like really, really hungry."

Danny turned from his position stood in front of the princess 'dressing up' dresses with Amanda held tight in his arms, "We'll be two minutes baby, two minutes."

"You said that fifteen minutes ago," she sighed dramatically as she picked up a 'High school musical' figurine, and turned it over in her hands. "Looks nothing like Gabriella," she laughed as she chucked it back onto the display, and reached for her, now cold, peppermint hot chocolate that was sitting in the stroller cup holder.

"Ain't that stuff cold, honey?" Danny chuckled from where he had slung Amanda over his shoulder as she giggled and squirmed as he tickled her.

"Be careful with her, Danny." Lindsay warned him as she set the cup back in the stroller, "Please be careful,"

"I got her," Danny laughed as he reached up and grabbed her from his shoulder where she had been balanced, and cradled her in his arms, and placed a kiss to the tip of her nose. "We play this game all the time,"

"Don't tell me things like that," Lindsay cried as she took a giggling Amanda from her Daddy's arms, and held Amanda effortlessly, on her hip, "it's a good job she doesn't bruise easily, the way you two terrors play."

"She loves playing with her daddy," he declared as he took over the pushing of the stroller while placing the two dressing up dresses he had grabbed from the display and hooked it on the stroller handle. "She loves playing with Daddy as much as Daddy loves spoiling her."

"She has you wrapped around her little finger," Lindsay declared as she picked up a tiny baby grow. "Remember when she used to fit into this?" Lindsay asked as she held it up to Amanda.

"I was convinced I was going to break her," Danny sighed, "she was so tiny."

"She wasn't so tiny when I was giving birth to her," Lindsay snorted, "seemed pretty big then,"

"Too much information, babe." Danny chuckled as he balanced a Minnie Mouse teddy bear on the stroller.

"What you doing with that?" Lindsay inquired.

"I thought we could redecorate M&M's room. Go for a pink Disney theme. Do the kids rooms at the same time,"

"How about we buy the paint first then, baby." Lindsay smiled sweetly as she slowly put the teddy back on the display, "I just spent a fortune on a teddy bear, remember?"

"You did?" Danny snorted, "Think you find that I spent the fortune, dear."

"Since when has _our_ money been _your_ money?"

"I'm just kidding babe," he smiled as he pulled her into his side, "What's mine is yours."

"And what's yours is mine," Lindsay smiled as she leant up to kiss him. "Love you."

"Cheeky," Danny sing-songed as he kissed her temple. "Hows about we pay for the crap and blow this joint."

Lindsay's eyes widened, and Amanda chuckled.

"Blow dis joint."

"Baby; no Daddy didn't say that…" Danny gasped at Amanda before glancing at a glaring Lindsay, "Daddy said…"

"Blow dis joint," Amanda giggled as she tugged on Lindsay's short curls. "Crap."

"Fuck," Danny muttered, "Shit... Linds, I didn't mean."

"Danny," Lindsay breathed, "Just stop, alright. Stop talking now." She sighed heavily before turning to face Amanda, "baby, don't say that word."

"Why?" the little girl asked, while she grinned lopsidedly at her father.

"Because it's not a nice word," Lindsay told her, turning the little girl's face towards her. "Do you hear mommy using it?"

She little girl shook her head no.

"Exactly," Lindsay smiled, "remember, Daddy has a potty mouth, and we ignore bad words, right?"

"Wight." Amanda nodded.

"S'my girl," Lindsay smiled as she placed a kiss to Amanda's forehead before handing her to Danny. "I'm going to the food court. Meet me there,"

Danny glanced at the stroller as he jugged Amanda. "But Linds…." He whined, "I…"

"Love you," she called over her shoulder as she made her way towards the exit.

Sighing Danny looked down at his baby girl looking inquisitively at him, "Looks like it's me and you, kiddo."

"Wall-E." Amanda grinned pointing at the robot in the middle of the store.

Danny chuckled as he set her on the floor, and grabbed her hand, "You only live once right?"

Amanda nodded. "Wight."

"It's Right baby girl, r-ight. Can you say right?"

"Wight"

Danny chuckled as he followed her with his back bent, walking slowly, letting her lead. "Mommy's gonna kill me."

"Mommy wub Daddy."

"Thanks kid," he chuckled as he ruffled her bouncy curls.

She toddled off towards the huge bed of teddies by the television screens currently showing the latest High School Musical video, and stood patiently waiting for her daddy to come and meet her before she dug into the wide selection. Smiling, Danny raised his eyebrows, "Go ahead baby, pick one."

She grinned brightly, and stood up on her tiptoes in a desperate attempt to reach the purple elephant he recognised as Heffalump from the Winnie the Pooh series.

She turned and held the elephant up in the air, with pride in her eyes, and smiled broadly at Danny, indicating that he was the one clearly going home with them.

Sighing, Danny made his way over to his daughter, wondering how on earth he had coped for the past 33 years he had been without her.

Because he was for damn sure he wouldn't be able to live without her or her mother for the rest of his days.

--

* * *

"You didn't have to come down and meet me Donnie," Sam smiled as she bit into her pizza slice and gazed at the two teddy bears taking up a chair in the Food court of the mall.

"I wanted to," He shrugged as he stole a fry from her paper lunch plate, "I missed you."

"And I missed you," she said as she kissed him, leaving marinara sauce, no his clean-shaven cheek.

"Thanks, babe." He sighed dramatically as he grabbed a napkin, "Love you too."

She smiled downwardly at the declaration of love, as he wiped the sauce from his shaven cheek, "So I was thinking," he started, "for dinner tonight, I could cook maybe? We could stay at your place and…"

"Donnie," she said as she dropped her pizza slice onto the paper plate,

"And I could…"

"Donnie," she pressed again, "How long do you have left for your lunch?"

He pulled his sleeve up, and glanced at his watch, "I'd say another 45 minutes. Why? You wanna go somewhere? Do something?"

"Mind out of the gutter," she said as she swatted his arm, "Seriously."

"Babe? There something wrong?"

She shook her head no, and took his hands, "I owe you an explanation."

"For what?"

"I haven't been completely honest…" she started, "About why I left Phoenix."

"Look Sam," he said as he took her hands, "if this has anything to do with what Stella said, so help me god…"

"No… well, yeah… but no." she sighed, "Let me start again… I haven't been completely honest, and I was going to tell you the other day, but…"

"But I broke up with you because I decided to step into the shoes of an asshole for the day,"

"Well yeah, basically," she smirked, before the cheeky smile disappeared, "promise me you wont…"

He placed a finger to her lips before removing the finger and kissing her lightly, "It's you and me Sam,"

"And you won't…?"

"I'm not going anywhere, a'ight?"

She nodded and pushed her tray away from her, "I'm gonna sound really irrational though."

"And what?" Flack laughed, "you're my irrational little girl," he smirked as he leaned over the table and kissed the tip of her nose, "Freckles."

"I'm trying to be serious here, Don."

"Sorry," he feigned serious, as he folded his hands on his lap, "Go ahead,"

"Don," she sighed, "Come on…"

"Sorry," he said as he held his hands up, "I'm being serious now, I swear."

"Moments gone now," Sam, sighed,

"Don't feed me that bullshit," he smirked as he leant over the table, "Come on babe, I know you want to… What's troubling you?"

"Can we go someplace quieter?"

Flack stood up and took her hand as he took the two teddies sat opposite her. "The world is our oyster." He smirked as he pulled her close, "You tell me where, and I'll get you there."

"You're sappy Donald," She smiled as she leant her head on Flack's arm, wishing she could just let the past go.

--

* * *

"Can you see Mommy?" Danny asked his little girl as he pushed the stroller around the food court while balancing his various purchases.

"NOPE!" she squealed as she kicked her legs excitedly against her stroller.

"Knock it off," he spat as he wheeled into the line for McDonalds, figuring he could grab Amanda a happy meal and something small for him before he headed back to work.

"NUGGETS!" Amanda bellowed from her seat. "NUGGETS!"

"I heard you the first time," Danny bent down by the side of the stroller and held Amanda's eye contact, "Scream at me again, and I'm gonna get you carrot sticks instead of fries, kapish?"

She nodded and pouted her lips, hinting that she wanted a kiss.

Rolling his eyes, Danny leaned forward and kissed her lightly, before standing up and reaching for his wallet in his back pocket.

"Shit!" He muttered under his breath as he patted the pockets in his jeans down. He quickly opened the various bags from his purchases and in the diaper bag.

He glanced round quickly, as his heart rate increased, and his eyes met a familiar face, "I'm gonna kick your ass," he glared, "seriously, you nearly gave me a god damn heart attack."

"Don't bend down then, it makes you susceptible to pick pockets."

"You moonlight as Oliver Twist now then, Montana?" he chuckled as he kissed his before snatching the wallet from her light grip, "Seriously, you scared the-"

"I dare you to finish that sentence, Darlin'" she glared at him, "Go on…"

"Fairies outta me," Danny smirked as he moved the stroller up to the counter "Want anything babe?"

She bit her lip in contemplation, "Get me some fries and a McFlurry,"

"I'll come back for your Mcflurry," he told her before turning back to the teenager taking his order.

"I want to dip the fries in the Mcflurry," she whispered in his ear before kissing his neck lightly,

"Lindsay, that's disgusting." Danny spat, "Seriously, fries and ice-cream?"

"Don't knock it till you tried it,"

"Don't intend to." He snorted as he ordered what Lindsay wanted.

"If you loved me, then you would."

"I love you with all my heart, but fries and ice-cream. I'll leave the crazy to you and the baby."

She shrugged and kissed him on the cheek, "You love my crazy cravings."

"I'm looking forward to me running out at 3.30AM for McDonalds and god knows what else. Fries and McFlurrys apparently."

She smiled brightly as she reached for a loose fry on the tray, "Pregnant with your second child," she kindly reminded him.

"Point taken," he laughed as he pulled her into his side and kissed her temple. "How is the baby?"

"He's good."

"He?"

"Or she," Lindsay smiled broadly at him, "just a mommy intuition, and a daddy one too apparently. I mean it seems like you think our baby is a boy too."

"Makes you say that?"

"Little bear is a boy name, Danny."

He rolled his eyes as he grabbed the tray after the teenager had checked four times he had gotten everything in the order and smiled brightly at Danny, telling them to enjoy their meal and to come back soon.

"Every time," Danny muttered under his breath as he balanced the tray while pushing the stroller.

"What you mean?" Lindsay asked as she stole a fry from the tray.

"Would you take the tray, or do you want to watch me drop it. You get some kind of kick from seeing me struggle and juggle with forty two different things?"

"Would you just breathe Danny," she chuckled as she took the tray, and leaned into whisper in his ear, "what crawled up you ass and died, can you not handle your girls and their demands?"

"Ass!" Amanda giggled from the stroller, causing Danny to glare at his wife.

"To be fair I whispered it," Lindsay shrugged, "the kid has awesome hearing."

"Oh, right… I get it," Danny started as he parked the stroller at an empty table, "When I swear it's like hell on earth, yet when you swear, it's all good."

"You'd swear every other word if I'd let you."

"I could retort back with a wisebutt comment, but I shall resist."

"Retort?"

"Word of the day toilet roll," Danny smirked as he set Amanda in a highchair before sitting down himself, "kidding. I swallowed a dictionary."

"You were using the synonyms on word, weren't you, finding a better word for answered back to use in a report, weren't you."

"Maybe," he grinned at her as he unfolded a napkin and laid Amanda's chicken nuggets and fries out for her before giving her a pot of Barbecue sauce. "Seriously Lindsay, the girl is your daughter. She wont even touch ketchup now."

"Have you tasted it? Its way too sweet."

"I'd have thought you would love ketchup," Danny grinned as he dumped his fries in the lid of his burger clamshell, "being as sweet as you are. Two peas in a pod,"

Lindsay threw a fry across the table and chuckled softly, "quite the comedian"

"I do what I can," he smiled as he took her hand across the table.

"Quite the romantic lunch date," she commented, "McDonalds with the messy toddler and the crazy wife dipping fries into an ice-cream in the mall's food court."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," he smirked as he dipped his finger into her ice-cream before poking her nose, leaving it covered in ice-cream.

"You're mean," Lindsay declared, as she desperately tried to lick the cold desert from the tip of her nose until Danny wiped it gently with a napkin.

"You love me," he smiled

"I love you," she nodded as she chucked another fry across the table at him.

-

* * *

She sighed heavily as she shifted in the seat of his Sedan, "I don't know where to start,"

"The beginning tends to be a good starting point,"

"Wisebutt," Sam huffed.

"Just saying, babe." Flack said as he reached for her hand over the console in the car, "I have as much time as you need, alright, don't worry about me getting into shit, just…"

"His name was Zack." She started,

"So it was a guy,"

She nodded, "I loved him with everything I had. Treated me like a princess he did."

"Sounds like a happily ever after," Flack commented,

Sam raised her eyebrows, "You'd have thought… He was my partner, at the crime lab."

Flack nodded.

"And you'd think you'd get to know someone being with them twenty four/seven more or less, right?"

He nodded again.

"Told me he was single. He was 'waiting for his Mrs. Right' as opposed to 'Mrs. Right now'"

"I can vouch to that." Flack sighed heavily, "But go on…"

Sam kicked her Ugg Boots off and set her socked feet on the dashboard, "Started dating him."

"Right…"

"Went out with him for two years."

"Right…"

"And I didn't think it was odd, when I hadn't been to his place. It was just the norm for us to crash at mine. I didn't question it. Didn't want to question it, it was just one of them things. I lived closer to the lab, he liked my place."

"Sammie… was he?"

"Married?" Sam asked, "Yeah," she nodded, "Had two kids and one on the way when I decided to 'surprise him on his day off'. You know when you can feel the carpet being ripped up from underneath you. Or you falling, and not being able to stop it. Or dropping a glass, and seeing it tumble to the floor, but not being able to catch it in time. Yeah. That was me. His daughter answered the door."

"That's tough."

She nodded, "I had gone to tell him I was accepting his marriage proposal."

Flack's eyes widened, "What?"

"Oh yeah," Sam nodded, "Promised me the world. Presented me with this huge diamond, telling me I was his forever. He was his wife's forever too, apparently."

"Sam," he sighed as he traced a finger down her cheek, "Sammie…"

"So, I have trust issues stemming from that. He told me afterwards that he and his wife had been going through a rough patch, and I was a rebound relationship. Funny how she was pregnant when I found out, eh? Couldn't have been that much of a broken family."

Flack bit his lip and stroked her hair, "Sammie, I…"

"Hence why I freaked on you when you said it was a rebound thing…" she turned in her seat, and sat crossed legged, "I trusted you, Donnie, and you broke my heart. You had just mended it, and broke it all over again."

"Sam, I swear, I never…"

"You did though," she nodded with tears rimming her eyes, "I love you Don. I know it seems soon, but when I fall, I fall hard and fast, and I can feel myself putting a barrier up to prevent it."

"Well, I swear I won't do that to you. I don't have enough money behind me to have a wife and kids.... Fall in love with me Sam, just let yourself fall. I'll catch you... you know I will. I made the mistake of letting you go once. I got no intention of doing it again. I know he said this to you, but I see my forever with you Sam, come what may. You've been to my place. You know everything about me that there is to know."

"I still have trust issues though,"

"I'll work through them with you," he promised as he leant over to her and kissed her nose, "Fall for me Sam, fall for me hard and fast and watch me catch you."

A tear slipped from her eye, "I'm scared."

Flack shook his head and placed a kiss to her forehead, "I have you Freckles, alright? You're safe with me; I won't hurt you again. Ever."

"Swear to me Donnie."

Flack smirked and held out his pinky, "Tell anybody I initiated a pinky promise, and I will beat your ass, Samantha, kapish,"

She laughed softly and connected her pinky with his, "your sappy secret is safe with me."

Flack smiled, "Keep my heart safe aswell will you, and don't go breaking it…"

Sam returned his smiled, "You meaning to say I have your heart, Flack?"

"Maybe," he chuckled as he took her hand and kissed it, "be careful with it, Sam."

She nodded, "So if I freak on you sometimes, it's because…"

Flack held his hand up to her mouth, before replacing it with his lips, kissing her lightly.

She sighed into the kiss.

The kiss that promised so much more.

The kiss that indicated the start to their new beginning.

The kiss that connected them, their two pasts slowly flowing out of them, leaving them free and clear.

And ready to fall in love.

--

* * *

Danny sighed heavily as he toed off his shoes and shred his coat on the floor. He chucked his messenger bag to the side by the shoe rack as he leaned over the baby gate to switch the light off in the kitchen that Lindsay had left on for him when he came in.

He was damn near dead on his feet. What had been a double turned into a triple, after they had realized that it wasn't actually the girlfriend that had killed the boyfriend – but the ex. Jealousy did terrible things to people. When the boyfriend had declared his undying love for his new girlfriend, the ex had in a sense, gone mental, and killed him.

It scared the shit out of Flack.

Danny chuckled at his best friends exaggerated reaction, about how he had pissed Stella off, and now, it may be him on the receiving end of some serious jealous-ex-syndrome.

Danny thought it was hilarious if he was honest. He had stood in observation while Stella and Flack battled it out in the interrogation room with the ex girlfriend.

Blinking, he made his way, slowly up the stairs, and headed straight to his little girl's room to kiss her goodnight. Creaking the door open, he tiptoed into her room with his socked feet and stood at the edge of her crib and leant down to kiss her lightly.

She stirred, and her wide, big brown eyes opened, gazing up at him. She blinked, before a huge smile graced her lips and reached up for Danny to pick her up.

"When I want you to wake up, you never do." Danny sighed heavily as he pressed a kissed to her temple. "Why is it when I'm more than exhausted you want a bedtime story?"

She smiled brightly and placed her thumb into her mouth, making Danny pull it back out, "Nah-ah kiddo, don't want you screwing them little teeth up, do we?"

She shook her head and gripped onto Danny's green t-shirt lightly, "Nopes."

"Did you have a good day with Mommy, sweetie?"

The little girl nodded as Danny sat down with her on her ornate dark wood rocking chair, "Played."

"Did you take it easy on her, baby girl?"

Amanda giggled, "Sweepy."

"You made mommy sleepy? That's mean, M&M." Danny smiled as he stuck his tongue out, "Try and go easy on her okay, she's looking after your brother or sister right now."

Amanda's eyes narrowed inquisitively, "Huh?"

"I'd say you're probably too young to understand, but, daddy can't not tell his little girl…"

Amanda's eyes narrowed again, "Huh?"

"Me you, and Mommy are having a baby. How does being a big sister sound?" Danny asked as he rocked them slightly on the huge oversized rocking chair.

Amanda smiled and scrambled from where Danny was holding her on his lap. She stood up, resting each of her feet on one of Danny's legs, and stood up in front of him. "Baby?"

"That's right," Danny smiled, "A baby boy or girl."

Amanda smiled brightly and wrapped her tiny arms around Danny's head and jumping up and down slightly on his legs.

"Hey, hey… careful there little one, I know we have two kids, but it'd be nice to have the chance to have three. Watch what you're doing, 'kay?"

She nodded, and plopped herself back down on Danny's lap with a 'hmpff'

"Do you even know what a baby is, Amanda?" Danny asked as he brushed a curl from her face.

Amanda shook her head no, and arched her body, so that she slid off Danny's lap, and toddled towards the door of her nursery.

"Where you going, sweetie?"

"Mommy," she said as she creaked open the door.

Danny stood up and strode across the room quickly and picked Amanda up, "Sweetie, mommy needs to sleep."

"Me quiet," she promised, "pwease?"

Danny sighed, "I don't want to hear a squeep out of you, alright?"

Amanda nodded and giggled as she tugged on Danny's glasses before attempting to place them on her own face.

"They look a little big, kiddo. Can daddy have his glasses back?"

"No!" Amanda shrieked as she chucked the to the floor.

Danny raised his eyebrows and bent down to pick them up, before placing Amanda on the floor, "Calm down – you hear me… it's way past your bedtime."

She held a finger to her lips and shushed herself as Danny opened the bedroom door. He held it open for Amanda to go through first and his little girl ran excitedly to the side of the bed that her mother was laid on, facing the window overlooking their back garden. Rolling his eyes, Danny folded his glasses and placed them on the bedside table before ridding himself of his light t-shirt and shredding his jeans. He chucked the to the other side of the room and they hit the laundry basket before promptly falling onto the floor. He cursed under his breath as he made a mental note to pick them up in the morning.

"I'm pretty sure I didn't leave you there when I went to bed, baby girl." Lindsay chuckled sleepily. "Did you climb out of your crib, open your door, run across the landing, and open my door just to see Mommy sleep?"

She shook her head no, and attempted to climb up the side of the bed, "Daddy gots me."

"He did?" Lindsay asked, still laid on her side, "I don't believe you… Daddy always comes to see Mommy first."

"Nopes," Amanda shook her head, as Lindsay leant down to pick her up and set her on the bed, "M&M."

"If you say so," Lindsay smiled as she pressed a kiss to the little girl's nose. "Where is daddy?"

Amanda glanced up at Danny who was stood grinning at his side of the bed, now wearing a pair of sweats, she then turned back down to Lindsay and moved to whisper something in Lindsay's ear.

"Behind me?"

Amanda nodded.

"Well, you snuggle up to me, baby girl," Lindsay said, "And me and you can pretend we haven't seen him."

Danny smirked as he threw the covers on his side of the bed back, and climbed into bed, as Amanda shuffled in the space Lindsay had just made for Amanda.

Danny covered himself up, before he shifted across the bed, and laid on his side as he wrapped his arms around Lindsay and placing a kiss to her bare shoulder, "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake her up."

"It's alright. I wasn't really asleep."

"Why, everything okay?" Danny asked as he ruffled Amanda's curls, and squeezed her nose, "is the baby okay?"

"Little bear's fine," Lindsay assured him, "I never really sleep properly when you're on shift."

"Why?" Danny asked, slightly amused.

"It feels weird not having you here with me. I'm used to stealing the covers and you kicking my ass for it. Then snuggling up to you. And when you're on shift, there's no one to snuggle up with."

Danny pressed a kiss to her cheek and laid one hand on her stomach as he snaked his other arm around his girls, keeping Amanda on the bed. "Well, I'm here now, so how about we snuggle?"

"Sounds good," Lindsay smiled as she pressed a kiss to Amanda's head, "Before though, could you move her so that she's more safe, I don't like having her on the edge of the bed."

Danny sighed as he whipped the covers off him once again, and made his way round the bed. He moved the covers off of his little girl, and lifted her up across his chest before leaning over Lindsay and laying Amanda in the middle of the bed. He the made his way back to his side of the bed and climbed in, "Better?"

"Much," Lindsay smiled as she lay on her side, gazing at Amanda's angelic face, "She's a cutie, ain't she."

"Perfect, if you ask me," Danny said as he covered both him and Amanda up, "But I'm her daddy and extremely biased."

He craned his neck up and glanced at Lindsay as the moonlight highlighted her face. She had fallen asleep, with her nose touching Amanda's – almost like she had fallen asleep while giving Amanda an Eskimo kiss. Chuckling to himself, Danny lay down and pressed Amanda into him, before bringing Lindsay in closer to them. He let his arm drape lazily over Lindsay's side and promptly fell asleep himself.

Content and happy, with his family close to his heart. Literally.

He tightened his grip on them, unwilling and unwanting to let either of them go.

--

* * *

**_Huge thankies to all those who read - and especially those who review and give me feedback - i appreciate you all greatly, and you keep me going! *daisy*_**

**_Special thankies to - _**

Brown eyed girl 75

twinkeyrocks

Muchmadness

Vicki-Boo

Raya Dreamer

vikkilynne93

gwen24

IluvPeterPetrelli

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LME

edward-and-bella-forever

Giraf

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aussietasha

jordinajamaica

dantanaforev

Simplelove3663

iheartcsinewyork

**_And an extremely warm welcome to..._**

jagnic233


	141. Chapter 141

Lindsay chuckled as she held Amanda up with her tiny fist clenched, "Go on sweetie, knock on auntie Sammie's door."

Amanda turned to look at Lindsay and smiled brightly, before knocking lightly, and quite pathetically on the door. Swinging the overnight bag Danny had packed for his girls over her shoulder, she knocked more heavily before using one of Sam's many spare keys to let her and Amanda in.

"You are NOT the father," Sam bellowed from the bedroom.

"Screw you, Samantha Ross." Lindsay called out to her as she set Amanda down in her hello kitty onesie Pyjamas. "You're sleeping with someone else behind my back? Screw you. We're through!"

"You bring the goods?" Sam asked as she appeared in the doorway with a tub of Ben and Jerry's cookie dough ice cream in one hand, and a spoon in the other.

"I made Danny stop at the store while I got supplies."

Sam snorted, "And were you wearing that?"

Lindsay glanced down at her attire, "Damn right I was."

"How did you get out of the car? He actually let you out of the SUV with Hello Kitty pyjamas and Ugg Boots?"

"He's used to it," Lindsay giggled as she picked Amanda up and smothered her with kisses. "It's M&M's first proper slumber party."

"And what a way to spend it watching Steve Wilkos and Maury Povich, with mommy and her favourite Auntie."

"It's just a usual crazy Friday night," Lindsay smiled, as she set Amanda on the floor, and grabbed the bags full of junk food from where she had placed them on the floor, and handed some to Sam before heading into the small kitchen.

"Did Danny walk you up?"

"What do you think?" Lindsay laughed,

"What's he doing with himself tonight?" Sam asked as she placed the bags Lindsay had handed her on the floor, and picked Amanda up, placing kisses on her chubby cheeks.

"He has a list of laundry and re-painting the baby's room."

"What colour?" Sam asked as she hooked the bags with her foot, before grabbing them with her free hand, making Amanda shriek with laughter as Samantha effortlessly balanced her on her hip.

"I told him to paint it blue, but he's going with a cream."

"Cream?" Sam snorted, "Is he sixty-five?"

"No," Lindsay snorted, "he's painting it white until we know what sex Little bear is."

"You want to know?" Sam asked,

"He does, I don't. I know it's a boy, but I want to be surprised in the delivery room either way."

Sam nodded, "well, I might have an idea…"

"Go on," Lindsay laughed as she picked Amanda up from her place on the kitchen floor and gave her a potato chip.

"Well, how about Danny finds out, and paints the room – decorates it, gets all the accessories, and locks the room, until little bear's born. That way, the room's done. Danny knows, and you're surprised."

"You know what Samantha Ross," Lindsay declared as she set Amanda on the counter and held her close, "You're a genius, I love that idea."

"I have my moments," she sniggered as she opened her fridge and started filing it up with the various chilled snacks Lindsay had purchased from her trip to Target.

"Where's Flack?" Lindsay asked, "Out with one of the mistresses?"

Sam shrugged, "Think it was the premiere with Jennifer Aniston tonight… Or as it Rachel Bilson? I dunno. I swear though, the man has an obsession with that Rachel girl. He has like a calendar and everything."

"He has a fangirl crush," Lindsay snorted

"She's not even that pretty," Sam huffed as she tied her hair up into a loose ponytail, "I'm a lot more hotter than her,"

Lindsay's eyes narrowed "Sammie?"

"Mhmm?" she smiled

"What the hell is that on your neck?"

Samantha blushed "I fell,"

"Onto Flack's lips?"

"I am not justifying that with an answer." Sam snorted as she picked Amanda up and stalked into the living room.

"Cause you're a hussy," Lindsay chuckled as she placed the various snacks she had bought into Samantha's fridge. "Seriously, Sam. How old are you, sixteen? Giving each other hickeys."

"Not listening," Samantha called from the living room where she sat giggling with Amanda.

"What you two laughing at?" Lindsay enquired as she stood in the doorframe, looking at their giggling bodies on the couch with their backs to her, "Seriously."

They turned, and grinned broadly at Lindsay.

"What in the hell?"

"CHOCOWATE" Amanda giggled as she licked her lips.

"I see it," Lindsay laughed, "I see it all over your face. Or should I say faces?" she chuckled as she looked towards Samantha. "Her, I would expect it from," Lindsay said as she walked into the kitchen to grab a cloth to wipe their faces, "You Samantha."

"Lighten up, we had fun."

"What the hell did you do?" Lindsay asked as she dabbed the wet cloth on Sam's face getting off all the chocolate as her friend smiled broadly at her. "Lick the bowl?"

"Exactly what we did,"

Lindsay glared at Sam, before turning to Amanda and lifting her up "Baby girl, what am I gonna do with you?"

"Sammie!" the little girl giggled as she pointed at Samantha.

"Your partner in crime ratted you out," Lindsay winked at Sam before carrying Amanda into the kitchen.

"Sell out!" Sam yelled through the small apartment, "it was all her idea. She started it,"

"She's one," Lindsay reminded her friend as she stripped Amanda out of her, now chocolate covered Pyjamas and set them on the kitchen counter, "You're thirty three, remember? You're supposed to be slightly more responsible, Samantha."

"I live young."

"And party hard, apparently. Chocolate and Maury on a Friday night, Hell yes!" Lindsay called to her friend, "And recorded Maury at that."

"Not even Sinclair gets in between me and my Maury."

Lindsay rolled her eyes as she gently wiped Amanda's mouth and nose with a cloth removing her smooth skin of the sticky chocolate. "What am I going to do with you, kiddo?"

"MOMMY!" the little girl bellowed. "WUV!"

"No more chocolate, candy or chips for you, baby girl. You're high."

Amanda grinned at her before pursing her lips, indicating she wanted a kiss.

"You and your brother or sister will be the death of me, you know that right?"

Amanda grinned again.

"You, Amanda Messer are your father's daughter. Through and through."

--

* * *

"She asleep?" Sam asked from her position on the couch.

"For now," Lindsay sighed, "she's upset 'cause she wants a kiss from daddy."

"Will Aunt Sammie do?" Samantha asked, as she moved to get up. "Cause I can…"

"Her and Danny have a ritual. He tells her a story about Mommy and Daddy. They have a goodnight snuggle on her rocking chair, and then he kisses her night night."

"Big bad Danny Messer? A softie? Hell has frozen over."

"Press play, Samantha."

"Now?"

"Yes now," Lindsay snorted as she grabbed the ice cream from the coffee table, "What the hell you waitin' for?"

She shrugged and pointed the DVR remote at the TV. "You ready."

"I'm ready," Lindsay laughed as she settled with her feet underneath her, "Which episode is it?"

"The most outrageous ones."

"Oh Sammie, you did good,"

Samantha grinned, "You ready for some laughs, Montana?"

"Bring it," she smirked as she licked her spoon clean.

"You're a dirty girl, Lindsay. No wonder Danny clearly ravishes you."

"What you mean by that?" Lindsay chuckled as she shoved a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth, "Rabishes me?"

"Don't speak with your mouth full, makes no sense when you talk." Sam laughed, "I mean Linds, come on, two kids?"

"Hey, at least I know who my baby daddy is. Unlike some-" she said, eyes raised at the TV screen, "I mean, 62 guys tested – still no baby daddy? That's just wrong. Wrong, I tell you."

"Who am I to judge?" Sam snorted, "I mean, I'm obviously doing something wrong, I mean do you see 62 guys lining up to sleep with me?"

"No, I see one handsome homicide detective though, so you're not doing that bad,"

"True," Sam laughed before shushing Lindsay. "He's gonna say it… he's gonna."

Lindsay grinned as Maury Povich filled Samantha's living room with his voice, "_When it comes to one- month old…"_

"Call it," Sam exclaimed.

"Not," Lindsay laughed. "He isn't."

"_Jeffery, you are NOT the father."_

"You're way too good at that, Lindsay Elizabeth."

"You know my middle name?" Lindsay laughed, "Who you been talking to?"

"Ways and means, girl. Ways and means."

"This looks like a good one," Lindsay commented, while pointing at the screen.

Sam nodded absently mindedly, "Linds, can I ask you something?"

"Anything," she said as she stared contently at the screen.

"Linds, you know when you thought you were pregnant… Well, I have a friend, and she thinks she could be pregnant."

"Aww, really?" Lindsay smiled as she watched the results being read out on the screen in front of them, "That's wonderful."

"She isn't sure though… She called me today, what should – what should she do?"

"Take a test." Lindsay smiled in her friend's direction, "You told her that, right?"

Sam nodded, "She snorted at me as if I had suggested something ridiculous, so I wanted to see what you said."

Lindsay smiled and curled her feet up underneath her, "I'm in the mood for a good ol' session on the SingStar. You game?"

"When am I not?" Sam smirked.

--

* * *

Nick smiled proudly at the huge, mural of Hello Kitty and various Disney princesses taking up residence in a huge Pink Princess castle, which he had painted, free hand, onto Amanda's bedroom door, upon the request of Danny Messer.

It had all stemmed from the paint class Nick had mentioned he had taken at NYU in his first few weeks of being in the city.

Danny had all but demanded that Nick showcased his skills in his daughter's bedroom, and painted somewhere in which he and Lindsay could keep a record of Amanda's height. But, he wanted it different. He didn't want the usual pencil marks in the kitchen. So instead, he practically begged him to come round and take full opportunity of Lindsay and Amanda being at Samantha's for the night for their first official "slumber party".

Nick sighed as he dropped his paintbrush in the drip tray, and smirked as Danny and Flack stood, jaws hitting the floor at the masterpiece on the door.

"Christ Nick," Danny gasped, his voice hardly even a whisper, "that's…"

"Fucking amazing." Flack offered with his jaw agape.

"It's just Hello Kitty and a few Disney princesses, guys. Nothing special."

"It looks like I printed somethin' off the net, blew it up, and stuck it on the door." Danny snorted as he patted Nick on the back, "Don't start with that nothin' special shit,"

Nick smiled, "Okay, so it's kind of awesome."

The three nodded in unison.

"So, what next?" Flack asked mindlessly as he craned his neck in order to see the piece of paper Danny was holding.

"Assemble the bed, guys."

"Rain check," Nick declared. "Seriously, rain check."

"Pull up your big boy pants, Nick." Flack smirked, "come on, you scared of a little DIY?"

"Yes." He admitted. "Give me something to paint, and I'm there. Something to analyse in the lab, sure. Putting a toddler bed together, no thanks. I'll pass."

"Nick, come on. You'd be a lifesaver."

"I remember you using that line when you were asking me to paint the mural on the door for M&M."

"And, you were. But now, Danno needs his life saving again," Flack smirked as he took a sip of his soda. "Come on, what are you, a chicken shit? Suck it up Nicholas."

"Laugh it up, Donnie." Nick teased,

"Ladies, ladies…" Danny sing-songed. "Come on, I wanna get this done. It's a toddler bed – how hard can it be?"

"Danny. It's got a canopy. You bought her a goddamn four-poster toddler bed. To answer your question, it's very hard."

"We're three of the NYPD's finest detectives. How hard can it be, seriously?"

Nick sighed and sat on the dust sheet on the floor, while he grabbed the instructions, "it's gonna be a long night."

--

* * *

Don Flack thought of himself relatively talented in the whole DIY department. He had managed to assemble various things in his time. Beds. Wardrobes. Dining room tables.

However, his talents ended there.

"Hey guys," Nick said as he tossed a metal pole from one side of the room to the other in mock frustration, "How many NYPD detectives does it take to assemble a toddler bed?"

"More than three," Danny spat as he chucked his screwdriver on the floor, "Seriously, what the fuck is this about. They make it so hard that people with Masters cant work it out? What kind of shit is that?"

"Speak for yourself, Mess," Flack glared as he wiped the beads of sweat from his face, "I graduated high school, and that's your lot."

"Regardless," Danny spat as he sat up, "it should NOT be this hard."

"You must really love that little girl," Nick sighed, "Like seriously."

Flack snorted as he lined up two pieces of the bed-frame together, "Did you actually just say that. Danny Messer, love his kid? You bang your head with that pole you keep chucking across the room? Of course he loves that kid."

"Consider yourself told," Danny smirked as he dropped the screwdriver to the floor, "Fuck it. I give up."

"Danny," Nick snorted, "you can't leave the room like this."

"Watch me," Danny said as he made he way across the cluttered room, "Me and Montana will figure it out. She's good at stuff like that. Mrs Fix it."

"Mrs what?" Nick and Flack snorted.

"Mrs. Fix it," Danny explained, "It's one of Amanda's favourite stories. It's from Lindsay's childhood bedtime book."

Flack smiled.

"The little girl skins her knee, the mom cleans her knee up. The brother rips his jeans, and mom fixes it. Just a cutesy little story," Danny shrugged.

Flack sighed and wrapped an arm around Danny, "Well ain't you the sappiest thing in the whole wide world."

"Get fucked," Danny glared at his best friend as he shrugged him off, "It's a cute story. Maybe when you and Sammie have kids you can borrow the book."

Nick snorted.

"And you –" Danny started, "I don't know who you're laughing at. I've caught you, in the break room flirting with the lab's day-care nanny."

Nick's eyes widened, "I –"

"Megan, is it?" Danny smirked as he opened the bedroom door, "I see all, Nick. You can't hide from me."

"We weren't…"

"So you are a we?" Danny pressed, "You holdin' out on us Nick?"

"I don't kiss and tell," Nick muttered as he pushed past Danny and out into the hallway.

"But I bet he has sex and doesn't shut up." Flack smirked as he cocked his eyebrows and headed out into the hallway.

Danny shook his head as he watched his friend's head down the hallway and make their way down the stairs. He turned and looked into the half completed bedroom, and sighed contently.

Amanda was going to love her new and improved bedroom.

He turned the light off, and shut the door slightly, while wondering what his girls were doing right at that moment.

--

* * *

Lindsay giggled as she fell backwards onto the couch, "Who knew SingStar was so invigorating?"

"I did," Sam smirked as she flicked through the various songs, "One more."

"We've sung about ten."

"Sing eleven with me."

Rolling her eyes, Lindsay took the microphone with one hand and grabbed Samantha's other hand as she helped her friend of her squishy couch. "What song?"

Sam pointed the controller at the screen and grinned widely at Lindsay.

"Hell no," Lindsay snorted, "_Play that funky music, white boy_? You've GOT to be kidding me."

"Do I look like a kidder?"

"Scary thing is, I know you're being deadly serious," Lindsay smirked as she held the microphone to her lips, "_Now I was boogie singer_…" Lindsay blushed and sighed heavily, "I swear to god Sam, I'm gonna kill you…"

"_Playing in a rock and roll band,"_ Sam smiled sweetly as she wiggled her eyebrows and wrapped her arm around Lindsay, "You wouldn't spend your Friday nights doing anything different,"

Lindsay shook her head as she cleared her throat, "Wouldn't dream of it."

--

* * *

"Get the combo! The combo Danno!"

"Look, back off," Danny demanded through gritted teeth,

"You need to…"

"LOOK" Danny spat as he paused the game. "Sit the fuck down, or get the fuck out. This is my game and I will play it however I want."

"It's just a game," Nick stated as he crossed his arms over his chest and flumped onto the couch,

"Don't tell me how to play guitar heroes then," Danny told him as he retook his position on the coffee table, where he was perched.

"Danny gets extremely touchy about guitar heroes," Flack explained, "Like starts crying and everything."

"Do not." Danny defended himself, not taking his eyes from the game, "I just do it properly. Get into the game, and all that."

"Can't stand losing or suggestions either."

"Fuck you, Flack, just cause I win, every time."

"So I should think so, you play the guitar, anyway." Flack laughed, "there'd be something wrong otherwise."

"You play?" Nick asked

"Yeah," Danny nodded, "I've taught Linds a song or two in past."

"Past?"

"I haven't played anything since like Amanda was born."

"How come?"

He shrugged, as he completely a combo successfully, "Never had the time; more things to do. More important things to do."

"Why don't you start back up?" Nick suggested, "It's a great hobby to have."

Danny shrugged as he passed the guitar to Flack, "I guess I could, dig it out."

"I think you should," Nick declared.

--

* * *

Lindsay sighed lightly as rest her head on Sam's lap and stretched out down the couch, "You comfy?"

Her friend nodded, "What you wanna talk about?"

Lindsay shrugged, "Haven't done slumber parties since, well, since my friends died."

"Seriously?" Sam asked, "How old were you again?"

"Fifteen." Lindsay said, "Haunted me way up till I met Danny, and even then, it held me back."

Sam let out a breath and smoothed Lindsay's hair, "Honey…"

"It's fine," Lindsay assured her, "Danny helped me through it… Did I ever tell you about when he showed up at the courtroom?"

Sam shook her head no. "In New York?"

"Nooo" Lindsay gasped, and sat up, "Montana."

"Montana?!?" Sam snorted as she curled her feet underneath her, "Seriously?"

Lindsay nodded, "I left for about a month, and he worked himself into the ground. Literally. Mac sent him home, told him to take the day, and by that, Danny got 'go and give Lindsay support'"

"I can see how…" Sam said as she glanced around the room with a smile on her face, "So what… he just walked in?"

"Yep," Lindsay nodded, "Walked in, and smiled at me. His eyes said everything. That he was there and no mattered how hard I pushed, he'd push me back."

"Nothing like a good murder trial that makes you realise your undying love for your soulmate," Sam declared as she pulled Lindsay back down onto her lap, "So are the rumours true?"

"Depends on the rumours you're talking about…"

"Did you really have sex on a pool table?" Sam inquired.

Lindsay smiled broadly and her eyes shone up at her best friend, "Make sure you put a blanket down if you ever try it. Carpet burn's a bitch."

"Holy crap. Lindsay Messer, you're just a little kinky country girl at heart."

"Boom," Lindsay smirked as she chucked some popcorn up at her friend. "Guilty as charged. To be fair though, would you have me any other way?" Lindsay grinned cheekily as she rested her hands on her stomach

"Never in million years" Sam declared as she grabbed some of the popcorn from the bag and chucked it down onto Lindsay, who was still lying in her lap. "Never in a million trillion years."

Lindsay chuckled softly as her eyes blinked slowly, feeling as comfortable as she had in a long time with a friend. "Sam?"

"What?"

"You're gonna stick around, right... You're not gonna..."

"I'm here for good," Sam assured her friend, "For good. Ain't no getting rid of me, Montana."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Lindsay smirked.

--

* * *

"So," Flack sighed as he tapped the wheel, "How goes it?"

"It goes," Nick, responded, "How are you and Samantha?"

"Sammie? We're good. Finally back on track now. I hope we are, at least."

"I heard what Stella did," Nick said as he glanced at Flack, "Bitchy thing what she did, you know,"

Flack shrugged, "Honestly, I think I can see where she was coming from. Don't get me wrong; I'm pissed to the high heavens at what she did. But… Had she not fucked with Sam and me it would have meant we were still hiding shit from one another. Like she opened up to me the other day, and I guess I have Stella to thank for kicking her ass,"

"No, you have yourself to thank," Nick told his friend, "You were the one that made Sam feel as though she could trust you, not Stella. Sam didn't have to tell you. But she did. S'all you Flack. All you."

Smiling widely at him, he patted Nick's arm, and sighed, "I hope to god you're right."

"I always am," Nick, declared, before hesitating slightly, "I hope there's…"

"You hope what?" Flack pressed

"I hope there are no hard feelings between me and you, considering what happened between me and Sam when she first started."

"Ain't any hard feelings here, Nick. Why would there be? I mean, she isn't mine… She had a life before me, and you were in it. Big deal, it's me now. And I'm fine with that."

"I just wanted to make sure…"

"Nick… relax, okay… But, for what it's worth, I appreciate your concern, but honestly, me and you – we're tight."

Nick nodded and sat back in the passenger's seat, as a warm bubbling feeling flowed through his veins.

New York was home.

--

* * *

Flack shoved his key in the lock, and silently pushed into the apartment, and switched the hallway lights on. He glanced around at the absolute mess that graced the apartment he was increasingly calling home.

"Sam?" he half whispered through the apartment, over conscious that his goddaughter was probably sleeping soundly in the spare bedroom. "Samantha?"

He moved so that Nick could follow him into the apartment, and the pair kicked off their shoes as Nick quietly closed the door behind him. "Maybe they're asleep."

"Eleven thirty? On a Friday night. Some slumber party that is." Flack snorted as he made his way through the small, dimly lit hallway, leading to the living room.

He smiled warmly at the sight of Lindsay curled up on Sam's lap, clutching a pillow to her chest, covered slightly by Sam's huge blanket she kept on the couch. His eyes then trailed across to Sam, who had her head currently resting on the side of the couch, long eyelashes lightly tickling her flushed and rosy cheeks.

"it's freaking warm in here," Nick whispered as he moved further into the living room, "Like really warm."

"Sam's obsessed with the heating. The girl's always cold." Flack explained as he crouched down in front of the couch.

"What you doing?"

"Carrying them to bed. Why what does it look like?"

"Both of them?" Nick laughed, "Want some help?"

"Sure," Flack snorted sarcastically, "Can you get Linds? I'll grab Sam. Put them in Sam's bed. Won't know the difference."

Nick nodded as he bent down to pick Lindsay up. His arms etched forwards, before he stood upright, "it's weird."

"What is?" Flack asked as he moved a piece of hair that was in Samantha's face behind her ear.

"Picking Lindsay up, carrying her like that. It's weird. She's Danny's wife."

"And what?" Flack asked as he pressed a kiss to Sam's forehead. "Pick her up. But be careful. She's got little bear in there."

Nodding, Nick bent down again, and wrapped his arms around Lindsay picking her up, and holding her across his chest. She stirred slightly, but didn't wake, and instantly wrapped her arms around Nicks' neck.

"See, she doesn't know the difference." Flack said as he gently picked Samantha up, and held her close.

"Yeah, but I do," Nick muttered as he gazed down at a sleeping Lindsay. Her features were soft and delicate in the low lighting of the room. Her face flawless, despite her lack of make-up; which didn't even surprise Nick as she usually wore minimal make-up anyway.

He shook his head slightly as Lindsay snuggled her head into the crook of Nick's neck as he made his way through the small apartment.

"Danny, what time is it?"

Nick's eyes widened, but answered anyway, "It's late sweetie. Go back to sleep."

She nodded and pressed a kiss to his jaw, "I love you, Danny."

Nick swallowed heavily as he pulled the covers back on Samantha's bed and set Lindsay down. He covered her quickly, and smoothed her hair, as he brushed a strand of hair that was out of place behind her ear.

"Danny?"

Nick coughed and glanced up at Flack who was placing Sam down in the bed next to Lindsay on the other said. "What hun?" Flack answered as he covered Sam up.

"You never answered me," Lindsay complained sleepily into her pillow that she was laid on sideways, "Don't you love me?"

"With all my heart, sweetie." Flack answered, humouring her as he pressed a kiss to Sam's temple. "Go to sleep, you're tired."

Flack moved to the other side of the bedroom and switched off the bedside lamp, and chuckled at the two women, currently snuggled in Samantha's bed.

"You have to love them two, right?" He grinned as he headed out of the bedroom, leaving Nick in the room.

He nodded in response, wondering why on hell he wished Lindsay had telling him she loved him.

He shut the bedroom door, and let out a sigh. He was in the shit.

Well and truely.

--

* * *

**_Huge, Huge, HUGE thankies to all my fab reviewers! You all mean the world to me! _**

**_Special thankies to...._**

Brown Eyed Girl 75

twinkeyrocks

muchmadness

Dani Hope

afrozenheart412

LME

Bulletgirl1723

gwen24

Simplelove3663

aussietasha

Baby Jefer

SkyBlueSw

iheartcsinewyork

JavaJunkie4evr

edward-and-bella-forever

Giraf

jumira-wings

dantanaforev

MeredithandDerekfanforever


	142. Chapter 142

**_A/N: I have the distanct feeling that after you all have read this chapter, it may possibly be pitchforkes at dawn ;) Give it chance, folks. _**

**_And, as usual, we have the Laurzz-take on the episode of the week. lol. _**

* * *

"Hey you,"

"Hey," Lindsay smiled brightly from her position at her desk, "How was last night? You have fun?"

Danny sighed and shrugged, "Amanda's room is a bomb site."

"Amanda's?" Lindsay spluttered, "What the hell were you doing in Amanda's room? And why is it a bomb site?"

"Me, Nick and Flack might have decided to, erm, redecorate."

Lindsay clasped a hand to her forehead, "You what?"

"Redecorated," Danny whispered as he sat behind his desk and opened a case-file in front of his face, "Please don't kill me."

"Kill you," Lindsay snorted, "I wont kill you," she said as she leaned across the desks and pushed the case file down onto the desk, "I just thought you were decorating little bear's room."

"We were, but then Nick started talking about – well, I'd prefer to show you, actually."

"Well in that case, I got something to tell you." Lindsay grinned

"Oh yeah?"

She nodded, "Guess who kicked this morning."

"Sam kicked you, what the hell was she thinking?"

Lindsay grabbed the case-file sat on her desk, leant forward and swatted Danny over the head with it, "The baby kicked, moron."

"The baby?" Danny asked as he absent-mindedly rubbed his head, "Our baby kicked?"

She nodded proudly and stood up, and moved towards the couch in their office, "it was like butterflies,"

"I can't believe I wasn't there," he sighed as he stood up, and moved over to the couch to join her.

"It was just for a second, Danny." She assured him, "You know you wouldn't miss anything major. I'd call you or find you, day and night."

Danny smiled as he laid a hand on his wife's stomach, "Where am I supposed to be putting my hand?" he asked.

"Here," she said as she took his hand in hers, and placed it on her stomach, "it's stopped now," she said in a mere whisper, with her hand still placed on top of his.

"Wait," Danny said as she moved to get up, "Wait a second. Just let me try something."

"What?" Lindsay asked as she sat back, "Try your super magic Danny powers?"

"It worked with Amanda, remember, that time… You thought you felt her kick, then as soon as I touched your stomach,"

"It was like she turned into a damn freaking soccer player."

"My kids know my touch," Danny smirked as he pressed a kiss to Lindsay's temple. "God Linds, I love you."

"I…" Lindsay's eyes widened, "Did you feel that? The baby…" she gushed, "the baby…"

"I felt it," Danny said as he placed his other free hand on top of Lindsay's. "I felt the baby kick."

They both glanced down at her stomach and smiled widely, tears forming in both their eyes.

"We need to reschedule the appointment, Linds," Danny said as he cleared his throat, "we need to have the scan and everything."

"I was working though," Lindsay reminded him. "I will do it today, top of my to-do list. After solving crimes and ridding the city of it's hardened criminals."

Danny chuckled as he kissed her cheek, and then leaned down and kissed her round belly, "I love you two, you know that right?"

She nodded and smiled brightly, "And us three love you too."

"Amanda's a given," Danny smirked as the shrill ringing of his cell phone broke their moment in their shared office.

Lindsay sighed heavily, as she rubbed her belly, gazing contently at Danny hold a conversation with, who she presumed was Flack on the phone.

"I gotta go baby," Danny said as he clipped his cell to his buckle, "Got a scene."

She smiled and nodded, "I see, Flack's stood by the elevator."

Danny glanced up, nodded at his friend, and then kissed Lindsay's forehead "I'll come grab you for lunch, or a late lunch, whatever. Just don't go crazy on the McFlurries and fries in the meantime, alright?"

She grinned cheekily and stuck her tongue out, "Donuts this week, honey."

"Kids' gonna be fat." Danny said shaking his head as he left their office. "You're gonna make my kid fat."

She chuckled softly, as she watched him walk away, counting each and every step he took.

He turned suddenly and blew her a kiss as he and Flack walked into the elevator.

Lindsay smiled and placed in her pocket playfully.

"I'll save that for later."

--

* * *

Mac held his head in his hands as he hung up the phone. Knowing that what he was about to do was surely going to kill her.

He took a deep breath before he grabbed his gun from his desk drawer. He stood up, and whipped his suit jacket from his hook in his office and set off towards the precinct.

Before he launched the attack, he needed the cavalry.

* * *

Sam stared on in disbelief, "What?"

"We need to get there, ASAP, Sam."

"Where's Lindsay." Sam gasped, "Does she know, is she okay?"

Mac bit his lip, "I haven't been to tell her yet,"

"Mac, with all due respect. What were you thinking?!" she bellowed, "What the actual fuck!? Her husband has been taken hostage with his best friend and you're sat here fucking talking to me, that's her husband, Mac! The father to her children,"

"I know, I need you Sam. I need you to be there when I tell her. You're her best friend. Her support system. You're going to know how to cope with her. She's going to be hysterical, and it's going to break my heart. She means the world to me… they both do."

Sam stood up, ripped her drawer open and strapped her gun into her holster. "Well," she said, looking at Mac, "What you waiting for?"

Mac stood up as the two raced through the busy precinct, with each step, him realising how very terrified he was of breaking the news to his adoptive granddaughter's mother.

--

* * *

Tears rimmed her eyes as she exhaled and inhaled deeply. Feeling the need to get more oxygen, but being incapable. "What?" she asked, licking her lips trying to focus her mind on something other then the tears desperately wanting to fall,

"We think there is a hostage situation," Mac repeated.

Lindsay closed her eyes and shook her head, "No… But Sam…"

"I'm sorry, Lindsay." Mac interrupted, "We have to get up there, EMS and SWAT were being dispatched as I got the notification."

"How?" she asked breathlessly, "Is he okay?"

"Details are sketchy right now, sweetie," Sam soothed as she pulled Lindsay close, and let her friend rest her head on her own shoulder. "As far as we know, they're both okay."

"Both? What?" she cried, as she sat up quickly and took her head off Sam's shoulder, "What do you mean, both? Who else is there?"

Sam cleared her throat, "Danny's there honey, it's Danny and Flack."

She shook her head, and placed a hand over her stomach, "No… no… no… This isn't happening."

Mac shook his head, and stood up, "Lindsay, come on… we're going to head to the crime scene."

"No," she sobbed, clutching onto Sam's shirt, "No. Not Danny, not my Danny. Not again. Not another hostage situation. Mac, you saw what happened last time. They beat him and Adam to a pulp. I can't take that again."

"Linds, come on sweetie." Sam smiled through her own fright, "As far as we know, it could be nothing."

Lindsay shook her head, "You wouldn't be telling me if you weren't sure whether or not. It's something major… it's somebody… somebody one of them pissed off. I can see it in your eyes Mac," Lindsay told him as she straightened herself up on the couch, and wiped her tears away. "Tell me the truth."

"It's Henry Darius."

Lindsay's eyes widened and she let out a sob, "But… Danny and Flack"

"I know," Mac nodded solemnly, "It's me he has the gripe with. Not them."

Sam let out a gasp, "So…" she exhaled, "This is to get to you, Mac?"

He nodded, "I'm so sorry, Lindsay,"

Lindsay bit her lip as she stood up off the couch and went to grab her jacket, "There's no way in hell Henry Darius is taking my husband away from me and my kids." And with that, she stormed out, leaving Sam and Mac astounded.

"That's why I love Lindsay Messer," Sam declared as she headed out into the busy, buzzing hallway after her, Mac hot on her heels, "Her determination for justice and the love for her family."

"Two of her many, many traits that I love about her," Mac declared as he walked ahead of Sam. "And if something happens to either of them, Henry Darius will have me to deal with."

--

* * *

_He said he'd never leave me. He said he wasn't going anywhere. _Lindsay thought to herself as she stared out of the tinted SUV window being driven by Mac, with Samantha sat in the back, biting her nails.

_I need to tell her to stop that. _She thought, making a mental note before realising where she was, and where she was going.

_Danny. _

She couldn't understand why. Why her Danny? Why did it have to be her and Sammie's boys? Why Danny and Flack?

"_I'm not going anywhere baby. Just know that everything I do, I give my heart and soul, and I love you with everything I have. I'm never gonna leave you. I promise."_

She replayed his words over and over again in her head. _I'm never going to leave, you… I promise._

And he had. He had pinky sworn her. And he couldn't break a pinky swear.

He had said not even a month ago, that he was going to have words with the big guy upstairs, and see what he could do about making forever a long, long time.

She shook her head, and blinked back the constant tears that were always threatening to fall.

She was talking as if he was dead.

He wasn't.

He was still very much alive. There. At the warehouse. Sat. waiting for the team. For Mac.

He was waiting for her to come and get him. And she would, through hell and high water.

She wasn't giving up without a fight.

--

* * *

"Wrong answer," Darius spat as he let the AK-47 he had gripped in his hands, connect with Flack's already bloodied cheek.

"You're fucking hurtin' him," Danny bellowed as he held his hand to his chest,

"I'll get to you," he spat, "I asked you, if Mac Taylor had been notified,"

"And I told you I didn't know," Flack replied as he spat blood from his mouth, "you want me the pull the answer outta my ass, if I don't know… I don't know."

"Danny," Henry Darius smirked as he turned from where he stood, towering over Flack and his own bruised bodies, "How's your hand,"

"Like you give a shit," he snorted as he shifted in his position, "Spare me the small talk, a'ight. You want Mac's number; you can have Mac's number. Got a pen?"

"I like funny people," Darius laughed, "in small doses." He quickly added, "don't test my patience,"

Danny opened his mouth, and closed it instantly.

He had to knock the wisebutt attitude off.

_Wisebutt._

_Amanda. _

_Lindsay. _

_Little bear._

He bit his lip in fear of tears rolling freely down his face. Would Lindsay know by now? Was she okay? Where was Amanda?

He closed his eyes and let a single tear run down his own bloodied face.

He opened his eyes. And realised Darius had disappeared again. Now, Danny's eyes filled with determination.

Through hell and high water, he was going to go home with Lindsay, Amanda and little bear tonight.

Because he sure as hell wasn't giving up without a fight.

He ripped his badge off his belt loop, like he had done years previous, and set to re-setting his fingers.

Thank god it was his other hand this time.

He glanced over to Flack and let out a breath before he shoved his holder in his mouth and bit down. Repeating the familiar process, he bit down through the pain of his fingers being reset, and he, like before, spat out the black holder, and wrapped the material he had previously ripped from his shirt around his fingers to keep them in place.

"What we gonna do?" Flack asked as she pushed himself further up the wall

"What we always do," Danny said, determination in his voice, "screw the bastard to the wall,"

"But Dan… I don't think…"

"Your girl is out there, Flack. Samantha is stood out there. You know she is. Are you telling me you don't wanna fight this. You don't wanna get out there and hold her? Tell her you love her? Make sure she knows that this is it for you… You and her, she's your forever type of thing?"

Despite his blinding pain in his ribs, he took a deep breath, and closed his eyes at his best friends' words of wisdom. "You got a plan?"

Danny bit his lip, "Not yet,"

--

* * *

"I can't deal with sitting in silence," Lindsay declared as she reached forwards and switched the radio on. She started flicking through the various radio stations.

_And the bed where you lie is made up on your side. When you walk away, I count the steps that you take; do you see how much I need you right now? _

Lindsay took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"_When you walk away Linds, I count the steps that you take."_

Tears plummeted down her face. She hadn't made the connection that night where he had quoted the song.

Hell, she didn't even realise he knew who Avril Lavigne was, never mind be able to quote a song of hers.

She sniffed noisly, as she turned and rested her head against the seat back as Mac glanced towards her, before making his eyes lock with the traffic ahead.

He placed a hand on her knee and squeezed it lightly, "he'll be okay… You know that, right?"

She nodded silently, as she closed her eyes, taking in the lyrics to the song.

_When you walk away, I count the steps that you take. Do you see how much I need you right now?_

She absent-mindedly placed a hand to her stomach, and sniffed. She had done it that morning. After they had felt their child kick, she had counted the steps he had taken as he moved away from her after kissing her goodbye, and telling her he would come by and grab her for a late lunch.

It had been sixteen steps. It had taken sixteen large strides to catch up with Flack at the elevator. He waved, just before he stepped in, and blew her a kiss. She took a deep breath as she tried to regain some of her composure, and had the overwhelming urge to reach into her pocket, and get out the kiss she had 'saved for later'. She needed him. She needed the voice that told her that everything was going to be okay. It was all well and good Mac saying it was gonna be okay. And Sammie whispering reassurances from the back seat, but, they weren't Danny.

Neither of them were her cowboy. Her Danny. Her life. Her world.

"I miss him," she sniffed tears cascading down her cheeks, "He has to be okay,"

"He will," Mac assured her.

"He wont do anything stupid, will he?"

"I don't think so, Lindsay." Mac told her, "he's a different Danny now, and he wouldn't do anything that meant he had to leave you."

"He knows I need him, doesn't he?"

"Absolutely," Mac nodded, as he took hold of Lindsay's trembling hand, "I have you Lindsay, until Danny gets back, I've got you. I'm not going to let anything happen to Danny's baby girl. I have you, alright? Just let it out."

Sam closed her eyes and bit her lip, in a desperate attempt to stop the tears from falling at the mere sounds of her best friend, clutching onto Mac Taylor's hand, sobbing at the prospect of losing Danny. From what Mac had told her, Darius was a cold-blooded killer. Full of contempt. No guilt. No sorrow. Hell bent on revenge.

Hence Lindsay's clear terror for her husband and best friend.

Sam's attempts to compose herself were in vain. Nothing worked. Tears cascaded down her own cheek.

_When you're gone… the pieces of my heart are missing you. When you're gone… the face I came to know is missing too. When you're gone… the words I need to hear, that will get me through the day, and make everything okay…_

And that she would get the chance to tell him that she too, was sorry for everything that had gone down recently. And that she wasn't mad with him for what happened with Stella.

She sat back, and let the tears fall, all the while hoping and praying that her Donnie was okay.

--

* * *

"You're fuckin' hurtin' him!" Danny bellowed, "can't you see that, can you not see the fuckin' blood, need to borrow my glasses or somethin'?"

"I need you to shut up," Darius said coolly as he turned from where he had been stood, "Unless you fancy taking a beating, give Detective Flack a rest,"

"Bring it," Danny challenged, "Fuckin' bring it. But let me tell you. You didn't screw my good hand up, and I pack a punch, so you and me. Outside."

"I don't think so," Darius told him, as he shoved a bruised and battered Flack against the wall, and walked away.

Danny glared at the man walking away from them, before looking at Flack, "Don, you okay?"

"Fine," he told him as he spat some blood out, "I've been blown to pieces. Cracked ribs are nothing."

Danny let out a small chuckle, before biting his lip. "What'cha thinking about?"

Flack shrugged, "What do I always think about?"

Danny smiled "Samantha Ross."

He nodded, "I don't think I've told her how much she means to me, you know… I mean I've hinted it. But never said how much she means to me, especially after I screwed up after that Stella thing."

"Buddy, even I'm questioning whether I've told Lindsay I love her enough times."

Flack snorted, and then winced in pain. "Don't suppose you have some children's Tylenol in your back pocket I could have."

Danny let out a small chuckle, "Sorry Flack, left the diaper bag at home."

"Worth a try," he shrugged, "What you thinking about?"

"Montana," Danny said instantly, "M&M."

"Little bear?" Flack asked

Danny nodded, "Currently going through my mind is how she's gonna deal with the kids."

"You're a moron," Flack declared, "we're getting out of here alive, Danno."

"I don't know, Flack." Danny admitted, "You saw what he did to them nurses in midtown, and then the Endicott's. He's capable of anything."

"Yeah well, we've survived Bomb blasts, beatings and broken bones."

"Not exactly the same thing," Danny snorted, "Don't think even you would survive a bullet to the back of your head,"

"Hey, I'm a modern marvel," Flack smirked, before turning serious, "We need to get out of here, Danny."

"I know, Flack… I know."

--

* * *

Mac screeched into the warehouse precinct, and swiftly, put the car into park, and removed his seatbelt, all the while his hand not leaving Lindsay's trembling hand.

Sam silently got herself out from the SUV and adjusted her Kevlar as she made her way over to the commotion outside the warehouse where ESU and SWAT had set up temporary positions.

"Lindsay, are you ready?"

She took a deep breath, "I'm not sure… I want to be strong for Sam, Mac. She's got someone in there aswell, and so far, I haven't offered her any support."

"We all deal in different ways, Lindsay." Mac told her, "She knows you're just as worried about Flack. And she's just as worried as Danny."

Lindsay nodded and looked towards the masses of people, "the next time I get in this SUV I might not have a husband,"

"You will," Mac told her, "You'll always have Danny."

She shook her head, "He dies Mac, and I have nothing."

"You don't have to talk like that. Danny is very much alive, and I'm sure he's kicking and screaming, giving that sonofabitch, hell. And you do have something. You have Amanda, and you have that baby growing inside of you. I know you're hurting Lindsay, but nothings happened. You still have Danny."

She nodded and silently unclipped her seatbelt, and removed herself from the SUV.

He let out a breath as he watched Lindsay Messer walk away from the SUV arms folded across her chest – a physical attempt at keeping her emotions in.

A desperate attempt at keeping any composure.

And for the first time in a long time, Mac Taylor felt a tear cascade down his cheek.

--

* * *

She let out a breath as she moved up by the side of her best friend, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, before turning her and pulling her into a tight hug,

"I'm sorry, Sammie," she whispered, "I've been selfish, Flack is in there aswell, and you've had to stay strong for me."

Sam wrapped her arms around Lindsay good and tight, "That's your husband, Linds. The father to your babies. I would be selfish crying over Don. When you're worrying about… well…"

Lindsay shook her head as she kissed Sam's cheek. "Not at all. You love him. Doesn't matter how long you've been with him, at the end of the day love is love."

Sam nodded as a tear fell from her eye. "It's just… I'm a little…"

"You're wanting to tell me something," Lindsay told her as her eyes narrowed, "There's something you need to tell me, isn't there?"

Samantha nodded, "desperately."

"Come on," Lindsay told her taking her hand,

--

* * *

Flack let out a deep breath, despite the pain.

If he got to see her, there was a light at the end of this painful tunnel.

He glanced at his best friend, who was also, clearly deep in thought, staring at a crumpled Family Portrait he had pulled from his wallet. Tears had been falling freely previously, until he wiped his eyes. Flack's heart skipped a beat when he saw his best friend trace his wife's bright smile as she sat on his lap, holding their daughter.

It broke his heart was what it did. Danny Messer should not be sat there wondering whether he was going to see his wife and daughter again. Flack thought. Hell, he shouldn't be even thinking that he wouldn't see his unborn child.

Flack took another deep breath. _Samantha Ross_.

He actually found himself smiling at the thought of the girl in his life. His Sammie. His girlfriend.

_Girlfriend. _

He inhaled and he could have sworn he could smell her Nina Ricci perfume all around him. He had told her how much he loved the smell, and she had proceeded to spray his pillow that night with three damn quarters of the bottle.

Initially he had been mortified.

The room had stunk.

He would even go as far as being pissed at her for doing such a thing. Wasting damn perfume and making his pillow stink.

But he would give up anything in the world just to have that pillow right now. Holding onto it tight, smelling her scent.

It was comforting. It was her. He had never considered himself a sap. Didn't appeal to him. A woman was a woman. Nothing special.

That day Scagnetti told him to prepare himself was the day that theory was proved wrong.

Sammie was, well… Sammie. And she had quickly become his everything.

He took a deep breath and rubbed his arm absent-mindedly, remembering where she had wrapped herself around said arm that morning, trying to keep him in bed, begging for an extra five minutes sleep with her teddy bear.

He had chuckled, bent down and physically pulled her up out of bed, and chucked her over his shoulder. All the while her uplifting bright giggle filling the bedroom and small bathroom as they showered together.

He carefully ran his battered hands over his bruised face, and for a moment touched his bloody lips.

_Sam would kiss away the pain_, he thought. _She'd try to make it better._

He considered for a second how amazing her kisses were. How he was more than happy to just lie with her and kiss her, for hours on end. Just her and him, lost in their own little world. Her giggles interrupting them from time to time. But, if he was quite honest, he had quickly grown to love her childlike features.

The giggling. The incessant whining. Her height.

He smiled at the thought of her five two, compared with his six two. He towered over her.

But, he wouldn't have her any other way.

He took another deep breath as he winced in pain.

_I wonder what she's doing_, he considered to himself. Would she be worried? Was she really outside, like Danny had said? Was she with Lindsay?

He hoped she was with Lindsay. They would be blubbering messes if he knew Lindsay and Samantha, but at least they were together.

He licked his lip trying to rid himself of the copper taste that was constantly there.

He closed his eyes and considered all the times he wished he had just opened up to her and told how he felt about her.

How he was quickly falling madly and deeply in love with her.

_When I get out, _he thought to himself, _the first thing I say to her is I love you. _

He wasn't about to beat around the bush any longer.

No more holding back.

--

* * *

"Ahh, Detective Mac, long time no speak…"

"What do you want Darius, come on… what is it?"

"One simple demand."

"Fine, whatever it is, it's done."

"Okay. I want you to pick which detective you want me to release."

"What?" Mac spat down the phone that had been connected to the cell phone Darius had been issued with upon request of contact with a Mac Taylor.

"You heard me, which detective do you want released?"

"Can I have both, and you take me instead?"

"Noble," Henry Darius told him, "That's very noble, but… no… One of them is coming with me to rot in hell."

"I screwed you over," Mac reminded him, "Take me with you."

"Me taking one of them would affect you more…" Darius reminded him, "Me taking you, everyone would move on with their lives. Me taking someone because of you… that would be forever over your head, so… make your decision."

Mac turned and glanced at Lindsay and Samantha speaking. Lindsay drew Samantha into a hug and kissed her slightly tousled hair. He turned back and took a deep breath, "Why do I have to pick?"

"Because… Now, do you wish to save your injured homicide detective that needs medical attention,"

"Flack's injured?" Mac bellowed down the phone,

"Or," Darius continued, "Do you wish to save the father to your adoptive grandchildren."

Mac bit his lip in contemplation.

Knowing that he was well and truly up shit creek without a paddle.

--

* * *

"Sammie," Lindsay gasped as she pulled her into an embrace, "Sweetie."

Sam wrapped her arms around Lindsay, "I'm so scared Lindsay, I'm not ready for this."

"Sam, you don't know whether or not you're pregnant or not, we can take a test."

"I know, but I'm convinced Lindsay."

"I was convinced before Sam, and I wasn't. You mind and body can play cruel tricks on you, once you get it into your head, it's a done deal."

"What if he dies," Sam whispered into her best friend's hair. "What if he dies and the only connection I have to him is his baby, that he didn't even know existed?"

"You don't know whether you're pregnant Sam," Lindsay reminded her. "And Danny and Don are getting out of there. You know why?"

"Why?"

"Because we will kick their asses otherwise," Lindsay smiled weakly with watery tears, "Was you trying to tell me last night?"

Sam nodded.

"Honey," Lindsay sighed as she drew her into a hug, "Why didn't you just come straight out and tell me? We could have run to the store and got one, Amanda would have been fine in the car ride. She sleeps through anything."

"I'm scared," Sam sniffed as she wiped away a tear, "I guess I wanted to see what reaction you would have… Make sure I had Mommy Lindsay approval." She giggled lightly,

"You always have my approval." Lindsay told her, and drew her into a hug.

"_Flack's injured?!"_

Sam's eyes widened, and her face went blank, "Lindsay…. Lindsay… he said… No," Sam cried, tears cascading down her cheek, "Lindsay… no…"

She shook her head and pulled Sam into a hug, "No… No… We, we don't know what he means."

"He said. Flack's injured." Sam told her, "Don's hurt, Linds. There's not many ways you can interpret that."

Lindsay grabbed Sam's hand and pulled her close. "I'm sure everything will be okay, Sam."

She wrapped an arm around her trembling friend. Subconsciously, thinking that Mac couldn't have said that at a worse time if he had tried.

And then, was that thing that officially made both Lindsay Messer and Samantha Ross's hearts stop.

The sounds they had been dreading.

The echoing sounds of a gunshot.

* * *

**_*hides* Right, i'm quickly thanking the reviewers, and going into hiding ;)_**

**_Special thankies to..._**

Brown Eyed Girl 75

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Celine-007


	143. Someone's coming undone

**_A/N: I'd just like to take the chance to let you all know that this chapter was taking place the same time as last chapter, just to clear up any confusion beforehand ;)_**

"Pass me your gun," Danny whispered

"He took it," Flack reminded him, "I don't have it,"

"Your back-up." Danny said, voice full of contempt, "Pass it to me, Flack."

"I didn't put it on today," Flack admitted, "Me and Sam were in a rush,"

"You got any rounds then?"

Flack nodded, "But, what good they gonna be?"

"Well, they will do just the job for the gun he didn't take from me,"

Flack's eyes widened, "What?"

"He took my rounds, but didn't take the gun,"

"Danny, what you gonna do?" Flack asked nervously, shifting painfully trying to reach into his pocket to get to his rounds. "Don't do anything stupid."

"Flack, me an' you… we're getting out of here."

_"Or do you save the father to your adoptive granddaughter"_

Danny's eyes widened, "Flack, did he just fuckin' say what I thought he said,"

"Lindsay is gonna have your ass with that swear jar thing you have." Flack smiled lightly trying to diffuse Danny's anger.

"Did he fuckin' say what I think he said."

Flack nodded, "he did."

"Give me the rounds,"

"Danny," Flack warned him.

"Either give me the rounds Flack or I'm getting them myself."

Flack sighed heavily and handed Danny the rounds, "Please, Danny. Please. Please don't do anything that fucks us over."

"The only one getting fucked over is Henry Darius, for thinking he has the right to bring my baby girl into this."

"Danny, just… be careful."

Danny nodded as he loaded the gun, "You know Flack, I never actually thought I would kill for my baby girl. I swore I would. But never though I would have the reason to kill for her."

"You don't have to kill him, Danny. Just hurt him."

Danny shook his head, "Balls in his court. He aims at me, I'm shooting Flack,"

He attempted to hold his hands up, "I'm not watching then. Sorry Danny, I'm not the one that's gonna have to tell Amanda why Daddy didn't come home."

"No, because I'm gonna be there telling her how Daddy kicked the bad guy's ass."

Flack bit his lip, as Danny stood up, and took the safety lock off of the gun, "Please just be careful, you know… I kinda like havin' you around, Danno. You're an alright best friend."

"I love you too, Flack."

--

* * *

Danny took a deep breath as Darius slammed the phone onto its hook, "I better not be hearing footsteps. Go sit the fuck down,"

"Henry, I need to ask you something," Danny said, voice calm,

"Go and sit down,"

Danny raised his gun, and pointed it towards Darius' turned back, "It's just a question."

Henry Darius reached for Flack's departmental issued weapon, and turned. What met him was a slight shock. Danny Messer with a loaded weapon, aimed at his head. Ready for the kill shot.

"Put the gun down," Danny told him, "nobody has to get hurt."

"Like fuck I'm putting the gun down," Darius snorted, "Go sit down,"

Danny snorted, "I said I got a question,"

"Shoot,"

"Don't tempt me," Danny snorted, "How did you know about my daughter?"

"I did some research." Darius shrugged, his finger hovering over the trigger, "Proved that Mac had a beautiful girl in his life, that he values very much."

"Shut up," Danny whispered.

"Figured the best place to hit him hard was with her and her father. Who she loves dearly, I expect."

"Lower your gun," Danny informed him, "Lower your gun or I'll shoot."

"You know, I was surprised, you and your wife make beautiful kids,"

Danny narrowed his eyes, "You've seen my daughter?"

"What is it you call her, M&M? You took a trip to the mall last week, didn't you… Bear factory, was it?"

Danny could feel fury bubbling in his chest. "You need to lower your fucking gun, otherwise you leave me no choice to shoot Darius,"

Darius shook his head, "Not a chance,"

Danny took a deep breath as he watched Darius finger hover over the trigger, poised and ready to shoot.

_Not in this fucking world_, Danny thought to himself as his own shot rang out.

--

* * *

"MAC!" Lindsay screamed as Mac was holding her, trying to prevent her from collapsing, as a member of SWAT was holding Sam back.

"Mac," Lindsay sobbed, gripping onto his Kevlar, tears flowing down her cheek, "Danny. That was Danny. Oh my god, Danny."

"We don't know," Mac assured her as he smoothed her hair down, eyes fixed on EMS stood at the entrance to the warehouse, waiting to bring out Danny and Flack.

SWAT was edging towards the entrance of the warehouse, carefully and cautiously, as the doors opened and out stepped Danny Messer supporting a limping Don Flack.

Lindsay sobbed as she gripped onto Mac's kevlar, while Mac tapped her on the shoulder, "It was Danny, Mac… Danny's…."

"He's behind you, honey." Mac whispered as she slowly let go of his Kevlar. She turned and let out a breath.

He was there. Bloodied and battered with a wrapped up hand, but all the same.

Her Danny was alive.

She shrugged out of Mac's hug, grabbed onto Sam's hand, and yanked her out of the grip that the SWAT member had on her tiny body.

The two best friends ran, as fast as they possibly could towards their two men. Their husband and boyfriend.

Sam slowed significantly, and let go of Lindsay's hand, as she carried on running towards Danny, tears flowing down her cheek.

Danny meanwhile was supporting Flack, until two members from SWAT had his friend on either side. Quickly, he let his best friend go, and quickly broke out into a run, towards his wife.

He slowed, as she flew into his arms. Instantly, his aching arms wrapped themselves around her sobbing body, as she gripped onto him with all she had.

"Come on Linds, don't cry now. I told you, Montana. I swear I would never leave you. I'm not going anywhere baby, " he soothed as he smoothed her hair and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "and I'll do anything and everything to make sure that I'm there to ruffle the bed up at night. I'll move mountains if I have to, but you can bet your ass I'm gonna be there. I love you, Lindsay. I love you so much,"

She let her tears rack her body as he whispered words of reassurance into her honey brown shoulder length hair. She sniffed as she inhaled his scent. There was a lingering smell of his aftershave, which brought tears to her eyes. She glanced up at him through her tear filled eyes, and beat a clenched fist against his chest,

"Don't you ever fucking do that to me ever again. Ever."

Danny chuckled as he placed a hand on her head and pulled her close, "I knew you'd beat me up, Montana."

"I'm glad you find this funny," she scolded, "I've been hysterical Danny, I was so scared,"

"I'm only making a joke, because otherwise baby, I'm gonna break down."

Lindsay pulled away from him, and kissed his bloody lips, "I'm here to catch you." She whispered against them.

Which started the free-flow of emotions, spilling from the man she adored with every inch of her soul.

--

* * *

When she saw the look of Donald Flack, her heart stopped. The man she loved had clearly taken one hell of a beating. And out of fear of her just breaking down if she got any closer. She stopped.

She was terrified. His lip was split. He had an already black eye. His knuckles were split, and he was clutching his sides. Not to even mention the amount of blood, gracing his now, un-tucked shirt that she had affectionately tucked in for him, that morning after she had quickly and effortlessly tied his hideous tie that he had insisted on wearing.

Tears threatened to fall and there was nothing she wanted more, than to make it better for him.

"Sam," he called over to her,

She looked up and their eyes met,

"Sammie." He called across to her amongst all the chaos, "I love you, I love you, Sam."

She swallowed noisly, as hot tears spilled down her cheek and hit the floor below her. She pulled on her sleeve as she slowly walked towards him, tears flowing freely down her cheek, emotions filling her. Quickly, her pace increased until her head was buried in his chest, inhaling his scent, as he slowly, and extremely carefully shrugged the two SWAT guys off of him, so he could pull her close and kiss her temple, despite the pain blinding him.

"Don't let me go," she begged, "Don't leave me Donnie."

"I'll do anything to be with you, Sam. Anything. I want you forever. I don't want to lose you. I'm not going to screw us up again, I swear."

She glanced up through her tear-covered eyelashes and smiled broadly at him, "I love you too."

He smirked as he leant down and kissed her forehead. He winced as he straightened up, causing her to gasp,

"I'm good." Flack assured her, "My insides aren't hanging out, so whatever injuries I got, are welcome."

She giggled softly, as she tried to help him to EMS, "You scared me, Donnie."

"I was scared I wouldn't get to see you again," he admitted,

"Well, lets get you to the hospital," she smiled "Cause I'm here for a while,"

"How long might that be?" Flack asked as he wrapped his arm around her, using her as a leaning post,

"Forever good?" she asked as she struggled to support Flack's strong build against her tiny body.

"Forever sounds perfect,"

--

* * *

Mac shook his head at the sight of the two young couples happily embracing. Fear and emotion evident in both embraces; fear of losing everything, and emotion at the fact that they had a second chance. They hadn't been taken away.

He took a moment to compose himself before he returned to Detective Mac Taylor.

Taking a deep breath, he licked his lips as he put one foot forward. His eyes locked with his destination of the warehouse, where he presumed Henry Darius lay.

Dead.

He tried to stay unbiased. Tried to stay true to the badge where he didn't feel emotion. But he couldn't help it. These people were the closest he had ever had to family. Danny and Lindsay and their beautiful daughter were one of the reasons for his own existence. He had always declared that he didn't get involved in the teams personal lives, but it was far from the truth.

He cared.

He cared a lot, actually. He loved them like he would love his own children. He looked out for them. Kept their best interests at heart. And just happened to be their boss and superior.

But that didn't mean that when they were hurting, he didn't hurt.

Judging by the fact that Danny and Flack had walked out of the crime scene, he presumed the shot had been a kill shot. Or had turned into a kill shot. No way would Henry Darius allow two hostages to walk free.

However, he was proven wrong, when Henry Darius was wheeled out, strapped to a stretcher, as he clutched his shoulder, grimacing and wincing in pain.

He felt pride bubbling in his chest. Although he knew Danny was fully aware in situations that he presumed he had been in, officers had been trained and it had been drummed into him that it was "shoot to kill."

But, Danny Messer was a changed man. And picked to route of safely disarming him.

He carried on walking steadily, confidently towards the now, crime scene. Head held high.

"You see what that prick did to me," Darius bellowed towards Mac, "I'm – I'm-"

Mac made his way over to the screaming "victim" and raised his eyebrows in amusement. "You're what?"

Darius glared at him,

"You're damn lucky it wasn't me in there, Darius," Mac started, "because I wouldn't have been as merciful. Those two men that you took hostage in there are stand-up guys. And if you had killed one of them, so help me god. Your life would have been over."

"Is that a threat?"

Mac shook his head, "I told you once, I'll tell you again. You rot in hell, you son of a bitch."

Darius roared out and lunged forward desperately as he tried to reach where Mac was standing.

Backing away, Mac turned and headed into the warehouse, blocking out the laced tirade of profanties coming from Henry Darius' mouth.

Getting the last word was one hell of a feeling.

--

* * *

Lindsay bit her lip as she sat with her yellow Ipod in the corridor outside of Danny's hospital room.

Her legs were physically jumping; she was terrified. She knew he was fine. But it was just a glimpse into a potential scenario, which terrified her.

Losing him.

She took a deep breath as she plugged her ears with the headphones, and began flicking through the vast amount of songs she had.

She clicked on a random song, and locked the Ipod as she slipped it in-between her bouncing legs.

She mindlessly watched people pass, as the song filled her ears with its lyrics.

She closed her eyes, desperately wanting the images of the hostage scene to disappear, and she wanted to desperately get the hell out of the hospital.

She opened her eyes briefly, and reached for the Ipod, and turned the volume up, and relocked it, and set it between her legs again.

She closed her eyes again, and completely lost herself in the song's lyrics.

_That's somebody's son. Somebody's husband. Somebody's everything. Out there someone's coming undone. _

She opened her eyes as scorching tears fell down her cheeks. Danny was someone's son. Danny was a husband. Danny was someone's everything.

Her husband. Her everything.

_I tried but I couldn't imagine, how it would feel if something happened, and I didn't have him here with me. _

She had tried. She knew that it would hurt, but the pain she felt today, she expected was nothing in comparison to what it would be like to actually lose the love of her life.

She was inconsolable, yet, she could physically see him sat in the room opposite, being accessed, and checked over.

It felt like she had lost him. She felt like she had a piece of her heart missing. She had come so close to losing him, she had thought, that it was just easier to convince herself he wasn't coming out. Just in case something did happen.

But it hadn't. Nothing had happened apart from a few bruises, and a strain.

She picked up the Ipod and clutched it to her chest as she curled her legs underneath her while the song's chorus filled her ears.

_That's somebody's son. Somebody's husband. Somebody's everything. Out there someone's coming undone._

Closing her eyes, she let the tears fall freely down her face. She was beyond caring about holding the tears back.

--

* * *

Samantha Ross had spent many an hour in a hospital. Be it on cases, visiting colleagues and friends. But nothing – nothing – would have and could have prepared her for what it would feel like visiting your other half as he was sleeping, machines beeping all around him. Bruised and battered.

A hot tear slipped down her cheek and it hit the quilt on his bed as she gripped onto his large hand with her delicate one.

Unwilling to let go. Ever.

She roughly wiped her tears away from her cheeks with her free hand, and took a deep breath in attempts to compose herself.

She couldn't understand why she was so upset. Was it because she was just freaked out by the emotions she had felt today, or was it something else?

Something so much more.

She absent-mindedly placed a hand to her stomach, and closed her eyes for a second. Her mind was racing with possibilities, and her best friend's previous reassurance and words.

_Your mind and body can play cruel tricks on you, once you get it into your head; it's a done deal._

She was hoping she was right. They were still getting to know each other. Neither of them was in a place to bring a child into the world.

Hell, she didn't even know his take on children; whether he wanted a baby.

Whether it was she, he wanted as the mother of his children.

Slowly, she slipped her hand out of his loose grasp, stood up, and leant over him, pressing a loving kiss to his forehead before making her way out of his private room.

Times like these called for one person.

And that one person was somewhere in the same hospital, sobbing her heart out.

--

* * *

Her eyes flashed open to see a broken Samantha Ross stood to the left of her with a hand on her shoulder.

"You okay?"

Lindsay snorted, "Grand," she said as she hit pause on the Ipod. "I'm sat here sobbing, what do you think?"

"What we listening to?" Sam inquired as she sat next to Lindsay on the cushioned seats,

"Aaron Lines, apparently," Lindsay read from the Ipod screen. "On repeat."

"That bad?" Sam asked, taking the free Ipod headphone.

"That bad," Lindsay nodded her head as she pressed play.

The two sat in silence, listening to the music. Crying lightly to themselves as Lindsay rested her head on Sam's shoulder.

The day's burdens finally taking their toll – they were finally coming undone.

* * *

**_See, nobody died. Nobody really got hurt ;) _**

**_Special thankies to...._**

Brown Eyed Girl 75

Twinkeyrocks

Muchmadness

Bec0512

KTmac09

afrozenheart412

iheartcsinewyork

.queso

Bulletgirl1723

Baby Jefer

Hickyroo

Simplelove3663

LME

gwen24

Cindy Ryan

jordinajamaica

Skylar87

edward-and-bella-forever

JavaJunkie4evr

dantanaforev


	144. It Takes A Man

**_A/N: Seriously, Brown eyed girl made me do it ;) Consider it a christmas present from me to you. A monster WYHTG chapter. _**

**_And, for those wondering, there is a boxing day special in the pipeline to celebrate the big one year anniversary! it shall be a nice challenge considering i haven't even written it yet! lol _**

**_And, warm Christmas wishes to all my friends, reviewers and readers! _**

* * *

Leaning against the doorframe leading to her living room Lindsay Messer sighed heavily.

She had been stood there for around five minutes in total. She had driven home from the hospital, injured husband in tow. She had been a support post as he rested a fair bit of his weight while moving from their family SUV to the house; before she ran next door to get Amanda from Beth.

And now, here she was, watching her husband and daughter watch Amanda's favourite movie of the moment, Beauty and the Beast, while curled up on their couch underneath a thick blanket.

Amanda was clutching Lickle bear to her chest while Danny had his 'good' arm wrapped around her protectively while his injured one laid by the side of him on the couch, guarded, in case Amanda happened to shift in her position and knock it slightly.

Danny had been relatively lucky. He had gained a few bruises, a sprained hand, and a shock realisation that he was no longer just Danny Messer. He was a husband and a father. He no longer could give as good as he got. He had people to think about. He had his family to think about.

While he had been sat in the hospital room, he had taken a few minutes while he gazed at Lindsay listening to her Ipod outside his room, sobbing on her best friend's shoulder. He had taken a few minutes for it to actually hit home on how close he actually was to losing that. Losing her. Losing his entire world.

He glanced down at his sleeping daughter, tucked into his side protectively. He mindlessly pushed a honey brown curl out of face, and tucked it behind her ear before pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

He tore his eyes away from her briefly as he glanced at the television screen, and quickly he found himself looking back down at her. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was his baby girl. And he loved her with all he had.

He turned in his position and to see Lindsay stood hesitantly in the doorway with her hands held protectively over her, now visible, baby bump.

"S'the matter?" Danny asked as he shifted in his position, while ensuring that he didn't make Amanda stir.

She shrugged as she sat down on the chair opposite the couch, "I don't know."

Nodding, Danny swung his legs over the side of the couch and pulled Amanda across his body while he cradled her, "Just let me put her to bed, and we can talk, alright?"

"I can take her," Lindsay offered, standing up from the couch.

"I got her, Linds. I'm alright."

"I just don't want you to-"

"I'm not gonna hurt myself baby," he said as he laid his 'good' hand on the side of her face as he passed her, "I'll be two minutes."

She nodded mindlessly, fighting back the tears.

* * *

Sam bit her lip in contemplation as she stopped at the traffic lights. She had butterflies and felt terribly, terribly sick.

And she knew damn well why.

All it took was four words. Four words and it would be out in the open

So why couldn't she say it?

She glanced over at her passenger in the Avalanche that Mac had let her borrow to ensure Flack got home 'in one piece' as he had so eloquently put it.

"S'up Freckles?"

She chuckled at the use of her nickname, and smiled softly at him, "Nothing. Hows the ribs?"

"Still there." Flack grimaced, "I kinda wish they weren't. Least I wouldn't be in so much pain."

Sam flashed him a sympathetic smile before setting off again. Sighing heavily she indicated left, and made the way down the road leading to Flack's apartment.

"Nick's a changed man now, isn't he? Since he took that time off. I think it did him good spending the night with me and Danny last night."

Sam nodded, "I think when he told me, it pushed him to dealing with it, properly. Today was his first day back, wasn't it?"

Flack nodded, "Are you… Are you okay, Sam?"

She nodded adamantly as she turned to face him briefly before turning her attention back to the road, "Why?"

"You're really quiet, is all,"

"It's been a long day," she reasoned, "long and emotional."

Nodding, Flack took her hand over the console and squeezed it lightly, "Me and you Freckles. I got you, you know that right?"

Sam smiled downwardly as she nodded. Her anxiety slowly flowing out through the deep breaths she was taking as she pulled up by his apartment building.

Now or never, she silently told herself.

* * *

He sat down on the couch as he set a hot chocolate on the coffee table and pushed it towards Lindsay, "Thought you would want one,"

She smiled politely, and took the hot chocolate from the table before settling next to him, with her legs tucked underneath her. "Thanks,"

"So…"

She let out a breath as she gazed into her peppermint hot chocolate, "I don't think I've ever been more scared in my life."

"Why?" he asked as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear before placing a kiss to her cheek.

"Danny. Crazy murderer hell bent on revenge?"

"Point taken," Danny sighed, "You knew I wouldn't do anything stupid though, right?"

"I hoped you wouldn't," she said as she took a sip of the steaming drink, "I was hoping and praying you wouldn't."

"And I didn't," he said as he pulled her towards him and took the cup from her and placed it back on the coffee table. She let out a breath as he turned her so that she was resting against his chest as he propped himself up on the arm of the couch.

"I was scared though," she admitted as she settled against his chest, "I was sure that something would happen, and you wouldn't be coming home."

"I did come home though," Danny, said as he placed a kiss to her temple, "I wouldn't leave you and the kids."

She nodded against his chest and closed her eyes as his hands fell to her stomach, "I think I love you too much," she declared,

"No such thing, sweetie," he chuckled as he moved in his position, "No such thing."

She shrugged, "I'm setting myself up for a major fall."

"What makes you say that?"

She shrugged, "I can just see myself- you know what, it doesn't matter."

"No, come on…" he insisted, "come on Lindsay."

"It's nothing. I'm just over emotional and listening to my Ipod. Seriously, it doesn't matter."

He turned her in his arms and sat up, "Tell me."

She rolled her eyes, "Seriously, it really doesn't matter."

"It matters to me." Danny told her,

She shook her head against his chest "No,"

Danny bit his lip, "You know Linds, if something did happen to me…"

"Do you insist on having this conversation? Again."

"I do," he nodded adamantly, "Just hear me out…"

"Fine," she sighed.

"I want you to live, Linds. I want you to love. I want you to go on and not give up, a'ight? Raise our kids, Linds. Raise them like you would if I was here, and I'd do the same. I want you to know I'll be all right, okay? If something happens to me, I want to see you smile. I want you to just move on. Just do me a favour… Try not to forget me, and forgive me for leaving you, but I want you to live, alright? Promise me that?"

She nodded through the tears that were cascading down her cheek, "I promise."

"You're crying, aren't you?" he half chuckled.

"No, sobbing actually," she wailed as she sat with her back resting against his chest, "Why do you do that to me, insist on making me cry?"

"I just wanted to say it to you, okay. Just so you know. I'll be watching, Linds. And I swear, you mope for the rest of your life; the day you join me up there, I will royally kick your butt."

"Who says you're going up there?" she chuckled as she turned. Danny smiled as he wiped a tear from her cheek with the pad of his thumb, "God might not even want you."

"He would," Danny defended himself before tracing his good hand down her arm in a soothing motion, "He'd be lucky to have me, actually."

"Well, lets hope and pray he doesn't agree and takes you away from me. I kind of need you right now, you know?"

Danny laid his hands on her stomach and kissed her temple, "I know."

* * *

She pulled up in a parking space in his' building parking garage and killed the engine. "Donnie…"

"Yeah?" He asked as he grimaced while unclipping his seatbelt,

She took a deep breath and laced her fingers together, "Donnie, I need to talk to you…"

Flack stopped what he was doing, and turned to face her, "Is everything okay?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "I really don't know."

"S'up?" he inquired as he sat back in his seat, "Is it about today? About us?"

"Kind of," she admitted, before taking another deep breath. "I'm…"

"Look Sam," Flack started, "I know we've only just got back on track, but what I said today; I meant every word…"

He sat waiting for a reaction. Chewing her lip, Sam opened her mouth wanting to speak, but closed it again. "Donnie…"

"What Sam?"

"I'm late…"

"What for?"

Sam raised her eyebrows, "I'm late…"

Flack's eyes widened, "As in…?"

She nodded, "I'm scared."

He nodded at her in response, realisation hitting in as to what she actually meant.

"You can go, Don. But I really hope you're going to stay with me. I mean I'm gonna keep it either way… but… I just…"

Flack closed his eyes and let out a breath.

* * *

"Danny," Lindsay said as she curled into his side while watching the last scenes on Beauty and the beast.

"What baby girl?"

"Will – would you give me a sign, just to let me know you were – okay? If… Well, you know,"

"Why?"

"Just – would you? If you could?"

"Absolutely," he told her, "I would make sure you knew I was okay, and then spend the rest of my life sat outside the front door, guarding my family."

She glanced up at him through her bangs and smiled, "Why are we so morbid?"

"God knows… 'Cause we're sappy and we listen to country singers that sing about sappy couples that deal with death?"

"Maybe" she said as she adjusted the pillow that he had placed underneath her for cushioning and then set her head on his shoulder, "I can't believe we're watching this,"

"It's a tale as old as time, Montana."

She shook her head and fought back a grin, "Do you have any idea how much I actually love you?"

"Little bit," he chuckled as he kissed her temple, "The kinda love where you might keep me around?"

"Yeah, that kinda love," she smiled as she kissed his unshaven cheek.

* * *

She let out a breath, "You can say something you know."

He glanced at her, "What do you want me to say, Sam? Really?"

"I don't know," she admitted, "Something. Anything."

He closed his eyes and rested his head against the headrest. "I…"

"Please don't hate me, Donnie. Don't hate me for loving you."

A smile curved his lips, "I could never hate you, Sam." He told her as he took her hand across the console. "I'm just a little shocked."

"It doesn't seem real, does it?" she said as she closed her eyes, letting her tears fall. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" he almost gasped, "What you got to be sorry for, Samantha?"

"Springing this on you, like this."

Flack shook his head, "Better time than any. You got nothin' to be sorry about; I was there, a willing participant, all right? No-ones' gotta be sorry. Alright?"

They sat in silence for a few moments, holding hands, before she slipped her hand out of his light clutch, and folded her small hands in her lap. "What are you thinking?" she asked meekly.

He opened his mouth, but words escaped him. He willed himself to tell her that everything was going to be fine, and he had her back one thousand percent, and he had no intention of going anywhere.

Sure it was quick; really quick. _But,_ it had happened, and there was no way they could take it back.

He looked at the petite woman sat next to him. She was staring through the window, and his heart felt like it was breaking. He needed to say something. He wanted to say something.

But he couldn't. He couldn't reassure her. So instead, he took her hand across the console of the front seat. He rubbed her smooth skin softly with his thumb, in attempts to get her attention. She turned to look at him with tear filled eyes.

"You and me, Freckles." He said softly, "It's you and me."

She glanced up at him, as a tear fell down her cheek, "promise?"

He leaned over and with his free hand; he wiped the tear away with the pad of his thumb. "I love you regardless, Sammie. Baby or no baby. You're fast becoming my entire world, and yeah, a baby isn't the best thing right now, but you know what? Shit happens."

"Thanks," she snorted.

"I didn't mean it like that," he informed her, "I meant that it's happened. We can't change it, so we get on with it. Our baby is our baby, right? Sure, it's not at the best time, but we'll be okay. You and me."

She smiled brightly and took his hand, "You and me?"

He nodded, "You and me."

--

* * *

Danny shifted slightly and craned his neck up to Lindsay's head that was currently resting on his shoulder. He figured she was asleep, and fallen asleep around an hour ago. He had managed to grab both the DVD remote and the cable remote from the coffee table, and had begun flicking through the channels.

He had stopped for a considerable amount of time, on the movie channel that Lindsay insisted they upgraded to a month ago. He had watched this movie about ten times. Well, the first 20 or so minutes.

World Trade Centre.

He couldn't get passed the first 23 minutes and 44 seconds, to be precise. No matter how hard he tried. And it wasn't that he didn't like that type of movie, because he did. But being there, and living through the havoc of the day was something he didn't want to re-live.

The heartbreak of the first plane flying into tower one, and then the sheer horror when the second plane hit still ached his heart.

He knew where he had been. September 11th 2001. At the lab, sat in the break room with Stella, Mac, Aiden, and Flack, among other New York City crime lab employees. Staring and glued to the news, with tears running down their faces. Mac had called a terrorist attack instantly. No commercial pilot would have been anywhere near the towers.

And it was scary at how accurate the movie he was sat watching was.

Danny had pitched in with the rescue down on ground zero in the aftermath of 9/11 by putting his minimal and extremely limited First Aid skills into practice. He knew CPR and how to apply a band-aid, and that was about it. But anything he could do to help was needed, desperately needed in fact.

Lindsay stirred slightly on his chest, and blinked her eyes open at the TV, "Danny."

"I'm just watching-"

She took the remote from him, and turned the TV on standby from across the room, "I know you want to sit through it, but you and I both know the pain of that day is still standing, alright? It'll be there when you're ready."

"It was just on the movie channel and I just switched onto it. Is all."

"And it will be on again," she told him,

"I just don't get it, Linds. Why? Why do people do things like that? Look at how many people died."

"It's horrible," she told him as she stroked his arm, "And I know it really opened your eyes, right?"

"No," he admitted, "I shut down, actually. Went into Cop mode. For that week I was there, I didn't eat. I don't even think I slept, I just wanted to get down there and do whatever I could do."

Lindsay pressed a kiss to his temple, "and it's the heroes like you that-"

"Heroes like me?" Danny cut her off, "Linds…" he pointed at the, now black, screen. "They're the heroes."

"Danny, you were with the NYPD, that day, right? You were a hero. Every single volunteer was and still is a hero,"

"I didn't save anyone, I just…"

"Without you, Danny. Less injured people wouldn't have been attended too. You and I both know that the hospitals were just manic. You gave medical aid to those who needed it. You don't think you were a hero? Because you were, everybody was. They still are."

Danny shook his head; "I don't wanna talk about it anymore,"

"That's fine," Lindsay told him as she wiped her sleepy eyes and shifted slightly, "tell me what you wanna talk about."

* * *

He cleared his throat as he touched her arm, "Have you taken a test?"

She shook her head, "I was gonna take one today with Linds, actually. But, well, I got sidetracked with you being battered by a mass murderer hell bent on revenge."

"He picked a sucky day to take over a crime scene," Flack agreed, "Do you think we should head upstairs, take the test?"

"Tests" she corrected, "I bought three."

"Three?" He snorted, "Is that not excessive, Sam?"

"Hey, Linds suggested I buy another three. On top of my three."

"Did you get the ones where they tell you how far along you are?"

She nodded, "the most sophisticated piece of technology you will ever pee on."

"You watch way too much TV if you can quote, honey," Flack smirked as he opened his passenger door. "It will be okay, you know… whatever the outcome, I still love you."

She watched him carefully climb from the Avalanche, and slam the door shut while clutching his ribs. Letting out a small breath, she reached into the back and grabbed her purse. Checking inside, her eyes found the small brown paper bag containing the three tests.

"Please let it be okay," she whispered softly as she glanced up at Flack, who was smiling warmly and encouragingly at her, "Please."

--

* * *

"Danny, what about Adam?"

"What, as in bumbling Adam Ross?" Danny snorted, "Yeah, no… Not happening."

"Danny imagine how honoured he would be," Lindsay gushed, "And, I've always liked the name, Adam."

"Adam and Amanda? They're practically the same name, Montana. Rearrange a few letters, and boom."

"I like it," she shrugged as she clutched her new Hot chocolate Danny had made for her,

"It would be like we were trying to start our own little A-Team though, babe. Both kids with the name beginning with A. They'd be the little A-Team."

"Why do you do that?" she asked him, "Why?! Why do you spoil my children's names by giving them silly nicknames?! Why do you do that to me? To them?"

"Because I nickname my nearest and dearest," he explained simply, "Its one of them endearing things you love about me,"

"I suppose," she sighed dramatically; "Go on, you throw a name on the table,"

"Cameron."

"Veto."

"That's not fair," Danny whined, "I didn't veto Adam,"

"Your loss" she giggled, "How about James?"

"Veto," Danny replied.

"Alright," she sighed, "Aaron?"

"Veto," they chuckled together in unison.

"Ashton?" Danny offered.

"I like Adam, Danny." She whined, "I do, I like it."

"Why does it have to begin with an A. Hell, why are just picking boys names?"

"Because I have a feeling," Lindsay told him, "It's a baby boy."

"What about Danny then?" Danny offered, "We both love the name Danny."

"I say your name enough, I don't want to be calling Danny, and then me having to say, 'no not you, the other Danny'"

"Call him Daniel then,"

"Middle name," Lindsay offered.

"First name,"

"Christ Danny, he gets your last name, what more do you want, call him junior?"

"Boom," he grinned,

"Keep dreamin' Messer." Lindsay laughed, "No Danny or Daniel."

"We should call the baby, boom." Danny chuckled

"Why don't we call him little bear? First name little, second name bear. There, solves that problem." Lindsay grinned,

"My son is not having the name, little, on his birth certificate. Ain't nothin' little about a Messer."

Lindsay rolled her eyes, "Whatever,"

"Admit it," he glared at her,

"Okay… Okay… Nothing little about Messers. Although, to be fair, Amanda is tiny."

"She takes after Mommy."

Lindsay smiled softly, "I'm surprised I don't get confused with all the names you call me. Lindsay, Linds. Montana, Mommy, Babe, baby girl. Baby. Honey. Sweetie."

"Variety is the spice of life," Danny declared. "Baby, take me to bed…"

"Take _you_ to bed?" Lindsay snorted, "Shouldn't _you_ be taking _me_ to bed, you got me pregnant."

"I was in a hostage situation, and sprained my hand, take me to bed, Montana" he whined, "Come on, don't be mean."

"Mean?" Lindsay snorted, "I can barely haul my butt off the couch without getting a head rush. Carting your ass up to bed, dream on, babe."

"I like how you added babe at the end of that then," Danny snorted as he dramatically pulled himself up off the couch and held out his good hand for Lindsay to take, "here, don't say I never do anything for you,"

"Well, thank you kindly," she smirked as she took his hand, and stood up, "You know, if I didn't love you, I could really hate you."

"If ever there was a oxymoron," Danny laughed, "Why? How could you hate your baby daddy, Montana?"

"For that exact reason," she exclaimed, "twice you've done it to me! Twice!"

Danny sighed heavily as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "Sue me… I can't help it… You're just gorgeous Montana."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"If you weren't as gorgeous than we would have the problem of me ravishing you…"

"I'm not even going to give you the ammunition to carry on this silly game," she threw over her shoulder as she headed towards the hallway.

"You love my silly games, Lindsay admit it."

She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him with a smile tugging at her lips, "You're right," she declared, "I wouldn't change you for the world."

--

* * *

Danny peeled one eye open and gazed over to the pillow that his sleeping wife rested on.

Well, the pillow she _usually _rested on.

He craned his neck up as he peered into their en-suite bathroom, looking for movement of said wife.

Yet, nothing.

He glanced over to the baby monitor on the side of the bedside table on Lindsay's side, and noticed it was switched off.

He came to a conclusion. He was going to kill his wife. 7.30AM and she was up and about on her day off.

Sighing, he threw his legs over the side of the bed, and padded across his carpeted bedroom into his bathroom and looked towards the huge mirror.

_Go back to bed; I'll explain when I get home. Love you. Montana x_

Like fuck. Danny mused to himself. He turned, and began to make his way out into the hallway, before a shrieking giggle stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Throw that at me again, Amanda. I dare you… NO! Don't you...!! M&M!!"

He let out a small chuckle as he stepped over the baby gate at the stop of the stairs,

"Amanda!" he heard Lindsay scold their daughter, "Put your spoon down."

"Everything okay down there, Montana?" Danny called to her as he slowly made his way down the stairs.

"Go back to bed," she answered

"Can't. I'm working."

"No, you're not. Go back to bed."

"Did you call in sick for me? Cause Lindsay, I ain't sick."

"Not exactly," she admitted as she appeared in the hallway, and looked up the stairs, and smiled brightly at him, "Morning."

"Morning." He returned, "Why am I not working? And why are you in your work clothes, I thought…"

"Change of plan, me and Sammie are going into work today."

"Me and Flack were working today…"

"Not anymore." Lindsay grinned, "we made executive decisions to swap shifts with you two, let you recover. Mac thought it was a good idea."

"You two are something else." Danny glared at her, before breaking into a smile and kissing her lightly, "Thank you Linds, but honestly, I'm fine."

"Danny," Lindsay sighed as she held a hand out to help him over the baby gate, "What good would you be with a strained hand, not to mention Flack's ribs?"

"I went into work when it happened last time, Linds. Remember?"

"Yeah, but to be fair, last time you didn't have a lot of choice." She said as she made her way into the kitchen, "Mac had blown the lab up and jetted off to London. It was kind of like all hands on deck. Sprained or not."

"What the hell happened in here?" he gasped, at the sheer and utter mess that had overtaken their kitchen. "Like seriously, what happened?"

"We wanted to make pancakes for Daddy before mommy had to go to work, but Amanda had a different idea. We had a bit of a problem with the batter, and Amanda well, I think the work surfaces tell all."

"Did you tell her the batter goes in the pan?"

"Yeah, she replied with a smart ass comment about her being one, and having no concept of cooking pancakes" Lindsay said with a smirk.

"Sounds about right," Danny smirked as he ruffled Amanda's hair with his good hand, "You giving mommy hell, baby girl?"

His daughter grinned cheekily at him and pursed her lips together, and leaning up towards Danny. "Kiss,"

"Give me a chance," Danny said as he kissed his daughter. "M&M, that's awful, your lips are all sticky and maple syrupy."

She grinned proudly and smacked her lips together, "yummy!"

"You're supposed to get it in your mouth though, sweetie," Danny explained as he grabbed a cloth from the side of the sink, "Not all over your face so mommy has to give you a bath."

"Who said anything about Mommy giving her a bath," Lindsay chuckled as she poured syrup onto a stack of pancakes. "Mommy is giving daddy his breakfast, and then Auntie Sammie is picking mommy up."

"Why?" Danny asked as Lindsay placed the plate in front of him at the cluttered table.

"Because" Lindsay said as she handed him a glass of orange juice, "me and her are going for peppermint hot chocolates before work."

"You start at nine, if you're taking my shift. It's like seven thirty."

"Your point?" she smirked as she took Amanda's plate away from her tray on her high chair.

"You got a fair bit of time to kill."

"She's travelling from Flack's," Lindsay explained as she sat down at the table as she removed the pair of Ugg Boots she wore around the house, and slipped on her work boots and zipped them up. "Not sure on what traffics' going to be like."

"Nursed him back to health, did she?" Danny smirked with raised eyebrows. "Nice."

"Mind out of the gutter," Lindsay glared as she swatted him across the table, "not every relationship revolves around S-E-X."

"It does when you're Don Flack and Samantha Ross. And why did you spell sex out?" Danny asked as he cut into his pancakes with the fork and his 'good' hand.

"Because her mind is like a sponge," Lindsay told him as she nodded towards their daughter, sat giggling in her highchair, as she poked her tiny finger in the syrup that was left on her plate, and made squiggle patterns on her tray table, "She stores everything."

"So she'll know how to spell sex," Danny concluded, "Nice one Linds."

Lindsay stuck her tongue out as she stood up from the table, "Hush you."

Smiling, Danny stuck a forkful of pancakes into his mouth as Lindsay wrapped a scarf around her neck, "You're really showing now, aren't you." He commented as he stood up and placed a hand to her stomach,

"I hope you're not calling me fat." Lindsay glared at him as she flicked her hair out that had been caught in her scarf.

"Quite the contrary" Danny told her, "I'm calling you beautiful."

She smiled "Next you'll be telling me I have that pregnant glow."

"Which you do." Danny added quickly, before kissing her nose, "Be good today. And be safe."

"Always," she smiled, "And you too, behave, alright. I'm leaving you the car, so you can go out, but seriously, behave."

"We always do," Danny said as he winked at Amanda. "Don't we, princess?"

She nodded adamantly, while grinning at her parents. "Walways."

"I think she means always," Danny translated

"Thanks for that, Einstein," Lindsay smirked, "cause I need a interpreter for when my daughter talks to me."

"Jus' checkin'." Danny defended himself; "Don't suppose you know what Flack's doing with himself, do ya?"

"Switching his phone off," Lindsay smirked as she grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder, "Honestly, I have no idea. Call him." Lindsay suggested, "Go somewhere, do something."

"I might do," Danny smiled, "You left the MasterCard in my wallet? For once."

"Watch it, wisebutt," Lindsay smirked, "And yes, actually. For once, I have."

"First for everything," Danny winked as he kissed her softly, "I think Sam just pulled up,"

"She knows how to use the horn," Lindsay whispered against his lips,

"You need to go," Danny reminded her as he laced the fingers of his good hand through her shoulder length curls while his slightly injured hand was resting on the small of her back, "Seriously."

"Let go of me then," she whispered against his lips, "I can't go when you're holding me like you are."

"Walk away from me." Danny said in-between kisses, "Cause I can't let go of you…"

"You're a sap!" she giggled, as she swatted his arm, before placing a kiss to his lips.

They met in a playful and loving embrace as Danny nibbled her bottom lip lightly, teasing her. Instantly, Lindsay drew him closer, and deepened their kiss. He pulled her close, and raked his fingers down her side, causing her skin to goose-pimple. Gasping Lindsay broke away and clutched her stomach, while Danny turned to the shrill shriek of his daughter behind him.

"DADDY!"

"What baby girl?"

"MOMMY GO!"

"We want her to stay though. Daddy does anyway… I don't know about… Linds everything alright?"

"The baby really kicked then," Lindsay said, holding her stomach with tears in her eyes, "Like really kicked."

"He's telling you to get your ass to work." Danny smirked as he laid a hand on her stomach, "You tell her buddy,"

Lindsay smiled, "I think I better…"

She was interrupted by the sounds of Samantha Ross' laughter while she let herself in through their front door with her own key, "I swear to god Messer. Let your wife… What's going on?"

"The baby kicked," Danny explained as he glanced at Sam, before turning back to Lindsay and her stomach.

"Telling me to get my butt in gear, apparently." Lindsay smirked as she moved towards Sam. "We good?"

Sam nodded as she made her way over to Amanda in her hair chair. "How are we today baby girl?"

Amanda smiled brightly at Sam and leaned up to place a sticky kiss on Sam's cheek. Sam turned and caught the kiss on her lips. "Mmm," she smiled at the little girl, "sweet kisses from a sweet little girl."

"Sywup." Amanda told Sam, "'ancakes"

"P-ancakes" Danny emphasised the 'P' to his daughter, "Can you say Pancakes?"

"Pandcakes" Amanda giggled.

"Close enough," Lindsay smiled, "You ready Sam?"

She nodded sullenly, "See you two later," she said as she ruffled Amanda's curls, "be good."

Amanda nodded as she picked up a small piece of Pancake before placing it in her mouth.

Lindsay placed a kiss to Danny's forehead before turning on her heel, and reaching for Sam's hand, "You gonna tell me in the car?"

Sam nodded.

--

* * *

"I'm gonna kick your ass, Messer." Don Flack declared as he handed over a twenty-dollar bill to the cashier. "Could you not have remembered the stroller?"

"I remembered her and me, all that I needed to remember."

Flack rolled his eyes as he moved the stroller aside, and then shoved the diaper bag into the allotted netting made specifically for diaper bags, "Seriously, I had a rangers game waiting for me from last week."

"They won, what does it…"

Flack glared at his friend, "I had specifically not read the paper, watched ESPN, or listened to the radio in order for that result to be a fuckin' surprise you moron."

Danny grinned, "Oops."

"I'll give you oops." Flack glared as he took hold of the stroller while he waited for his friend to strap Amanda into the seat. "Seriously, you're shit at keeping secrets."

"I would like to take the opportunity to remind you that I have a daughter with the memory of a sponge. She takes everything in, and considering Lindsay knows I don't curse around said daughter, you might want to watch your mouth."

"You, not curse? You gotta be kidding me," Flack snorted, "Give me a break."

"Whatever. Just sleep with one eye open 'cause Lindsay will track your butt down."

"She knows where I live."

"By the by," Danny shrugged, as he narrowed his eyes, "You look tired, everything okay?"

"Fine," Flack shrugged as he pushed the stroller with Danny walking by the side of him, "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well I might be a bit out there, with this, but it looks like you've been crying, Flack."

"Says I haven't?"

"I'll ask again, everything okay?"

"And I'll tell you again, it's fine."

"Okay, was everything okay?"

"No," Flack shook his head, "it wasn't."

"You gonna tell me?"

"When I'm ready." Flack told him, "And not before."

Danny held his hands up as he followed Flack into the bear factory, "S'all I ask. Don't deal with shit on your own,"

"I won't" Flack told him as he picked up a pair of Hello Kitty slippers, "Think this would look good on Amanda's teddy she got last week?"

Danny nodded as he watched his friend slowly make his way around the store, wondering what in the hell was wrong with him.

--

* * *

"You ready to tell me yet?"

Samantha sighed as she glanced up from her desk, "I said…"

"I know what you said, but Sam… come on… Did he walk away? Are you two…?"

Sam glanced around, before sighing, "Break room?"

Lindsay nodded and reached down to take Sam's hand and help her off the chair, "Break room."

* * *

Sam sighed as she sipped her coffee, "Don said that it was the stress of me thinking and worrying, which stopped me having periods, like you had said, and then the stress of yesterday brought me on…"

"So you're not...?"

Sam shook her head, "No."

"You wanted to be, didn't you?" Lindsay asked tentatively.

"Part of me did," Sam admitted. "I love him, and the more I grew accustomed to the idea of having the baby, the more I wanted the baby."

"I hate this saying, Sammie. But I know how you feel. Danny and I wanted that baby more than anything, and we weren't even pregnant. We loved something that didn't even exist and it was a blow to us, especially me."

"He's being really supportive," Sam said, "keeps telling me everything will be okay… And I would like to think that maybe he wanted the baby as much as I did?"

"I would think so, Flack seems to me that he'd be the perfect dad."

"He would," Sam said, as a tear rolled down her cheek, "He really would,"

"What you gonna do?" Lindsay asked as she wiped it away.

"Nothing," Sam shrugged, "It's for the best, anyway. We aren't ready. We need to know each other properly, before we even consider bringing a child into the world."

"You watch too much Steve Wilkos." Lindsay told her friend.

"So be it," Sam giggled through her watery tears, "But, regardless, it's the right thing to do."

"Maybe so." Lindsay nodded in agreement, "But you can't fight fate, Sammie."

"Well, we can cross that bridge once we get to it."

Lindsay nodded and drew her friend into her arms in a tight hug. "It will be alright, you know that, Sam. I know you do."

Samantha let out a sigh as she rested her head against Lindsay's shoulder, as she let her tears fall and hit her friend's blouse.

"Is it bad that I wanted that baby?"

Lindsay shook her head, "No sweetie, not at all."

--

* * *

"We thought Sam was pregnant." Flack suddenly said as they sat on two seats by the registration computers in Bear Factory, while they watched Amanda giggle and browse through the various outfits with other kids,

"Seriously, Flack, that is… that's awesome buddy." Danny said as he clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder, "I'm…"

"She isn't," Flack said, cutting him off. "We were about to take a test, and well… she came on."

Danny swallowed nosily, "Aww, I don't really know what to say. Don. I'm sorry man."

"Don't be." Flack shrugged it off, "Just wasn't meant to be…"

"This time," Danny added, "Wasn't meant to be this time."

"Either way," Flack shrugged, "I'm not joining your club just yet…" Flack said as he gazed at Amanda, "Think I would be a good dad?"

"Damn right," Danny declared, "What makes you think otherwise?"

"Dunno," he shrugged, "Wanna know what's funny?"

"There's something funny about this?" Danny inquired.

"One of the first things I thought of was that Sammie and Lindsay would be pregnant at the same time. How the fuck would we deal with that. They're demanding with just one of them pregnant. Two? Hell no."

"That was one of the first things you thought of?" Danny smirked, "Not that your life had totally changed or that you were about to become responsible for a little baby?"

"No," Flack shook his head, "I knew everything would be okay after it sunk in, I mean she's the one, Danno. Doesn't matter when it happens."

"So long as it does?" Danny offered.

"Exactly." Flack nodded, "I love her, unconditionally. And want her in my life for the rest of my days, with or without kids. Preferably with."

"Give it time, buddy. Don't rush into that kind of shit. Raising a kid is tough; you know that right? It's not all fun and games, despite what it may look like. Crying at 3AM. Lack of sleep… Going through the pain of them being ill and nothing you can do to make it better? Childcare costs... It's a killer. Did you know that it's costs around £150,000 to raise a kid, and that isn't even including college…?"

"You been talking to Adam?" Flack smirked with raised eyebrows.

"Maybe…" Danny chuckled, "Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change my life for the world, but that's because me and Linds were ready… I just don't want you to be overwhelmed, 'cause you and Sam, you guys fit, ya know? I don't want you to lose that and lose her, from the stress of having a kid…"

Flack nodded and patted his friend on the back, "I hear you, Danno. And she isn't going anywhere, that I can assure you of…"

"Why, you cuffed her to the bed or something…?" Danny smirked as his friend shot him a glare and made his way over to Amanda, shaking his head.

--

* * *

"He asked you to do what?" Lindsay gasped,

"Marry him? Yeah… he told me to at least think about it…"

"What…" Lindsay said while blinking, "What did you say?"

"I said I'd think about it…"

"_And_?!" Lindsay giggled, "Come on…"

"What's there to think about?" Sam asked as she got up and moved towards the sink and placed her empty cup in it, "I hardly know him,"

"But you love him enough to want to have a baby with him, sooner or later, Sam." Lindsay reminded her. "At least think about it. How did he ask you?"

Sam laughed softly, "In the bathroom. If ever there was a romantic place."

"See, is it wrong that I can see Flack doing that?" Lindsay laughed, "I mean seriously, he is the king of tactfulness."

"You said it," Sam laughed as she grabbed a carton of orange juice and pierced the lid with a straw, "I just don't want him to propose because he feels as though he has to."

"Did he propose before or after?"

"After," Sam answered.

"And did he have a ring?"

"Well, yeah…" Sam shrugged, "But what does that have to do with anything?"

"It means that he had already thought about it… If he already had the ring Sam, he'd been thinking about it… What was it like?"

"Is it just me that has alarm bells going off saying it's too freaking soon? I mean Lindsay; seriously, it's been two months. Even I draw the line somewhere."

"Alright, alright, you have a point there," Lindsay sighed, "BUT… why waste time? I mean life's short, right… if we learn anything from this job, we know that life can be taken away in a heartbeat, and would you want to die with the regret of not seeing what forever was like with Donald Flack?"

"You're so dramatic Lindsay, it's just a piece of paper," Sam shrugged as she sipped her drink, "I know he loves me. Getting married doesn't matter to me."

"I know, and I get that… it's just something to think about, right? Future reference kind of thing."

Sam nodded, "Yeah, it's something to think about."

Lindsay nodded and was silent for a few moments, before turning excitedly on the couch and taking Samantha's hands, "What was it like, the ring?"

Sam closed her eyes for a second and let out a breath, "breathtakingly beautiful."

--

* * *

"MARRY YOU?!" Danny bellowed, "Are you crazy?"

"Keep your voice down!" Flack shushed him as he caught Amanda before she toppled onto her butt, "let's not have the _whole_ store thinking we're a gay couple."

"Sorry," Danny blushed, "But Flack, two months, and you're asking her to marry you… ?! I'll give you a Benjamin if you can tell me her middle name."

"Marie." Flack answered instantly.

"Okay, so I crossed my fingers. But seriously Flack; you're mental. You bumped your head against that AK-47 too hard yesterday. Get to know the girl first, moron. You don't go round throwing out marriage proposals here, there and everything, buddy."

"Well, if I love her, why wait?"

"Need me to trip the alarm system in your head Flack, cause apparently it's malfunctioning. Do you hear yourself? Marriage?! Whole nine?"

"Whole nine," Flack nodded, "Marriage. Kids. Forever. That's exactly it. What you and Monroe have, I want that with Sammie."

"Don't go rushing into it Flack." Danny told him, "Seriously"

"She's thinking about it…" Flack told him, "But I think that would be a no. She would know straight away really, wouldn't she?"

"You would think…" Danny shrugged, "least tell me you had a ring."

The homicide detective nodded, "Yup, Tiffany's and everything. Whole nine. Cost a bomb. It's gorgeous, if I do say so myself."

"You're mental," Danny declared, "I love you Flack, but you're mental."

"I'm not saying we're eloping next week. Christ Danny, I can keep the ring until we are ready… I have the money now, and I thought I would run it by her… see what she said."

"You're mental," Danny said shaking his head as he picked Amanda up and held her in his arms, "Uncle Donnie's mental, ain't he, princess?"

Amanda shrugged as she held up a hello kitty pyjama set for her teddy bear, "Sammie?"

"Auntie Sammie would like them pyjamas," Danny agreed with his little girl as he placed a kiss to her forehead, "she'd like them a lot."

"Buy for Sammie," Amanda said as she turned in Danny's arms to face Flack, "Pwease?"

"Would that make you happy, little one?" Flack asked.

Amanda nodded feverishly, and grinned. "Wub Sammie."

"We know you do, sweetie," Danny chuckled as he pressed a kiss to his daughter's temple,

"Who do you love more," Flack questioned his goddaughter, "Sammie or Uncle Flack?"

She considered it for a second, "Sammie."

"What about Daddy and Uncle Flack," Danny quipped

"Daddy," she answered instantly.

"I got a tough one," Flack smirked as he picked the little girl up, "Daddy or… Mommy."

Amanda smiled and reached over to Danny, and wrapped her arms around his neck, before moving to whisper in his ear. Chuckling, Danny set her on the floor, and ruffled her curls before grabbing the teddy bear clothes he had placed on the top of the stroller and walking towards the checkout with Amanda's tiny hand in his free one.

Flack shook his head as he quickly caught up with the two, "Come on, what she say?"

"That she loves us both the same," Danny smiled proudly as he squeezed his daughter's hand lightly, "Didn't you princess?"

She nodded and smiled brightly at Flack, "Wub 'dem both."

"She knows exactly how to work you," Flack snorted.

"They don't call her a daddy's girl for no reason," Danny smirked as he passed his credit card to the sales assistant, "And to be honest, I wouldn't have it any other way, Flack."

"You make me sick, Messer with your sap. You know that?"

Danny shrugged as he picked Amanda up from the floor, "hey, it's not me wanting to join this club, Flack. You want kids? You get sap. Comes with the name of daddy. Cause I could never not imagine havin' this one in my life. Declarations of love and all." Danny said with a smirk.

"Alright, wiseass. You win."

"It ain't a competition Flack, for me, it's the way it is…"

"Christ Mess," Flack sighed, "What happened to you?"

"Me?" Danny asked as he prodded Amanda's nose before looking at Flack, "I fell in love."

--

* * *

Carefully, Lindsay pushed through the front door, and chucked her bag on the ground, "I'm home," she called quietly into the warm house.

"In the kitchen," Danny called to her.

She toed her shoes off and made her way into the kitchen, "Howdy cowboy."

"You're home late," Danny said, "Amanda went to bed an hour ago."

"Paperwork" she shrugged as she took in his appearance. "What on earth have you been doing with yourself? You look like Ty Pennington, baby."

"DIY." He said as he twisted open a bottle of water, "decided to wait for you to get home."

"Me?" she laughed softly as she took the bottle of water from Danny and took a sip. "Why?"

"Cause in all honesty, I suck at assembling toddler beds. I had to put Amanda in our bed."

"Again?" Lindsay groaned, "she's not gonna wanna sleep in her room, Dan."

"She is" he insisted, "I've done everything else, just not the bed. Will you help me Linds, you have so much more patience with them kind of things."

"You're a serious moron sometimes," Lindsay sighed, as she made her way towards the stairs, "How did you, Nick and Flack fail to assemble the bed?"

"We're morons?" Danny shrugged, "Well educated morons? Flack knew more, and he only has a grade twelve."

"S'all you need," Lindsay smirked as she made her way up the stairs. "How far did you actually get?"

"I got the base done, and now I just need help with the rest of it."

"I sometimes wonder about you," Lindsay laughed as she pushed the door open, "I still cant get over that mural Nick painted, it's breathtaking."

"He said it was crap aswell." Danny said, "He's blind."

"Little bit." Lindsay laughed as she looked at the various pieces of the bed frame taking up their daughter's room. "Where do we start?"

"At the beginning?" Danny offered. "Seems like a good place."

Lindsay nodded as she sat down, "it could be a long night,"

"I got all the time in the world," Danny smirked as he sat next to her.

Lindsay flashed him a smile as she read through the instructions. "Guess what…"

"What?" Danny humoured her as he took a swig of his water.

"Flack proposed last night."

"I know," Danny smirked, "he told me today."

"And you didn't tell me?" she said as she abruptly moved the instructions from her hands to her lap, and glared at him.

"Linds, Sam was taking you to work, I presumed she might have mentioned it throughout the day. So technically, I could say the same to you."

"Was I not just telling you?" Lindsay snorted sarcastically.

"Alright… alright…" Danny smirked, "What first, Montana."

"Well, get the piece that is labelled with the number one."

"They're labelled?"

She stared at him in disbelief, "Yes, dear… did you read the instructions, it says that in big bolded underlined letters. At the very top." She smirked as she handed him the instruction pamphlet.

"Oh," he said bashfully as he read the instructions, "I didn't read that bit."

"Give me strength," Lindsay mocked.

"Oh, I'll give you something," Danny said as he wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Careful Einstein. There's nails and screws all over…"

He grinned at her, "you do not help my dirty mind in the slightest, Linds."

"What? Nail and screw?" she said absent-mindedly, before blushing, "Oh, right…"

"Well Linds, how about we fix her bed up, and get her in here."

"No chance, Danny." Lindsay said as she picked up a piece of wood, "I'm not waking her up to put her into a strange bed. She'd freak."

"She wouldn't. She'd suck it up."

"Danny, she's one. I would be worried if she didn't freak."

"Enough of the wiseassness, Montana." Danny smirked, "Can we get this show on the road?"

"Anything for you, sweetie." Lindsay smiled at him, and then stuck her tongue out.

"You're mean, Montana." Danny declared as he let out a breath of air.

"You wouldn't have me any other way, to be fair."

"Not ever." Danny agreed.

--

* * *

Flack's ears piped up as he heard the sounds of a key clicking in his lock, and his apartment door opening, "Take what you want and leave, I don't have no valuables."

"Very funny," she called as she toed off her shoes, before moving into the living room, and tossing her coat onto the back of the living room couch. "How was your day?"

"Fine, me and Danny went to the mall with Amanda."

Sam smiled brightly, "Aww, good. You didn't over do it, did you?"

"No, honey. I didn't," he rolled his eyes before turning back to the game on the TV. "I bought you something."

"You did?" she asked excitedly as she sat next to him, "What did you get me?"

"Do me a favour, babe… Get the bear factory bag out in the hallway and bring it in…"

She cocked her eyebrows, and smiled nervously at him.

"Go on," he urged,

She let out a sigh, and stood up off the couch and made her way into the hallway. "Can I look in...?"

"Not yet," he informed her "bring it here…"

She chuckled softly and handed him the bag over the back of the couch that was situated in the middle of the living room, before sitting next to him again.

"Close your eyes," he instructed after she had tucked her legs underneath her, as usual.

"What?" she asked, "Why?"

"Just trust me, Sammie." He said.

She rolled her eyes, before shutting them, the nervous smile still gracing her lips. "Should I be concerned?"

"Not at all." Flack promised. "Open them."

She peeked one eye open, and closed it again, while a huge, bright, childlike smile graced her lips, "Donnie."

"Open them" he repeated as he offered her the teddy bear, "go on,"

"You bought my teddy a new outfit?"

"Upon request of Amanda. She helped me dress it and everything," Flack smirked. "You like it?"

She nodded adamantly, "I want matching pyjamas."

Flack grinned. "M&M picked them out. Danny and I couldn't figure out whether they were pyjamas or not, apparently they are. And did you see the slippers babe? They got hello kitty on them and everything. We got a set for you and Amanda."

"You're cute," Sam smiled as she gazed contently at the teddy before placing it next to her on the couch, "Thankyou, Donnie."

"My pleasure babe," Flack smiled as he kissed her temple and turned his attention back to the TV.

They sat in a few minutes in a companionable silence, before the niggling inside of her got the better of her. "Donnie…"

"S'up babe?"

"Could you do me a favour?"

"Depends on what it is," he smirked.

"Could I see my ring again?"

He narrowed his eyebrows and sat back, "why?"

She shrugged, "I just want to see it, it's mine, isn't it?"

"It's yours for when you want it, babe."

A smile tugged at her lips, "What if I told you I wanted it now?"

Flack bit his lip, "Honestly, I don't know where I've put it babe."

She snorted, "What?"

"I put it away earlier. I'll dig it out later," he said as he draped an arm across her shoulder, and brought her head to rest on his shoulder. "I mean, you said no, and I thought I might as well keep it safe until we were further down the line, and in more of a place to get married."

"Oh," she nodded, "that's uh – that's fine… I mean, I did say that I didn't want to get married just yet."

"Exactly," Flack nodded in agreement, "No rush, right?"

"Exactly," she nodded, "No rush."

She let out a small sigh, and pulled away from Flack's light grip slightly. In a word, she was crushed. It had been her way of hinting that she had changed her mind.

And now, she had the dreadful feeling that she had pushed him away just that little bit too far.

She reached for her teddy and sighed as she smoothed down it's clothes and stood it on her lap. She took in the teddy bear's appearance and smiled. Yesterday it had been a Don Flack bear, now, it was a hello kitty bear, clad in pink fluffy slippers with matching white and pink pyjamas.

She pulled the top down lightly, so that the mid-drift was covered, and her eyes spotted something that made her heart skip a beat.

Her eyes shot across as she looked at her boyfriend sat next to her, staring, emotionlessly at the rangers game he had recorded from a week ago.

"Donnie?"

He bit his lip, and didn't tear his eyes away from the screen as he answered her, "What babe?"

"What's my ring doing on a necklace around my teddy's neck?"

He shrugged, "beats me sweetie, no idea how it got there."

She took a deep breath and reached across him, grabbed the remote from the arm of the sofa, and switched the TV onto standby.

"I'll ask you again," She started, "what's my ring doing on a necklace around my bear's neck?"

He let out a sigh, "I didn't want you thinking the only place I was capable of proposing in was the bathroom. I wanted it to be something memorable, babe. You mean a lot to me, Sam. And I know you think it's too soon, but I love you and no-one else has ever loved you half as much as I do... And I want… well, I want you Sam. You and me; forever and ever. Doesn't matter when you say yes, just so long as you do... I want real life, and real love. And with you, I have that. I wont ever let you down like he did, Sammie. I know you're scared of that, but with me, what you see is what you get. And I hope that you see a guy that is madly in love with you Sam. I hope you see a guy that would do anything for you, and will carry on doing anything for you, until the day he dies. I hope you see a guy that will catch you when you fall, and that will love you wholly and unconditionally for the rest of his life. And I just hope to god the guy you see, is me, that I'm the one you want that with."

"Ask me again," she said, breathlessly as tears rolled down her face.

He smiled and took the bear from her dead weight grip, unhooked the necklace and placed the ring in between his thumb and forefinger as he slid off the couch, and knelt on one knee in front of her.

"Sammie. Marry me."

She closed her eyes for a second, and let out a breath as her lips curled into a bright smile.

She nodded as she uttered the word "Yes".

* * *

**_Special huge thankies to..._**

Brown Eyed Girl 75

Twinkeyrocks

KTmac09

Dani Hope

MuchMadness

afrozenheart412

iheartcsinewyork

Baby Jefer

.queso

Bulletgirl1723

JavaJunkie4evr

gwen24

Simplelove3663

dantanaforev

MeredithandDerekfanforever

jagnic233

jordinajamaica

edward-and-bella-forever

aussietasha


	145. ONE YEAR SPECIAL :

_**A/N: Well, *wipes a tear away* WYHTG is officially one year old today!! How a oneshot got to be a year old, i'll never know, but, saying that, i'm not complaining. I feel like a proud mommy. LOL. Anyway, in celebration, i figured we could have a bit of a special chapter... And i will have you know, i busted my ass on this one, because the muse wasnt having any of it... But i didnt want to let you down, so the muse and I fought to the death, and got there in the end :) **_

_**Thank you all for the lovely Christmas wishes aswell! I hope Santa brought you wat you wanted. **_

_**And so, to conclude; all my loyal readers and friends. This one is for you guys :) **_

* * *

As the winter sun cascaded into the spacious bedroom, Danny Messer sighed contently into the pillow he was clutching.

Silence had overcome the house in the past ten minutes, and he was more than happy to take full advantage of said silence for as long as possible.

Until chaos finally awoke him. Again.

And would no doubt keep him up till the early hours of the next morning.

He peeled one eye open to glance at the red digital clock that stood proudly on his wife's bedside table, which read 7:35AM.

Not good for a man that didn't go to bed until 3:55 AM.

He let out a breath and closed his eyes again, while he spread out in the queen sized bed that he shared with his wife, as he breathed in her scent and rapidly fading perfume. He felt lonely in her absence, but was in no position to start roaming through the house in search of her.

He felt himself slowly drifting back into a comfortable sleep until he heard his bedroom door swing open, and crash against the wall

"DADDY! DADDY!"

"It starts," he muttered to himself as he opened one eye and looked at his little girl, excitedly trying to pull herself up onto the huge bed. "What princess?"

"Daddy, guess what? Guess what, daddy?"

"What baby girl?"

"Santa came, Daddy, Santa came. He broughted lots and lots of pwesents for me… And Mommy said you 'ave to get up! She said daddy!"

"Did Santa not bring any presents for Mommy, Daddy or your baby brother, little one?" Danny said as he ruffled his daughter's curls. "Were we on the naughty list?"

"I just looked for M&M daddy, I didn't know how to spelled your name. And mommy told me to get my butt away from the pwesents."

"You do know how to spell my name," Danny reminded her as he sat up in bed, and pulled her into his side, "remember, we sound the letters out, right?"

She nodded, "Daddy, can we goes an' open the pwesents, pwease?"

"Why sweetheart? Where's the fire? Think Santa's gonna come and take them away?"

"NOOOO!" She squeaked, "Santa wouldn't daddy!"

"I know, I know, I'm just pulling your leg," Danny assured her as he squeezed her knee cap, "Where's mommy, M&M?"

"itchen."

"You mean, Kitchen?"

"It's the same thing, daddy. You knowed what I meant."

"I did," Danny nodded.

"Daddy pwease get up. Me can't wait any longer. I really, really want to open my pwesents daddy, pwease? Mommy said I had to wake you up, and it's really hard sometimes, you take ages to wake up!!!"

"I worked last night, sweetie. Daddy got in really late, so he's really tired and sleepy."

"Did you see Santa?" Amanda squealed, "Did you see him daddy?"

"We stopped and talked in the hallway," Danny nodded, "he asked me if you and had been good… he can't check his list on the way here, so I had to ask mommy. Apparently a certain little girl went to bed early last night, didn't you?"

Amanda nodded, "mommy said Santa would come sooner if I did. So I did."

"And mommy was right, wasn't she…"

"Mommy's always right," Amanda nodded and kissed Danny's cheek, "Pwease daddy, me want to go!"

"Jeez, alright kid, alright. I'll be down."

"Pwomise?"

"I promise, kiddo." Danny assured her, "you go ahead, tell mommy to get the camera set up."

"Already did." Amanda grinned.

"Alright, the camcorder?"

"Grandpa did it." Amanda smiled.

"Okaaaaay…." Danny sighed dramatically "Tell her… to… tickle M&M" he chuckled as his fingers tickled her sides, reducing her to hysterical giggles as she thrashed around in the unmade bed.

"DADDY! STOP!"

Danny considered his options for a moment, but relented after her pleas. "Get," he said as he tapped her butt. "Leave daddy alone to wake up in piece."

She giggled as she grabbed an extremely tatty lickle bear, and headed for the door.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah sweetie," he said as he threw the covers off him,

"Pwomise you're coming."

"Can you not see me physically climbing out of bed…?"

She nodded as she reached for the door, but hesitated for a second. "Daddy?"

"What princess?" Danny sighed

"Do you know if Santa brought lickle bear some new clothes? He'd really like some. He told me so last night."

"I don't know, did you put it on your list Grandpa Mac sent to Santa?"

She nodded

"Well then," he answered, "I should think so."

She smiled and nodded understandingly. "Daddy?"

"What Amanda?" he sighed in annoyance, "What?"

"I love you, daddy. And Merry Christmas."

A grin spread across his face as a warm feeling spread through his chest, and warmed his heart, "Merry Christmas baby girl. And daddy loves you too."

"Lots?" she asked

"GO!" he yelled jokingly at her, "get downstairs before daddy chucks you downstairs."

"I'm going" she called as she hurried into the hallway, almost tripping over the beaten teddy bear that she adored that was dangling from her light grasp, "Hurry up, daddy! Remember! Hurry!"

He rolled his eyes as he pulled on a NYPD sweater from the chair in the corner of the room. "You gotta love Christmas" he sighed.

* * *

Lindsay Messer, let out a breath as she saw her husband join them in their room they once called the living room. The room was now filled with mountains of wrapped presents placed in five different piles.

"Nice of you to join us." She glared at him, "do you have any idea how hard it is, trying to restrain her while looking after him?"

"That's not nice to say about Mac, Lindsay." Danny winked at his boss sat on the couch, physically holding Amanda down on the couch, away from the floor where the mountain of presents sat on one side of the room, eagerly awaiting her.

"Daddy's here mommy. Daddy's here!"

"I see," Lindsay chuckled at her daughter, "Think we should let her open them now, grandpa, or make her wait a teeny tiny bit longer?"

"NOOOOO" Amanda Messer cried, startling her little brother, currently cradled in Lindsay's arms, "Mommy, I've been waiting a really long time."

"I know honey, I'm kidding. Go on."

Amanda flew to the floor, and made her way to the present she had been eyeing for the longest time.

It had taken Danny a good three and a half hours to set the tricycle up. Along with the ornate dolls house, the various floor toys they had bought for Joshua. It had amazed Danny in his then, delirious and sleep deprived state at how much packaging there was around children's toys. Especially the nine hundred _million_ dolls Lindsay just _had_ to buy for Amanda.

If he never saw a piece of cardboard or plastic wrapping ever again, it was too damn soon.

"How's my little buddy today?" Danny smiled as he took a seat on the floor next to Lindsay and took Joshua from her arms, "How's it going huh? You keep the girls in order last night?"

The little boy smiled brightly at his father and giggled softly.

"Take that as a yeah then?" Danny asked held him close to his chest, while gently ruffling his short blond hair, "how you doing, buddy?"

The baby smiled at his father again, and blew a raspberry in response.

"Wrapped around his pinkie finger," Lindsay smiled as she kissed Danny on the cheek, "Merry Christmas, honey."

"Merry Christmas baby." Danny smiled, "Sorry I wasn't up at the crack of dawn with you."

"Don't worry about it, you went to bed at what, 4AM? I think I will let you off."

Danny smiled and kissed her temple before turning to face Mac, "You sleep okay, boss?"

"Fantastic, thank you," he nodded from his position with Amanda sat on his knee, ripping open presents, "it's an extremely comfy bed. I don't know why you bought a new one…"

Danny bit his cheek and smiled, desperately trying to keep in the wiseass comment that was begging to be released from his lips about them breaking the bed in for him.

"Don't even go there," Lindsay glared at him, before placing her hand on his knee, pushing herself up, and moved over towards Amanda, and sat next to her, so that she was in view of the camcorder set up on the fireplace. Situated perfectly to catch each and every one of Amanda's reactions to the vast amount of presents.

"What time are Samantha and Flack coming 'round, Lindsay?" Mac inquired as he set Amanda on Lindsay's lap and stretched his legs.

"Not sure," she smiled brightly, "but let me tell you, I can't wait for Amanda to see B-A-B-Y K."

"Baby who?" Amanda asked over her shoulder.

Lindsay's eyes widened, "Baby, can you spell baby?"

She nodded, "Daddy taught me,"

Lindsay's eyes locked with Danny's across the room, "You taught her that?"

He shrugged as he stood up with Joshua, "I guess I did."

"How come you never play 'lets learn to spell' with mommy, sweetie?"

"Daddy makes it fun," she shrugged,

"Mommy isn't fun?" Lindsay asked, her bottom lip quivering.

"No, she is," Amanda nodded adamantly, touching the side of her face "you are mommy, daddy just makes me laugh when he pways with me."

Lindsay smiled and stuck her tongue out at Amanda, "I'm just kidding, sweetheart. Here…" Lindsay smiled handing her a gift, "I think Santa told daddy Amanda would like this one… So would lickle bear."

Amanda's eyes lit up and she smiled brightly, before ripping the paper from the gift. She instantly recognised the "Build a bear" logo, and squealed with excitement.

"MOMMY! MOMMY! It's an outfit for my teddy!! Daddy did you see it, daddy! Daddy"

Chuckling Danny glanced up from his new position of sitting with his back against the couch, Joshua in his lap, as they opened a present together, "Wow baby! Just what you asked for, isn't it."

"EXACTLY what I asked for!" Amanda gushed, "How did Santa know? I just tolded you daddy, didn't I?"

"Me and Santa are tight, you know that sweetie. Remember, I tell him when you're really good, right?"

"And bad" the little girl sniffed… "I bet he didn't…"

"Why don't we open all the presents first?" Mac suggested, trying to diffuse the certainty of the conversation ending in tears, "this looks like a good one, right?" he said, handing her the present.

She nodded excitedly and carefully unwrapped the present.

"Thank you," Lindsay mouthed at Mac in a sigh of relief.

Mac Taylor simply smiled in response, as he shifted in his position against the couch.

Danny and Lindsay had come to him on the 20th, and asked him to do them a favour. He had raised his eyebrows initially, but humoured them anyway.

The favour? Spending Christmas Eve, and Christmas day with them.

He had jumped at the offer.

It was the kindness and considerate nature of the way in which they had asked him, but ensured it was completely his decision. They didn't force him in anyway… which he appreciated more than they would probably ever know.

"Grandpa…" Amanda sing-songed in her tiny voice as she crawled on his knee, "Will you put it 'gether for me?"

"What is it sweetheart?"

"An hello kitty chair. The elves must have forgotted to do it…"

Danny snorted in response, until the two adults in the room shot him a glare, and he returned to his previous activities of shaking the rattle he had just unwrapped for Joshua.

"Yeah... the elves probably had to rush to make the rest of all the other little boys and girl's toys too." Mac smiled

"Did Santa and the elves make mine and Josh's first."

"He sure did." Lindsay nodded, "You're Santa's favourites, but Sssshhh!"

Amanda giggled and leapt up off of Mac's lap and headed over to Danny and Joshua, and sat on Danny's knee. "Hi." She chirped.

"Can we help you, baby girl?" Danny smiled as he pulled her close and placed a kiss on her temple.

"I wanted to see what you were doing. What did Josh get?"

"Baby toys, he's only little, remember M."

"Was I ever that little, daddy?" Amanda asked, as she stared down at Joshua, sucking on his thumb.

"You sure were, mommy was convinced daddy was going to drop you."

"You wouldn't drop me, would you daddy?"

"It depends, I might," he smirked,

"Like if we were the pool at Uncle Mac's apartedment?"

"Its apart-ment, sweetie. Apartment."

Amanda sighed heavily, and then proceeded to stick her tongue out, "daddy, it's the same t'ing."

He shook his head, "okay, then…"

"What did Santa bring _you_, daddy?"

"I don't know, baby girl. Why don't we open your presents, then we'll whip out mommy's, grandpa's and mine."

She nodded and abruptly stood up and jumped across the various spaces in the floor, before leaping and launching herself into Mac's open arms.

"It's a good job I watch you like a hawk, ain't it, honey? You could send me flying if I took my eye off you for a second."

Amanda giggled as she reached forward and unwrapped another present.

Danny smiled at the excitement on his little girl's face as she declared that the present was 'exactly what she always wanted'. Like the one before it, and he was positive there would be more declarations just like that to come after various other presents were unwrapped.

Carefully he stood up, and carried Josh into the kitchen. He stood for a moment and sighed, readying himself for the day's activities as he glanced at the table, ready to be set for nine.

Nine.

Plus three kids on top of that nine.

In his poor little house.

"You trying to come to terms with the fact the house will be in ruins this time tomorrow?" an extremely familiar voice whispered in his ear as a pair of arms snaked around his waist, as he supported his son.

"Funny, and yes, I am… actually. I hope you know what you're doing, baby."

"Absolutely." She smiled brightly as he turned to look at her. "I have Christmas day dinner down like nobody's business. And anyway…" she said as she took Joshua from his arms, and went to the fridge to get out some orange juice for Amanda and milk for Josh. "My mom and dad will be around in about 15 minutes."

"Do people from Montana not sleep on the 25th? Honestly, Sleep. In." he emphasised on the latter part of the sentence.

"They'd have been here earlier, had they not got caught up at Uncle Freddie's."

"What about my mom and dad?"

"They'll be here at one." Lindsay told him screwed the lid onto Amanda's sippy cup, "And Sam and Flack will be here in like 5 minutes I think…"

Danny smiled as he took Joshua from Lindsay and wrapped his arm around her, "it's been one hell of a year for us all, hasn't it?"

She nodded and smiled, "I wouldn't haven't changed it for the world, though."

"It's a shame Hawkes and Nick couldn't come today, ain't it…"

"They're on call with Stella though," Lindsay reminded him, "they said if it's slow, they'll drop by and we'll do presents."

"I swear, it would have been such a better idea to do secret Santa, Linds."

"No, it wouldn't… because we would have bought Mac, Sam and Flack one… and then Hawkes and Nick, and then Stella one too… So I mean we'd have been wasting our time and paper while we drew names out of a hat."

"I guess," Danny shrugged, "You bleed me dry, Monroe."

"You wouldn't have me any other way, Messer."

Danny smirked as he placed a kiss to her forehead, "I better go and talk to Amanda, warn her to be quiet and careful with Sam and Flack's surprise."

"Think we should have told her, Danny?"

"No…" He said shaking his head, "Imagine her little face when she seems them, Linds."

Lindsay nodded and smiled in agreement as she pulled her hair into an elastic. "Should we have Amanda answer the door?"

"I think so," Danny nodded, "One of us can be on standby with the camcorder."

Lindsay nodded, and hurried off into the living room, "Amanda… can you…"

The doorbell sounded, indicating the Flacks' arrival, and Amanda was instantly on her feet.

"Hold it right there!" Danny called from the kitchen as he rushed into the living room. "Park your butt, Messer." He chuckled as he watched Amanda freeze, mid-position.

She glanced up at him, through her bangs and smiled angelically, as her eyes followed her father hand her little baby brother to Mac, and then as Danny turned to look at her.

He crouched down, and whispered in her ear, "Auntie Sammie and Uncle Donnie have a surprise for you…"

"MORE presents?" she giggled, "did Santa go to their house too?"

"Not exactly," Danny said, "it's something _you_ can't keep."

"A puppy?" she asked hopefully.

Lindsay chuckled as she held the camcorder, pointing at Amanda and Danny. "No sweetie, no puppy, sorry."

"Awwww!" she sighed dramatically, with a pout. "Can they take it back and get me a puppy?"

"Well baby girl, how about we have a look at what they've brought and we can make a decision then?"

She nodded in agreement and took the hand Danny had extended for her to take, "But daddy…"

"What princess?" he asked as he lead her to the front door.

"If I don't like it, will they… will they take it back and get me a puppy?"

"We'll see." Danny chuckled as the stood by the door, waiting for Lindsay to get in the right position to catch the exchange about to take place, "You ready?"

Amanda nodded and waited anxiously for Danny to open the door. Reaching forward, Danny turned the front door, and opened it slowly to reveal Don Flack stood there, bag of presents in one hand, with a diaper bag slung over his shoulder, and a baby carrier in the other.

Amanda glanced up and Danny and sighed, "Why do they 'ave Josh's baby carrier, daddy? That isn't a good present."

"How about you let me and Auntie Sammie in, and you can have a proper look, M&M?"

She giggled at Flack's rugged and unshaven look, before moving slightly, "You look funny Uncle Donnie."

"Thanks, Kid." He said as he moved forwards into the house, revealing Samantha.

"SAMMIE!" Amanda squealed as she ran out of the house in her pyjamas and tackled her leg, "Hi." She chirped, as she smiled up at her, "Merry Christmas"

"Merry Christmas sweetie." Sam smiled, as she hugged her with one arm and placed a kiss to the top of her head, "can we go inside, babe?"

Amanda nodded and took Samantha's hand excitedly. "What did you get me?"

"It's a good job I love you, cheeky monkey. Look in the baby carrier, sweetie." Sam smiled as she glanced up at Lindsay and winked at her while walking through the front door.

"Your feet wet now, Kid?" Flack smirked at Amanda as he took his position next to Danny, clasping him on the back. "Your kid's a geek, Mess. You seen the snow out there?"

"She'll live," Danny smirked, "Merry Christmas Daddy Flack…"

"A BABY?!" Amanda squealed "YOU BOUGHTED ME A BABY?"

The four burst into small laughter, as Sam leant down next to Amanda, who was gazing wide-eyed at the little baby, tucked into the baby carrier.

"Sweetie, this is Kieran." Samantha began, "Remember how Auntie Sammie and Mommy were having babies at the same time…"

"We got Josh ages ago, Auntie Sammie, 'member."

"I do," Sam nodded, "But this is your cousin, honey. This is Kieran."

Amanda gazed into Sam's eyes, before glancing down at the baby, then up at Lindsay, begging for confirmation that the baby currently fast asleep was in fact her cousin.

"She's right sweetie." Lindsay nodded, "Say hello."

Amanda fell to her knees by the side of the baby carrier and gently prodded Kieran's cheek with her index finger. "Mommy!" she exclaimed in a mere whisper, "The baby is _real_!"

Lindsay and Sam burst into a fit of giggles, and Sam leant down on the other side of the baby carrier, "you're right, honey… he's a real baby, so we have to be really gentle, right?"

Amanda nodded adamantly. "He's _really_ little."

"He is," Flack said from his position, "what do you think?"

"I wub him!" Amanda smiled proudly, "what's his name, mommy?"

"Kieran, baby girl. Kieran."

"Can we keep him, mommy?"

Danny chuckled and leant down by the side of his daughter and tickled her sides, "what about Joshua, sweetie?"

"He's boring daddy, he doesn't play with me."

"Baby, he's two months old, he's still really little."

"But he's boring." The little girl whined, "this baby smiles when I tickle her."

"M&M, Kieran's a boy." Danny told her

"Oh," she nodded, "well he smiles when I tickle him."

Lindsay smiled and laughed softly "sweetie, how about you ask Daddy and Uncle Donnie to take you into the living room with baby K and introduce Kieran to Josh?"

"That's a fab-tastic idea mommy!" Amanda giggled, "Can I daddy, can I?"

Danny shrugged, "why not…"

* * *

Lindsay smiled at the sight of her best friend, slumped over her not yet set dining room table "Tired?"

Her head in her hands muffled Sam's chuckle, "I haven't slept since he was born, and if I have, I don't think it was for more than four hours. Four hours in five days? I can't drink coffee, and alcohol is completely off limits, so in a word, yeah, you could say I was tired."

"A simple yes would have been efficient," Lindsay teased, "you could go upstairs and take a nap Sam," she suggested. "My mom will be here in about ten minutes anyway, so I will have more than enough help between the kids and the kitchen."

"I know but I can't just leave you alone, cooking for nine and Amanda… It's hectic Linds, I wouldn't want you to struggle alone."

"Which part of my mom is getting here in ten minutes didn't you understand, Sam?"

Her best friend laughed, "I could really do with the nap."

"Exactly," Lindsay smirked, "just go lie down in mine and Dan's room for an hour, and it'll do you the world of good."

"What if K needs me though… I don't think…"

"He has Auntie Linds, Uncle Danny, and Daddy. I'm sure he can give his mommy up for an hour. He's spent nine months with you…"

Sam yawned, "Only an hour though, I'm setting an alarm and I expect you to come and get me Linds. One Hour, kapish?"

"Loud and clear" Lindsay saluted, "Go on,"

Smiling Sam stood up and pulled Lindsay into a hug, "Merry Christmas, Linds."

"Merry Christmas Sam."

* * *

"How goes it then, Daddy Flack?" Danny smirked as he and Flack sat themselves on the couch – the only place Amanda hadn't taken over in the whole of the living room – yet.

"It goes. When you were telling me all about daddyhood, you forgot to tell me that my kid doesn't sleep."

"Sorry, must have slipped my mind." Danny snorted sarcastically

"Yeah well, other than him deciding to be up all night, it goes."

"He'll settle down, Flack. He is only five days old, remember?"

"I remember." Flack nodded, "but let me tell you, in these five days, I cant remember when I didn't have him… he's my whole world, him and Sam."

"I told you, didn't I? I said that…"

"Yes you did," Flack nodded, "oh wise one."

"Hey, " Danny glared, feigning hurt, "place nice, Daddy Flack."

Flack smirked, "Must you call me that?"

Danny nodded adamantly and smirked, "I must. I insist in fact."

"You're somethin' else, you know that right."

"One in a million," Danny declared as he gazed down at a sleeping Kieran in Flack's arms, "you do the whole big strong man, with a tiny baby thing well,"

"I learnt from you," Flack smirked, "but yeah, it's driving Sam wild… Apparently the whole strong NYPD homicide detective holding a newborn baby and being all sensitive does something for her."

"It's the hormones," Danny sniggered,

"What I said," Flack shrugged, "I'm worried about her, she hasn't slept much… I get up with K most of the night, but she's always awake anyway…"

"Give her time, Flack… She just had a baby, gonna take some time…"

Flack nodded, "How's JD today?"

"I wish you'd stop calling him that." Danny sighed, "He's my son… not an alcoholic beverage, Daddy Flack."

"It's a cute affectionate name, Danno. And you shouldn't have given him a name like that…. You walked into it giving him the initials J.D."

"Joshua Daniel… it is a cute name, ain't it?"

"Not as cute as Kieran."

"You forgot his middle name…" Danny sing-songed.

"I'm scratching the godforsaken name off the birth certificate. I can't believe Sammie talked me into it."

"Kieran Donald… Come on Flack, it's cute."

"Matter of opinion. I mean I love Kieran. I don't see him as anything else… But Donald? I'm as bad as my old man, calling my son Donald."

"Flack, chill. It's a name…"

Sighing heavily, Flack softly drew his fingers through his son's soft jet-black hair, "I never thought I could love someone as much as I love him…"

"Welcome to my world," Danny smirked as he gazed at Amanda, and then down at his own son in his arms, "I bet you thought I was bullshitting when I used to go on about how much I adored Amanda."

Flack nodded, "I gotta admit, I thought you were… I mean I love Sam; you know that, wholly and conditionally, forever and ever, right… But K – from the minute I held him, I was done for…"

"You're preaching to the choir, Flack." Danny laughed, "you're joining my club, remember."

"Just leave me to do the whole new daddy speech, alright? I mean look at us," Flack said, gazing down at the two little boys in their respective father's arms. "What happened to us? Where did the old Danno and Flack go?"

"We fell in love with our girls…"

* * *

Lindsay closed her eyes and let out a breath as she sat down at her kitchen table, regretting sending Samantha upstairs. It wasn't that she was overwhelmed with prospect cooking their Christmas lunch, nor was it missing out on the fun and games in the living room.

It was the fact that she was absolutely exhausted, and, if given the chance would gladly sleep until Joshua's graduation, soundly.

It was damn hard juggling both Amanda and Joshua on her own when Danny was at work. Damn hard. She loved it, and wouldn't change it for the world… But with an energetic toddler, and a new baby, it was a lot to handle.

She closed her eyes for a second, and attempted to block out the noise and racket coming from her children, their fathers and the Christmas music Mac had put on minutes before.

"Well look at my baby girl…"

Lindsay's eyes shot open and she turned with a smirk on her face, "Ever heard of knocking, daddy?"

"When I'm at my little girl's house, dream on Lindsay." Jack Monroe smiled at his daughter, "Get over here and give me a hug."

Lindsay smiled broadly and raced across her kitchen, as her father wrapped her in a tight hug, "Merry Christmas, Daddy."

"Merry Christmas, kiddo." He pushed her away, and looked her up and down, "Lindsay you look incredible."

Blushing, she swatted his arm, and rolled her eyes, "if I was three hundred pounds, you'd be singing the same tune, dad."

"Sue me, I'm biased… you're my baby, and I love you." He smiled as he poked her nose teasingly with his index finger. "Need any help in here? Looks like it isn't quite systems go on the Christmas lunch front as of yet."

"I'm faltering." Lindsay laughed, "Don't quite know where to start. I put the turkey in at six, but so far, that's it."

"Move over," Jack smiled at her while rolling his sleeves up, "Daddy to the rescue."

Lindsay's bright laughter filled the kitchen at the sight of her father taking charge. She quickly moved towards him, and snuggled into his side as he tied Danny's "I'm the man" apron around his waist. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed her temple lightly, "It's been way to long since you've been 'round, dad. Way too long,"

"Don't remind me, sweetie, alright? We're going to try and come more often now that Chris has taken over the ranch, completely. Who knows, we might even buy ourselves a little penthouse apartment in the city. How would you like that?"

"You have any idea how much penthouses cost, Daddy?" Lindsay sniggered, "seriously?"

"Alright, maybe I was fantasising a bit, but either way… I miss you, baby girl."

"You too, daddy. You too."

* * *

"So this is the head of the NYPD crime lab then," Emily Monroe smiled as she took a seat next to Mac on the floor. "I don't think we met properly at Danny and Lindsay's wedding way back when, I'm…"

"Emily Monroe… I've heard a few tales from both Lindsay and Danny, It's nice to put a face to a name." Mac said, extended his hand, "I'm Mac… Or Grandpa, depending on which Messer it is you're talking to…"

"Linds told me about Amanda calling you that… I hope it isn't…"

"Not at all," Mac said holding his hand up, "See, I didn't have children with my wife… And when she passed away, I didn't exactly have… well, any family, so this little girl…" Mac smiled down at Amanda sat on his knee, gazing at both Kieran and Josh on the couch. "She gives me the chance to spoil someone rotten."

"Well," the older woman smiled in his direction, "from all the stories I have heard, seen and read about you, Mac… that is quite possibly my favourite one… Well that and when you took down the Irish mob gang back in, when was it…?"

"May 2007. Seems like a lifetime ago now though."

"It most certainly does." Emily agreed. "And how are you, Don?"

Flack looked up from gazing at Kieran and shrugged, "Life couldn't get much better. How are you? Retirement being nice to you?"

"Flack…." Danny hissed, "I ain't even asked that yet… stop showing me up."

"You carry on Danny." Emily laughed, "We can talk later…"

"Yeah Danny, you can talk later," Flack smirked.

"So, tell me about Mac Taylor…" Emily smiled.

* * *

Lunch had gone relatively smoothly, considering the amount of people they had attempted to – and had successfully fit around Danny and Lindsay's dining room table, designed for six people.

Laughter and joy had been shared throughout their meal, with jokes and stories being told frequently. Tales of Lindsay's and Danny's childhood were the main focus of the entertainment at the dinner table, with both of their parents taking – (and thoroughly enjoying) the opportunity to inform their friends and colleagues of their younger years and escapades.

Mrs. Messer, as Flack called her was a godsend, apparently, with the dirt she had on Danny and his various antics with Louie when they were children.

And Danny declared never to speak to his mother as long as he lived.

He had relented ten minutes into his life long declaration, and just begged her 'never to pull that type of shit again.'

She promised.

Then proceeded to fill Flack's new wife on dirt from Flack's academy days that he shared with Danny.

In a word, Flack had been mortified, and now, fully appreciated the humiliation he had put Danny through previously.

Since lunch, they had moved into the living room, plates, dishes and pans forgotten in the sink and on the side, ready and waiting to be cleaned, while they simply enjoyed the holidays.

No work.

No responsibilities.

Just their nearest and dearest in the same room, celebrating the holidays together.

Playing on Danny's brand new wii.

"Swing it, go on… Home run it, Danno. Home run it!"

"I got it flack, thanks."

"SWING!"

"I GOT IT!" Danny bellowed.

"Ladies," Mac chuckled, "It's just a game, maybe we should…"

"Maybe Flack should shut the hell up, and let me do my thing."

"Maybe Danny should just swing the damn bat and stop being such a damn freaking cupcake about it."

"Maybe you should go park your ass on my couch, and shut your mouth."

"Maybe you should…"

"Daddy…."

Danny broke away from his steadily growing argument with Flack and turned the game on pause before looking down at his daughter, "What princess?"

"Can we go outside? It snowed."

"Don't you wanna play on the wii, baby girl?"

She furrowed her brow, and shook her head, "Why would I want to?"

"Cause it's fun," Danny shrugged, "here," he said offering her the controller, "you'll like it."

She shook her head, "I really wanna go outside daddy."

"But it's cold sweetie, and you have your nice dress on," he reminded her of her attire. Grandpa and Grandpa Monroe had bought, all the way from Bozeman, a beautiful silky pink dress trimmed with a soft lilac netting, which complimented the light pink perfectly. The dress shimmered in the dimmed lights in the living room, as Amanda trudged through the mountains of presents scattered across the floor.

"Mommy will put me in my Uggys, right mommy?"

"I will indeed," Lindsay smirked, "shall we go and get dressed right this very instant?" she asked her daughter, "get daddy and uncle Donnie to take you out?"

Amanda nodded excitedly and bounced through the room, dodging her grandparents sat on the floor, cooing over Joshua and Kieran.

"Think our wives paid her to do that?" Flack asked Danny over his shoulder, "Diffuse the situation over here."

"Like fuck," Danny sniggered, "they want a go on the bowling, that's what they're doing… we're outside, they got full reign of the wii, I cant see my mom or dad wanting to play… Or Linds' parents for that matter."

"What about me, I could be the brains of 'operation: get Daddies outside'" Mac smirked

"You Mac?" Both Danny and Flack snorted together, "No chance… you've been too busy umpiring me and Flack…"

"Man of many talents," Mac shrugged, "you two better go and get your shoes on, looks like Amanda is dead serious about going outside."

"Think yourself we're not dragging your ass outside with us, Mac."

"I'd gladly go… But I will leave you two to have a bonding session with M&M." Mac sniggered, "I'll go and make myself useful in the kitchen, doing the dishes."

"I knew we should have played monopoly," Flack sighed dramatically. "I just knew it."

"Stop your whining" Danny spat, "Suck it up… get used to the cold. Sam and Kieran will be dragging your ass outside the first signs of snow, daddy Flack."

"Seriously, either knock it off, or watch me knock you out."

"I'd love to see you try," Danny teased. "You're dead on your feet, Flack, no chance you could muster up the strength to start throwing your weight around."

"Only takes once, Danny."

"That's right, it does only take once."

"Not like that, wiseass." Flack snorted, "I meant it only takes me one punch and you'd be out of it…"

"Me ready!" Amanda grinned brightly at her father and her uncle in the hallway, "Come on!"

"You ready to brave the artic, Danny?" Flack chuckled

"For my little girl? I'd do it everyday."

"She has you wrapped around her finger," Flack sighed as he zipped his coat up.

"Since the day she was born," Danny nodded as he opened the door and took his daughter's gloved hand. "Till the day I die."

Despite the freezing cold blast of cool air, Flack felt a warming sensation fill him with adoration, and dare he say, love for his best friend.

Following them out, Flack bent down and scooped up a handful of snow and pelted it at the Danny.

"You're a dead man, Flack."

"Bring it," the homicide detective grinned as he shut the front door.

* * *

Chuckling heartedly, Amanda fell backwards onto the snow, and proceeded to move her arms and legs to her sides, creating a Snow Angel, as Danny and Flack added the finishing touches to their newly built snowman.

"She's a bundle of energy, Danny." Flack commented as he tied the scarf Sam had bought him from Christmas around the snowman's neck. "I don't know how you do it…"

"Lots of coffee." Danny chuckled as he stared down at his daughter, giggling to herself in the snow. "I'm kidding… I don't know… I guess I just do anything… When she's happy, I'm happy."

"And when you're both happy, Linds is happy, so I guess it's a win-win thing, right?"

"Exactly." Danny nodded, "And same goes for when Josh is old enough. I'll be out here with him aswell."

"And Kieran." Flack added, "I swear to you, that boy will want for nothing. I'm taking him to every sports try out, every soccer game. Hockey game. Basketball. Whatever his heart desires, it's done."

"Welcome to the club, Flack." Danny chuckled as he clasped his hand against Flack's back.

Lindsay smiled as she stood in the window, gazing out into her front garden with a steaming cup of hot chocolate and marshmallows as she watched some of the most important people in her life enjoy the snow.

"What they doing now?"

"Flack's tying that scarf you got him round the Snowman's neck."

"He's something else…" Sam chuckled, "Shall I make him wear it home?"

"You wouldn't be so mean." Lindsay laughed, then considered it for a second, "Okay, so maybe you would…"

"No, I'm just kidding…" Sam nodded as she wrapped an arm around Lindsay pulling her friend into a one armed hug, and resting her head against her shoulder, "you've been fantastic today, Linds… that dinner was incredible…"

"My daddy helped," Lindsay chuckled, "it wasn't all me…"

"Your dad? Wow. If only I had known… I would have made a more informed choice about who I married and…"

"I beg you not to finish that sentence," Lindsay giggled.

"You know I'm just kidding Linds." Sam smiled. "Thank you for what you did for Kieran aswell … but still, it was way too much."

"Sam, I told you then… it was your wedding and baby presents combined."

"Lindsay, you did the whole nursery for us…"

She shrugged, "When Rikki died, Danny didn't want to anything that reminded him of her… He took it hard, Sam… you know that. I still think he feels responsible, but we don't talk about it… We just thought it would be a nice way for you two to not be completely bankrupt by the end of your first year of marriage, considering everything came at once. It was win-win for us all. We didn't have a mountain of unused money in the account, and we bought you two something that, well, we hope comes in handy."

"Something? Lindsay, the whole room… You could have saved it for Amanda and Josh… put them through college."

"Our parents both have savings accounts. Mine have Amanda covered; Danny's parents have Josh, so honestly, Sam… We love you both, and we just wanted to do that for you…"

"Well, thank you, Linds." Samantha said sincerely, "it took a lot of pressure of us, what with the wedding and the week away."

Lindsay pulled her best friend into a hug, "Merry Christmas, Sammie."

"Merry Christmas Linds."

* * *

"Hey, sleeping beauty," Flack chuckled, "wake up, we got a scene."

Danny stirred slightly, he blinked his eyes open, and glanced down at his attire, before wiping his sleep-laced eyes, "What month we on?"

Laughing, Flack rolled his eyes and offered his friend a hand, "March, why?"

"Vivid dream… That's all."

"I'm not even asking." Flack laughed, "How long were you out?"

Danny glanced at the clock and shuddered, "About an hour and a half,"

"Christ Messer, late night last night?"

"Me and Linds might have stayed up late… Or went to bed late… Or skipped sleep completely."

"You know what, I don't even want to know…"

Danny smiled softly as he grabbed his light jacket from the back of his chair, "Hey Flack, question…"

His friend turned in the doorway and leant against the frame, "Shoot."

"What do you think of the name, Kieran?"

Flack smiled and nodded, "I like it, why?"

"Just something to think about…"

Flack shook his head and clapped his friend's back; "I think it's about time we get you off the coffee, Messer… Coffee _and_ watching CBS, killer combination for your dreams, buddy."

"Yeah, yeah…" Danny smirked… "Laugh it up… Just you wait, buddy…"

Flack smirked as the two headed down the hallway for the elevator. _Just you wait_, Danny thought to himself.

* * *

_**Bet you all knew it was a dream, right? Go on, leave a review :) It'll make my day . **_

_**Special thankies to...**_

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	146. Chapter 146

_A/N: I apologise, i've been totally slacking on the WYHTG front... actually, i've just been slacking in everything. Blame my birthday and New Year being within two days of each other. LOL... _

_And apologies if this chapter is a little odd in regards to line spacing, i'm borrowing my sister's laptop, (long story) and it's not doing what i want it to do. Damn technology. So, bare with the probable odd breaks in the chapter, i tried my best to fix them! lol. _

_**BEG**, here you go, there's your damn crack. :P Just kidding. _

_Happy Birthday **Muchmadness** ;)_

* * *

"Mommy's getting too pregnant to do housework, M&M" Lindsay said, as she moved from the now, unloaded dishwasher, to Amanda's highchair, where her daughter sat, banging her plastic spoon onto her sippy cup, and shrieking playfully.

"Please scream some more, Amanda… I don't think I've heard enough screaming." Lindsay sighed as she lifted her daughter from her highchair, "Did daddy put screaming juice in there, this morning before he ran off to work, leaving mommy at home with you?"

Amanda nodded and blew a raspberry in response.

"You have way too much energy," Lindsay sighed heavily, "M&M, why did mommy think it was the bestest idea in the whole wide world to enrol you in the day care over at the crime lab and have Beth look after you on the weekends? I would kill daddy just so that I could have a nap right now, and we both know how much I love your daddy, right?"

Amanda nodded and giggled playfully as she clutched onto Lickle bear that she had managed to grab from a dining room chair.

"You found your teddy then?" Lindsay sighed, "mommy wanted to wash him, baby girl, you got him all dirty when you were playing with daddy."

Amanda glared at her mother for a minute, holding her gaze, until the little girl burst into a fit of giggles and snuggled the teddy bear to her chest.

"Give me strength," Lindsay said as she offered Amanda her hand to pull her up off the floor, where Amanda had plopped herself down while playing with Lickle bear, "Mommy needs to take it easy I think… like sleep until your graduation, and let daddy take over… how does that sound?"

Amanda nodded adamantly, and shrieked with an ear-piercing giggle.

"What is going on with you today?" Lindsay sighed heavily as she picked her daughter up, "Do I need to take you somewhere to blow off some steam, huh?"

Amanda nodded and placed her head on Lindsay's shoulder, "Sammie."

"Auntie Sammie probably wants to spend her day off alone, baby girl." Lindsay told her daughter, "Can M&M and mommy have a mommy and M&M day?"

"Mommy, M&M, Sammie." Amanda said as she wrapped her little arm around Lindsay's neck in attempts of pulling her Mother into a hug, "pwease"

"You break my heart, little one? You know that, right?"

Amanda nodded and shrieked happily as Lindsay placed her on her hip, and reached for the cordless phone that was placed on top of the various case-files and bills that lay on the kitchen table. Picking the phone up, Lindsay pressed speed dial four, and then pressed the phone to her ear, securing it in place with her shoulder. She moved down slightly, to pick up the bills on the table, and dropped them one by one on to the table, after seeing that they were in fact, all bills.

"Samantha!" Lindsay exclaimed down the phone, "what are you doing with yourself today, 'cause I have a little girl begging to see her favourite auntie."

Smiling, Lindsay turned to Amanda, and nodded before answering her friend, "that sounds like a plan, I'll call you back in a little while, then?"

Lindsay disconnected the call, and chucked the phone back on the table, before poking her daughter in the nose, "you have me wrapped around your finger, don't you?"

Amanda nodded and grinned cheekily, before kissing Lindsay's cheek noisly.

* * *

It had been a surprisingly quick drive to the new Chuck. E. Cheese that Sam had suggested in Long Island City, Queens. She had reasoned on the phone, after Lindsay had battled with Amanda for a good thirty-five minutes to get in the bath and dressed again, that it was a perfect place for Amanda to let off some steam as she played with the various games and the play gym. The two friends could mindlessly following Amanda around, chatting amongst themselves, before tucking into a not so appetising pizza.

And Lindsay would have Samantha as a backbone in her near emotional breakdown at juggling a giggling and over excited little girl, while being pregnant.

Amanda had been extremely fussy the whole way over, crying and whimpering about being strapped into her car seat. The incessant whining had gotten on Lindsay's already short nerves and by the time she pulled into the packed parking lot she was at breaking point. She banged her hand against the wheel, as she looked at the two rows of parked cars, no visible spaces for her to park in.

She carried on driving slowly through the parking lot, and saw a small woman stood, obviously saving a space for someone.

"Fantastic" Lindsay muttered as she turned the wheel, ready to drive off, until she saw a smiling Samantha Ross turn around and wave her into the parking space.

Lindsay let out a breath as she pulled the SUV neatly into the parking space next to what Lindsay recognised as Flack's SUV.

Lindsay unlocked the door, and allowed Sam to jump in the passenger seat as she quickly straightened up.

"You look frazzled, Lindsay." Sam said,

"I am about this close," she said as she held up her thumb and forefinger so that there was the tiniest space imaginable between them both, "to breaking down and sobbing like a baby. And I don't even know why! Usually I'm fine with her Sam, I'm fine with my baby girl when she's like this… why am I close to breaking down?"

"How's about you're a hormonal pregnant woman with a tired little girl."

"I suppose that could be a possibility," Lindsay shrugged as she glanced in her rear view mirror at her daughter sat in the back seat with puffy eyes, "You better knock it off, Amanda. You're never like this baby girl. What's gotten into you?"

"Daddy! Me want daddy"

"Well, tough. Daddy's at work right now," Lindsay told her daughter, "so looks like you're stuck with your mean old mom."

"Daddy!" Amanda shrieked, "daddy!"

Lindsay pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a breath, "god, please give me strength…" she turned to face Samantha, "she's been like this all morning Sam. All morning she's been asking for Danny..."

"Take a breather," Sam said as she opened her door, "take a breather in here for five minutes, I'll take her inside, get her hand stamped, and grab a table. When you've wound down, you come in, and Amanda will have had an attitude change, cause Auntie Sammie is gonna have a few words with M&M."

Tears threatened to fall in Lindsay's tired eyes. "I swear I wont be long Sam, I promise."

"Take all the time you need… Just take a breath and close your eyes, okay?"

Lindsay nodded as her friend shut the SUV door, and headed round to Amanda's backseat door, and opened it, and took her out of the car seat. Samantha leaned forward into the back seat and rubbed Lindsay's arm affectionately in a soothing motion, before grabbing the diaper bag and flinging it over her shoulder and picking Amanda up in her arm and placing her effortlessly on her hip.

"I have my cell," she told her friend, "if you can't find us, call me, and I'll come looking for you, okay?"

Lindsay nodded and sniffed noisly as Samantha shut the backseat door.

Lindsay let a sigh escape her lips, and pulled her iPhone out of its holder on the dashboard.

Quickly she pulled up her contacts, and scrolled down before stopping on her husbands cell phone number.

She held it to her ear, as she let the cool air from the air conditioning flow through the vents onto her flushed cheeks.

He answered the phone with his usual work greeting of; "Messer,"

"I can't cope" she blurted out in one breath, "I cant deal with Amanda… she's driving me crazy Danny, I don't know what to do with her…"

"Slow down, Montana," Danny chuckled down the phone, "s'happening?"

"She's – she's – I just-"

"Where is she?"

"In Chuck. E. Cheese with Sam. We met her here, and Sam took her inside… Danny, she keeps crying for you, and there's just nothing I can do, and I – I – I"

"Lindsay, breathe, okay? Can you do that?"

"Wiseass, yes of course I can breathe…" Lindsay spat down the phone, "I'm just… she's never like this…"

"Yeah, but Linds, she is… you're just stressed right now, so it's making you freak out, okay… take a breath, and you'll go in to wherever you are, refreshed and ready and raring to go."

"Danny, she's…. she's just driving me crazy…"

"She isn't, you don't mean that," Danny told his wife, "Just relax okay, don't take it so seriously. If she starts acting bad again, take her toy rights away like we talked about, okay?"

"She's too young for me to take toys away, she wouldn't understand, Danny. I told you that."

"Alright then," Danny sighed, "find a place and put her on the naughty step… I've put her on it at home before, and she knows what it is, okay… So do that, alright? Warn her three times Linds, then put her in a time out."

Lindsay nodded, "I – I just,"

"I know, baby… I know…"

"I'm a bad mother… how can I be a mom to _two_ kids when I can't deal with _one_,

Danny?"

"Linds, chill out. Okay? You're a fantastic mom and you know it, so don't start doubting yourself, okay? We both know you're perfectly capable, and you're just stressed right now… you've been working hard, and you need to take a minute to sit down and breathe every once in a while."

"When do I have time," she wailed down the phone, "I can't…. Mac needs me to…"

"I'll speak to Mac," Danny assured her, "I'll pull some stings, baby girl, okay… I got you covered; you know that… You shouldn't run yourself down like this. I didn't realise you were this upset about things, sweetie."

"I'm not," Lindsay sniffed, "Amanda… she…"

"It isn't Amanda, Linds and you know it… it's work, and stress, okay? Now I'm gonna go and talk to Mac and let him know that you want to reduce your workload a little, okay? How does that sound?"

She nodded, but then realised that Danny was unable to see her. "Shouldn't I talk to him though, Danny?"

"Well, technically speaking, maybe, but I'm here, and there's no point of getting you over here when I'm perfectly capable of doing it…"

"Well, I could call him later."

"Exactly, I'll call you, let you know what he says… then you can speak to him if you still want to, okay?"

"'kay," Lindsay nodded again. "Thank you, Danny."

"Anything for you, Linds… and we'll talk tonight, maybe we can sort something out… like I can do some of the house work or something…"

"Love you," Lindsay sighed down the phone, slowly feeling the stress and anxiety leave her.

"I love you, baby… Just remember, chill out, okay… When things are getting a little overwhelming, step back and take a breath, okay?"

"Okay," she told him as she killed the engine, and grabbed her bag, "what time will you be home?"

"Scheduled for six, but we'll see, cause I'm not sure… I might be working over, depending on which way this case goes me and Hawkes are working on. We're just waiting on the ME."

"Did Hawkes enjoy San Francisco?"

"He did," Danny told his wife, "glad to be back in the swing of things though."

"As ever,"

"I'll speak to you later, Linds, alright? Have a good day. I love you."

She smiled as her husband hung up the phone. She took a deep breath, and opened the car door. Like Danny said… ready and raring to go.

* * *

Sam sat Amanda in the booster chair in the booth, before taking up her own seat on the opposite side of the booth. Amanda gazed at Sam before a smile broke out on her cheeky face.

"M&M," Sam sighed, "What's going on, why you being so mean to mommy today?"

The little girl shrugged.

"Well, you need to knock it off, okay… Your mommy is trying so hard baby girl."

Amanda glanced down sadly, clearly understanding the tone in Sam's voice and realising she meant business.

"Sowwy"

"It's not me you have to be sorry to, sweetie… it's mommy. I know you're just a happy, giggly baby girl, but sometimes, when mommy says no, just listen… Now I know this probably makes no sense, but, it feels better me getting my two cents in…"

"What you two talkin' about?" Lindsay smiled as she slipped into the booth, next to Amanda.

"Sowwy mommy," Amanda said instantly, reaching towards Lindsay and kissing her on the cheek, softly, while tears filled in the little girl's eyes, "me sowwy."

Lindsay smiled and kissed Amanda's temple, before pulling her out of her booster seat, and sitting her on her knee. "It's not your fault, baby, mommy is just cranky and whiny, like daddy is all the time. Just bare with me, okay?" she chuckled at her daughter, "I Love you, honey."

"Wub mommy." Amanda said as she rested her head on Lindsay's chest.

Sam laced her fingers together, and placed her hands, folded on top of the table and smiled, "damn I'm good."

"I leave you with her for five minutes, and she's my little girl again."

"We had some words," Sam shrugged, "She just needed some Sammie time, ain't that right, little one…"

Amanda nodded and rested her head on Lindsay's shoulder.

"I'm hungry," Lindsay told her friend as she reached for the menu, placed on the table, "want to order something while Amanda plays in the ball pool, then we can walk around the arcade-esque thing, by the looks of it." Lindsay said glancing over to the other side of the huge room where there was various high-pitched squeals coming from children, and machines blasting out music.

"Sounds like a plan," Sam nodded

"I'm thinking pepperoni," Lindsay said, "pepperoni, or… Sam… what?"

Sam took the menu and laid it flat on the table, "Sorry, I couldn't see," she shrugged as she laid her left hand on the menu, as she peered over to the right side,

"That's a nice ring, Sam." Lindsay said, "I haven't seen you wear that before,"

Sam smiled as she looked down at the ring, "oh, this old thing?"

Lindsay gave her an amused look, and looked back down at the menu. "So, I was thinking we could order a pizza and then… Hang on," Lindsay glanced up at her friend, "why's that ring on the left ring finger, Sam?"

"Um,"

"Sam…" Lindsay asked nervously, "That isn't an engagement ring, is it?"

Samantha desperately tried to hold back her earth-shattering smile that was begging to escape through her lips, but bit her lip, "Um, um…"

"Um?!? That's all you can say," Lindsay squealed, "UM?! Let me see that!"

Lindsay reached forward and grabbed her friend's hand, "That is an engagement ring, Samantha Ross."

"You're right… it is," Sam nodded with a smile tugging at her lips.

"What happened last night, I thought you said you weren't going to marry him straight away, and how it was just a piece of paper, and you knew he loved you… I thought you were thinking it was too soon."

"Chill out, Linds," Sam chuckled, "I did say that, but when I was putting my key in his front door, I realised that he was what I wanted. I want that every night… Putting my key in his front door, or our front door should I say? He proposed, and I said yes."

"I can't believe it," Lindsay declared as she pulled Sam's hand across the table, "M&M, look at this…" Lindsay said, holding her friend's hand out for Amanda to see, "Look at Sammie's hand, baby girl…"

"Pwetty" Amanda giggled before squirming on Lindsay's lap, "me pway now mommy."

Lindsay quickly removed Amanda's baby Uggs and lifted her onto the floor, and watched her run towards the ball pit.

"I need details Samantha, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear," Sam smiled brightly.

* * *

"I don't see why you insisted on having an ME, Danny." Hawkes complained, "It's obviously an accident, she slipped and fell down the stairs, end of story."

"I'm just crossing my T's and dotting my I's Hawkes. Chill out, a'ight… you go wait in the car if you so wish."

"I do so wish, I'm jetlagged, and it's damn cold. Why is it so cold in March? Hell it's nearly April."

"You sound like Adam. Quit whining like a girl. What are you? A cupcake?"

"Did I mention I hadn't missed you, wiseass?"

"You did." Danny chuckled, "it's good to have you back though, doc. It's been weird not having you around…"

"I'm the glue that holds the lab together I guess." Hawkes smirked.

"Danny, I you requested an ME?"

"I did," he said turning around, before realising who he was speaking to, "I…" Danny shook his head, "Seriously? Am I always the last to hear about things?" Danny mused. "When the hell did you get back, huh?"

"Well, what can I say? London got a bit too routine?"

Danny let out a breath and turned to Hawkes, "You knew about this?"

"For once, I didn't." Hawkes smiled as he turned and greeted the familiar voice, "Peyton Driscoll. Always a pleasure."

Peyton smiled brightly at the two men standing before her, "Always a charmer, Sheldon." Peyton smiled.

"You here to stay?" Danny inquired? "Does Linds and Stella know you're back? Ha, does Mac for that matter?"

"I am, they don't… and he does." Peyton smiled, "Like I said, London got a little too routine…"

"Mac asked you to come back and work for the ME's office, didn't he?" Danny grinned, "Tell me I'm right."

"Is this the victim?" Peyton blushed, "or the DOA, should I say…"

"Yeah," Danny said, shaking his head in disbelief, "I can't believe it… Peyton Driscoll at a crime scene again…"

Peyton flashed both Danny and Sheldon a bright smile before crouching down by the side of the body of the middle aged woman, "Are you two gentleman going to stare at me all day, or are you going to actually give me a rundown of why you requested an ME?"

"I think it was an accident," Hawkes explained, "But Einstein over here insists on freezing our asses off and having you do a once over, just to make sure…"

Nodding, Peyton Driscoll quickly got to work, performing various tests on the body of the woman. She glanced up briefly, and saw Danny smirking at her.

"What?"

"Nothin'" Danny smirked, "I just… wow. Your hair's shorter"

"That's right," Peyton smiled as she brushed her now, shoulder length hair back, "haven't lost them observational skills, I see, Danny."

"Wiseass." Danny sniggered.

"How's your daughter?" Peyton smiled measured the liver temp of the woman that lay in front of her.

"Amanda? She's fine… I didn't realise…"

"Me and Mac corresponded through letters." Peyton smiled, "appears neither of us could let go, no matter how hard we tried... She was a usual character in his letters. Always told me what he and her got up to… there was an incredibly long letter the weekend of your two-year anniversary. He enjoyed that weekend a lot…"

"He's loves her dearly," Danny smiled, "what's the verdict?"

"Liver temp suggests she's been here for over twelve hours, giving lividity plenty of time to kick in. I've found no hand marks, or defensives wounds on the body, which to me, suggests it was in fact an accident. Lividity suggests she hasn't been moved, which makes me think, that it is in fact an unfortunate accident."

"Like I thought," Hawkes smirked in Danny's direction.

"Wiseass." Danny muttered, as he offered Peyton a hand to help her up. "Good to have you back, Peyton."

Peyton smiled brightly, "it's like I never left."

* * *

"Amanda can make better pizza than this," Lindsay snorted as she chucked the slice back down on her paper plate, "maybe it wasn't such a good idea ordering pizza."

"McDonalds after we finish up here?" Sam asked.

"Why not…" Lindsay chuckled, "I still cannot believe you didn't tell me, Sam. What, did it slip your mind?"

"I told you… I wanted you to figure it out by yourself."

"Well," Lindsay glared at her friend, "that's just plain mean… Ain't that right, M&M?"

"Mhmm," Amanda nodded half heartedly as she stared towards the arcade games, "mommy, me pway"

Sighing, Lindsay took the pizza slice from her daughter, and wiped her hands with a wipe, "You ready for some serious gaming, Sam?"

"Damn right I am," Sam giggled.

The three grabbed their belongings and headed over to the other half of the manic children's play area. They had purchased game tokens while they were waiting for their pizza, and gave them to Amanda one by one, as her little face turned towards them with her small hand upturned, waiting for either Lindsay or Samantha to place a small token into her equally small hand.

Lindsay and Samantha stood by the side the game Amanda had desperately been eyeing up for the longest time.

"She only wants to play on this one because Danny always makes her giggle with it," Lindsay explained to her friend, "When he whacks the moles, M&M laughs hysterically, and Daddy's damn good at it, ain't he baby girl."

Amanda licked her lips in concentration, as she held the huge, oversized bat in her tiny hand, in which she had to hit the moles head with.

"I'll take it as a yeah," Sam laughed at the lack of Amanda's answer.

"So, your wedding?" Lindsay grinned, as she slipped a coin into the slot "Do we have ideas… or?"

"Honestly, I have no idea… personally, I'm all for eloping to AC and doing it like that, but I think Flack wants the whole black tie, white dress. Whole nine as he keeps saying."

"He's a closet romantic." Lindsay chuckled as she grabbed Amanda's hand that was clutched around the bat in her own and helped her beat the moles' head. "He just likes to have that tough exterior."

"Maybe," Samantha laughed as she watched her best friend demonstrate the definition of multi tasking. "Linds?"

"Yeah?" Lindsay answered her friend as she carried on helping Amanda.

"How the hell are you talking to me, like normal… while beating the crap out of them poor moles?"

"Talent? Practice?" Lindsay shrugged, "What can I say?" Lindsay said as she helped Amanda whack another mole on the head "I rock"

"Apparently." Sam chuckled.

"So seriously… the wedding."

Sam laughed, "You're infuriating and persistent."

"Just humour me Sam," Lindsay sighed heavily and dramatically, "I'm pregnant."

"And you can knock that shit off," Sam scolded while chuckling, "I've heard you say that to both Danny and Mac… It won't work on me, Linds…"

"Ugh," Lindsay huffed as she and Amanda whacked another mole, "whatever,"

"I know you're kidding," Sam laughed as she bent down and handed Amanda another to play the game again, "Want me to be the ticket collector, baby girl?"

Amanda nodded as she carefully bent down, and grabbed the tickets the game had dispensed and handed them to Samantha, "Pwease and t'anks."

"I can't get over something as cute as her, shares the same DNA with Daniel Messer." Sam teased, "I mean you, I can understand, 'cause you're all, 'fit me in your pocket and snuggle me all day' kind of thing. But mean old Danny Messer, no way." Sam laughed.

"Admit it… You love Danny." Lindsay told her friend, "sarcasm, meanness, sappiness and all."

"Maybe…" Sam laughed, "Not as much as I love a certain homicide detective."

Lindsay cocked her eyebrows, "Sam, that's pretty vain, declaring love for yourself."

"I mean Don," Sam spat, as she swatted Lindsay's arm, "wiseass."

"I was kidding," Lindsay exclaimed as she feigned hurt, "jeez Sam, chill out."

"Oh, relax… I didn't hit you that hard," Sam teased before turning to Amanda, "you gonna put that token in there baby girl?"

Amanda placed the token in the machine, and shrieked happily as random moles popped up, waiting for Amanda and Lindsay to whack them on the head.

"I think we might have a small wedding. Friends and relatives. Nothing major."

"Sounds good." Lindsay nodded as she whacked a mole on the head with the help of Amanda; "Have you told your friends over in Arizona in mind… Like your maid of honour and bridesmaids?"

Sam snorted, "What?"

"Maid of honour? Bridesmaids?"

"Yeah, I heard that bit," Sam chuckled, "It was the 'friends in Arizona' I was what-ing about. Lindsay… I wouldn't have anyone other than you as my maid of honour."

"Really?" Lindsay asked as she let go of her daughter's hand to let her play on her own, "me?"

"Yes you," Sam snorted, "who the hell else would I have? I love you, and you're my best friend, of course I'm going to have you as my maid of honour."

"I just expected… I didn't think…"

Sam smiled and pulled her tearful friend into a hug, "come here you over emotional pregnant woman."

Lindsay giggled tearfully, "My best friend is getting married, sue me."

"Can I?" Sam laughed, "it would really help towards the expense of the wedding I have a feeling you're going to have me plan… judging by the pictures from yours."

"In my defence, that was all Danny and my brother. And I think Flack had a role in it somewhere along the way… I was out in Montana, so I didn't even realise what was going on until they moved the wedding _to_ Montana."

"Seriously?" Sam laughed, "I thought… well actually, I don't know what I thought."

"Nope, all Danny and Chris. They planned it all. My mom and daddy were in on it aswell."

"Well, they punk'd you well and truly, didn't they? Pulled an Ashton Kutcher on you?"

Lindsay let out a small chuckle as Amanda tugged her in the direction of the next game she wanted to play on, "They punk'd me well and truly. I had no idea I was going to get married… I thought I was sitting through some sappy valentines ceremony… I should have known… I mean, seriously? Have you ever heard of a valentines day church ceremony?"

"Well, you are a little blonde," Sam shrugged, as she flicked Lindsay's shoulder length hair, "maybe you made up for the lack of the blonde moments you have, all in one…"

"Maybe," Lindsay chuckled, as Amanda grabbed Samantha's hand and pointed to the next game, "But the day was perfect," she continued, "and the look on Danny's face when I walked through the door, said everything… I was so shocked and surprised. You know, half of it is the blur."

"No dear," Sam chuckled as she chucked a ball at the target, "that's the alcohol you consumed that did that."

"Wisebutt," Lindsay glared at her friend as she grabbed a ball and chucked it at a target in order to help get prize tickets. "You're mean."

"I'm not," Sam smiled, as she drew her friend into a one armed hug, "I'm just playin' with you, Linds. I love you really."

Lindsay smiled and rested her head on her friend's shoulder, "I know…"

* * *

"The look on his face was as funny as the time we both walked in after he requested an ME for the Diane Langston case, you know… It was kind of like a déjà vu,"

Mac smirked as he laced his fingers through Peyton's across the table, "I missed you,"

Peyton smiled softly, before glancing down at the coffee in front of her, "I'm sorry Mac. I don't think you know how truly sorry I am. That I left how I did… Well, how I didn't come back like I did… And I…"

"Peyton," Mac sighed, "It doesn't matter anymore. You came back, and that means more to me… The fact you came back… I just…"

"Well, good to know things haven't changed much," Peyton smiled, "You still are a man of few words, Mac Taylor." She said as she affectionately rubbed his hands in hers.

"I guess so," he shrugged, "Guess so."

* * *

"Montana!?" Danny bellowed through the house as he toed off his shoes in the foyer, "Come 'ere, I got somethin' I wanna show ya!"

"Christ Danny, keep it down!!" Lindsay said as she made her way towards the top of the stairs, from whichever room she had previously been in, "when you yell I barely understand you… I don't think you pronounced one word correctly… And do you mind… Amanda's…"

Her eyes widened at the person stood at the bottom of the stairs, smiling up at her, "Peyton?"

"Hi Lindsay," she chirped.

"Peyton?" Lindsay gushed as she quickly undid the baby gate, stepping through it, and reassembling it. "What are you doing here?" she asked, shocked almost as she made her way down the stairs, "please tell me this isn't a flying visit."

"I'm here to stay," Peyton smiled as Lindsay reached the bottom of the stairs and stepped over the gate with help from Danny, supporting her and practically lifting her over before heading into the kitchen. "I missed New York too much."

"You mean you missed Mac too much," Lindsay giggled as she pulled her friend into a hug, "It's so nice to see you…"

"And you," Peyton returned, "I mean look at you… you're glowing. Danny didn't even mention you were pregnant."

"She isn't," Danny said as he reappeared in the hallway, "she just got really fat."

"Shut up," Lindsay glared at her husband as he opened a Cherry Coke can, "I am pregnant. Nearly four months, _actually_," she said, emphasising the 'actually' as she swatted Danny. "Do you have time for a cup of tea? A coffee?"

"Not really. Mac's waiting for me, I just really wanted to come in and say hello."

"I'm glad you did. We have so much to catch up on." Lindsay gushed as she pulled Peyton into another hug, "Did Mac tell you about the new additions to the team?"

"No, but I'm sure he will."

"You'll love Sam, and Nick," Lindsay told her.

"Looking forward to meeting them," Peyton smiled brightly, "And your little girl, for that matter… Is she around?"

"She's asleep actually, I was just checking on her… But, she's trying out the new day care on the 34th floor tomorrow, so I could always pick her up on my lunch and take her to my office, you could swing by for a few minutes," Lindsay suggested.

"That sounds fantastic," Peyton nodded adamantly. "Around noon, okay?"

"Sure," Lindsay shrugged, before pulling Peyton into another hug, "it's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back," Peyton smiled

* * *

"Lucy, I'm home." Flack bellowed through his apartment.

"Your other girlfriend left." Sam answered, "Sorry babe, it's just me."

Chuckling, Flack toed off his shoes and flung his coat onto a coat hook. "You're a wiseass, you know that right?"

"You tell me everyday" she smirked from her position as she leant against the kitchen's doorframe. "Good day?"

"Same shit, different day" he shrugged, as he kissed her forehead before heading into the kitchen, "you cooked?"

She smiled brightly, before shaking her head no, "Takeout,"

"A guy can dream, I guess." He smirked as he undid his tie and unbuttoned the buttons on his sleeve and rolled them up, "it smells good either way."

"Just you wait, wiseass." Sam chuckled, "One of these days, I'll catch you off guard and actually cook."

"Your cooking that bad you can use it as a threat Babe?" Flack teased, "cause that isn't something you go round telling people."

"Not what I meant, and you know it," she glared at him, "god, you step through the door and you're mean to me… How about you go outside and we'll try this shit again?"

"I'm just teasin' ya and you know it, babe," he said as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love you really."

She glared at him, before breaking out into laughter, "I know… Miss me today?"

"More than yesterday, less than tomorrow." He smiled at her.

"Sssshhh," Sam hushed him, "someone might here you through the walls and realise that hard guy, Don Flack JR is just a sappy bastard deep down."

"Let them," Flack smirked, "I'm just telling my fiancé how much I love her."

Samantha's face broke out into the biggest smile. "Say that again."

"What? I'm just telling my fiancé how much I love her?"

"Yeah," she smiled, "that"

"It's true." He shrugged.

She nodded as he turned and headed over to the oven where she had dished up takeout for them both and turned the oven on an extremely low heat to keep them warm. "Donnie?"

"What babe?"

She sighed, "You don't think it's too soon do you?" she asked looking down at her ring, "I mean you and me getting married, or engaged."

"Not at all," he told her adamantly, "why, you having second thoughts or somethin'? Cause you know I'm not…"

"No, no…" she assured him, "I've just been thinking… you know, like what people are going to say? We have only known each other nearing three months, Donnie."

"Who gives a shit?" he snorted as he placed both plates on the counter and shut the oven, "cause I sure as hell don't, and you shouldn't either. Our business is exactly that… I'll have you know my mom and dad knew each other for three and a half months before they got married. Forty-five years later, and they're still happily married, Sammie. Sometimes, it's just meant to be. And I'm sorry but I'm not shitting around, wasting time just so that it looks better when people ask us how long we knew each other before we got married."

She swallowed and moved towards the drawer where they kept knives and forks. "I didn't realise you felt so strongly about us, and getting married."

"Yeah well," he shrugged, "I'm passionate about things that mean a lot to me. Like this city. Danny, Linds and Amanda. And most of all, you."

Sam handed him a knife and fork and smiled, "Did you say you had next weekend off work?"

"Yeah, Friday, Saturday and Sunday… it's my turn for the weekend off, why?

"Keep it free," Sam told him before grabbing her dinner and heading to the kitchen table, leaving Flack slightly confused.

* * *

"How was your bath?" Danny called as he heard Lindsay moving around in the kitchen.

"Relaxing," she answered, "did Amanda go to bed okay?"

"Yeah," he replied, "I put the guard up on her bed, so she won't fall out, like you told me too."

"Good, thanks." She said as she finally came into view of the living room glad in a pink fluffy bathrobe, with matching pink slippers and what appeared to be her flannel pyjama bottoms that sported Hello Kitty on them.

"You know, you're adorable Linds."

"Gee thanks," Lindsay chuckled, "my relatives back in Montana used to say that when I was using that buck knife of mine around when we went fishing when I was like six-years-old."

"Yeah well, I'm your husband, and if I want to call adorable… I'm going to call you adorable," he told her as he pulled her down onto the couch, next to him.

"Yes sir," Lindsay smirked as she teasingly saluted him.

"Wiseass," Danny muttered as he wrapped an arm around her and changed the channel to ESPN, "So, did you have a good day with Sam then?"

She nodded, "Did you speak to Flack today?"

"No," Danny shook his head, "Why?"

Lindsay sniggered, "could you put that beer down, baby?"

"What did he do?" Danny asked as he set his bottle on the coffee table, "did he get her pregnant?"

"Not yet," Lindsay chuckled, "relatively close though…"

"Ask her to move in?"

She shook her head no.

"Don't tell me he asked her to marry him again,"

"Okay," Lindsay smirked as she stared at the TV, her head resting in Danny's shoulder.

He stared down at her in shock, "Um, Linds?"

"What?"

"Did he?"

"You told me not to tell you…"

"Sarcasm, Lindsay." Danny spat, "did he?"

"He did!" she squealed as she moved away from him slightly and sat on her knees as she faced him, "and guess what she said. Guess Danny, guess!"

"Considering your reaction, I'm going with a yeah?"

Lindsay nodded excitedly and animatedly.

Danny broke out into a huge grin and shook his head, "Pass me the phone…"

"Danny," she warned, "why?"

"Want to have some fun?" Danny asked a glint of amusement in his eyes.

"let's be wild," Lindsay giggled as she passed him the phone.

* * *

"Flack,"

"Hey… it's me." Danny chirped down the phone.

"I gathered," Flack said as he popped some sweet and sour chicken into his mouth, "It's a crazy thing, caller ID."

Danny cut to the chase, "So, you and Sam."

"Linds told you then?" Flack smiled in Sam's direction, "what do you think?"

"What do I think?" Danny asked, "I think she's just as much of a looney tune as you, Flack."

"What the fuck do you mean by that?" Flack asked as he dropped the fork he was holding onto his plate.

"Honestly, what are you doing? I mean you don't know her… Are you sure she's the one? I mean, don't go rushing into something with your eyes closed… I don't want you…"

"Samantha is the best thing that's ever happened to me, for your information. And if you can't see that, Danny, then you're blind and you need to get your ass to an optician and get your eyes checked. I thought you – no, fuck that… I relied on you to have my back in this Danny, support my decision and all that shit. I cant believe…"

"Flack…" Danny soothed down the phone, "Flack, I'm screwing with you, I'm calling to say congratulations. Chill out. I know how much you love her. I'm just screwing with you…"

Flack bit his lip and shook his head, "I could really beat your ass for that." He threatened, "like seriously,"

"Aw lighten up," Danny teased, "So, you joining my husband club then. Do I need to start inventing my new hazing introductory thing?"

"Screw you," Flack sniggered as he picked his fork back up. "That all you called for, to get my panties in a twist?"

There was no response on the other end.

"Danny?"

"I'm sorry, I just thought you had said the phrase 'panties in a twist'"

"I did," flack said as he scooped a forkful of rice into his mouth, "and… Danny?"

"Sorry Flack," Lindsay voice started, "Danny's doing this whole silent laughing thing going on, and he can't seem to get the words out."

"Tell him he's a wiseass and I'm gonna kill him,"

"You get that?" Lindsay obviously asked her husband, "He's nodding, while clutching him stomach and laughing," she chuckled, "congratulations, Don."

"Thanks Monroe." Flack smiled, "do me a favour and get that husband of yours in order,"

"Duly noted," Lindsay sniggered, "Sam there?"

"As ever," Flack laughed, "Why, do you want to speak to her or something? I mean, it's not as if you didn't spend the whole day with her or anything."

Lindsay laughed heartily, "Just put her on, wiseass."

Flack handed his fiancé the phone and smiled as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, before she adjusted her position and curled a leg underneath her on the dining room chair.

His dinner went forgotten as he watched her and Lindsay talk about nothing of significance.

She caught his gaze and flashed him a smile as she took a sip of her cherry kool aid, and stuck her tongue out at him.

Despite her sometimes-childish tendencies when she got with her best friend, Flack wouldn't change the girl in his life for the world.

And hoped to god, that whatever their love was, was anything but a dream.

Cause if it was; he was for damn sure he didn't want to wake up.

Ever.

* * *

**_Huge special thanks to…_**

Brown Eyed girl 75

Twinkeyrocks

Bec0512

Muchmadness

IluvPeterPetrelli

Simplelove3663

Gwen 24

Iheartcsinewyork

Bulletgirl1723

Afrozenheart412

Edward-and-bella-forever

Aussietasha

Messer's girl

JavaJunkie4evr

CSI-LoVe-GSR

dantanaforev

Saderia

Hope06


	147. Squishy likes WHO?

"Hey there, pretty lady..." Nick smiled as he gently pushed through the office doors.

"Nick, you feeling okay?"

"Never mind," Nick laughed, "We got a scene in Midtown"

"Ugh" she sighed "Who's meeting us there?"

"We're grabbing Danny as we pass him in the break room, and Flack, I presume. Seen as Sam is off." Nick shrugged, "It baffles me how he does it, in all honesty."

"How who does what?" Lindsay laughed as she grabbed her coat, "Flack? And his ability to rid the whole city of it's hardened criminals"

"Exactly, the man can't possibly sleep."

"We have him wired. He's a walking talking robot that fights crime and –"

"You watch too much TV, Lindsay." Nick laughed.

* * *

Lindsay sighed as she crossed her legs and rested her hands on her now, visible baby bump in the passenger side of the SUV. "I hate traffic."

"Join the club" Nick agreed as he edged forwards a little towards the car in front of him. There was no 'rush hour' traffic in New York. It was rush hour every hour of every day. Especially when they had somewhere they needed to be.

"Back in Montana, we'd be at the crime scene within like ten minutes..."

"That's Montana though," Danny chuckled from the back seat; "they paid you to have breathing breaks," he teased.

"I wish I had never told you about them," she sighed

"Where in Montana are you from, again?" Nick inquired

"Bozeman, it's a-"

"A friend of mine, Cath, used to work at the Bozeman crime lab." Nick explained excitedly. "Well, she interned there before moving out the Vegas, and then well – let's just say she's seen both sides of the law"

Lindsay raised her eyebrows "That doesn't sound too-"

"No, it's fine." Nick assured her, "It was more of the people she acquainted herself with, as opposed to what she did herself."

Lindsay nodded as she turned to look out of the window as the three of them fell into silence as traffic shifted a little.

Danny turned to look out of his window, but before he did so, he caught Nick steal a glance at Lindsay. A bubbling feeling of what seemed to be jealousy rose inside of Danny.

Flack had in passing, spoken about how good Nick was, in helping move Lindsay from the couch, to Sam's bed when the two best friends had their slumber party a couple of weeks back. He'd commented on how Nick had offered to take Lindsay, and covered her up in bed. And had joked about how Lindsay had confused Nick for Danny, declaring Nick's shocked face the best thing he'd seen in a long time.

And it had been the most jealous Danny had been since he could remember.

Lindsay sat; eyes glued to the passenger window, watching people go about their daily lives, until the shrill ring of her phone startled her.

"Excuse me," she smiled as she slid across the bottom of her iPhone screen in order to accept her call. "Hey baby girl, how are you this morning?"

Nick smiled warmly at his friend babble on to her baby daughter who had probably just woken. Nick found himself quickly falling in love with Amanda Messer. She was an exact copy of her mother, big brown eyes; little ringlets in her hair barely shoulder length hair, and a tiny little nose.

Nick blinked – why did he _care _what Lindsay's daughter looked like?

He swallowed and turned his attention back to the road.

"Hey Beth. Has she been okay? Daycare? Yeah, she loves it… She misses you though… Did you give her a bath yet?… No? Oh, well yeah, I guess that makes sense really… Honestly, you'd think pancakes solved anything with that girl... No, I didn't manage to get any done last night… well, there's only a bit of ironing, if you really wouldn't mind. You'd save my life."

Nick smiled across his face as he stopped at the red light.

"She does? Yeah, he's right here, I'll pass it over to him..." Lindsay said into the phone, before turning in the back seat "It's Amanda, she wants to talk to you."

"She said that?" Danny mused as he took the phone from Lindsay, making sure their fingers brushed while they passed the phone over.

"In that many words, no" she smiled

Danny held the phone to his ear as he listened to Amanda babble on.

"Everything okay?" Nick asked, making conversation.

"Yeah," Lindsay started, "it's just this little thing we have. If we aren't there in the morning when she gets up, Beth calls one of us so she can talk to us."

"Aw, that's nice" Nick smiled

"Try to keep it as normal as we can for her," Lindsay added, "because let me tell you, it ain't easy"

"You make it look like it's nothing."

"You're sweet." she smiled, "But it's taken a lot of practice and hard work to get where we are. Me and Danny didn't have the best start, did we sweetie?" she said into the back seat.

"Oh yes, I do…" Danny smiled into the phone, before holding it away from him slightly, "We fought hard to get to where we are." He said, answering Lindsay before turning his attention back to Amanda. "No I love you more, M&M. No, I do… No…"

"Can I ask why?" Nick inquired as he shifted lanes

"Obstacles were chucked in our path. It was one thing after another."

"Nothing's ever easy" Nick sighed, as he pulled up to their scene.

"Exactly, and if you haven't fought for it, you haven't earned it, and in effect, you probably won't appreciate what you have." She smiled as she unbuckled her seat belt and jumped down from the SUV.

"Let me tell you," Danny said as he leaned in between the front seats, "she's something else, my wife." Danny smiled before he himself jumped out of the SUV, leaving Nick alone.

"You're a lucky guy," Nick said to himself as he watched her greet Flack with an earth-shattering smile.

* * *

"You sure you're okay staying here, babe?" Lindsay asked as Danny helped her with the evidence

"Absolutely" Danny assured her as he set one box down in the back of the SUV, "Flack hasn't managed to canvas the whole area for witnesses yet, so I'll give him a hand. And I don't want you at any crime scenes for prolonged periods of time if I can help it, you need to sit your butt at a desk."

"I'm overlooking that last part of the sentence," Lindsay smiled as she pecked his cheek, "I love you, and see you back at the lab, I guess," she said, as she turned and set her own evidence in the truck before shutting the trunk.

Danny grabbed her arm, turned her around and pinned her up against the back of the truck, and placed a gentle, yet searing kiss to her lips, before pulling away, leaving her wanting more.

"I love you too," he smiled as he turned around and nearly bumped into Nick.

"Sorry, Nicky. Didn't see you there," Danny said as he patted him on the back, "Good work in there, Nick. Got us out in record time." Danny praised.

Nick smiled politely and shrugged, "It was cold in there"

"You crack me up" Danny chuckled as he headed off towards Flack.

"You okay?" Lindsay asked as she opened the backseat door, and placed a box of labelled evidence on the seat.

"Fine" Nick assured her, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"No reason, you're just really quiet."

"When it's a teenager, it gets to me," he said simply, as he slammed the door shut.

"I know the feeling, ask anyone, they'll tell you what I used to be like."

"How'd you mean?" Nick asked

Lindsay took a deep breath, as she climbed into the SUV and waited for Nick to join her. "I witnessed a crime, when I was a teenager."

"Oh right," Nick nodded, as he started up the engine, waiting for her to carry on.

"I was the only survivor. Friends of mine were killed in front of me."

"Linds, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, it isn't your fault," she chided, before she realised her tone was quite harsh, "Sorry,"

"No, I am. I bet you've lost count the amount of times you've heard them three words."

"Yeah" she mused, "It affected me, but it also made me realise I wanted justice for victims that were taken away too early. Victims like my friends."

"Didn't it hurt though, coming into this line of work, seeing what we see?"

"Definitely. Sometimes just a way in which a teenager was laid stirred up emotions I thought I had buried."

"I know how you mean" Nick nodded as he changed lanes, "it hurts to see it sometimes, and brings back the memories, you want to rid yourself of. Is that why you left Montana?"

Lindsay took a deep breath. "Mainly. I had always loved New York, and dreamt of living here. But it was to get away of the looks and stares especially at the PD when I was down there for various different things. Because we were such a little town, some of the officers I worked alongside of remembered me from way back when, and they were a little, overly… overly sensitive with me… They knew my parents, and well, I wanted a fresh start. I was sick of the sympathetic looks in their eyes that I got. I understand that they didn't know what to say to me, but the looks in their eyes were a constant reminder of what I had been labelled as – the sole survivor… The girl that lost her friends… I knew Mac knew briefly what had happened when he hired me, with it being in my file. But that was it. He hired me because he liked what I brought to the job, and hopefully he knew that I would be a good CSI to fit his team. It was a different feeling, coming to work, knowing nobody knew and I was just the new girl. New girl I could, and dealt with… it was the faces of people back home I didn't want to follow me to New York… And they didn't until I ended up having to go back to Montana to be a eye-witness in the murder trial after they apprehended him ten years later."

"That's tough"

"Yeah, it was. Considering I had pushed Danny away through the whole of it."

"You did…? Why?" Nick asked, before he realised that this was probably the rough start she had been referring to. "Sorry, you don't have to…"

"It's fine," Lindsay assured him, "It wasn't his problem he had to deal with. He wanted the happy bubbly Montana girl that got excited over evidence working out in her favour, and eating bugs in the break room."

"You ate what?"

"Different story" Lindsay smiled, "Cut a long story short, the day that Danny walked into that court room, I realised that no matter how hard I pushed him away, he would push back just as hard. He didn't have the look in his eyes. He didn't have the sympathetic look in his eyes everyone else had."

"What look did he have?" Nick asked, truly mesmerised by how brutally honest Lindsay was being with him. He had never, in his wildest dreams, expected Lindsay Messer to have such a horrific thing happen to her at a young age.

"Love." Lindsay smiled, as she brought Nick out of here reverie. "It was nothing but love and, instead of his eyes saying he was sorry, it was like they were telling me that he was proud of me. It was like he was proud that I had the guts to stand up to the monster that killed my friends on my own. We never really talked about it, but in the courtroom, was the first time I had seen Danny look at me like that. I had always dodged those looks, if I didn't see them, I wouldn't lose my resolve of not letting him in. In the courtroom, I finally saw the look."

"He's always loved you." Nick commented, "Always has, and always will."

"Yeah, too much I think sometimes."

"No such thing, Lindsay." Nick told her, "Love is the best feeling in the world, to have someone love you as much as Danny loves you – you're one heck of a lucky lady. And Danny, well, he hit the jackpot- someone as loving, and as strong as you? You're one in a million."

"Try telling him that," she laughed as Nick pulled into the parking garage

"Oh, I think he knows." Nick smiled as he stepped out of the SUV and headed round to grab the evidence they had collected.

"No, I'm just kidding, I don't give him enough credit. He loves me with all of his soul, and would kill for Amanda and Little bear," Lindsay sighed as she rubbed her stomach, "I don't tell him enough. The way he looks at Amanda, makes me wonder what the heck I did to get so lucky for someone like him, to love someone like me,"

"Don't start cutting yourself short, Linds. You're amazing."

She blushed and tried to change the subject "So, come on, I shared my sob story with you – what emotions and stories are you hiding, Nick. Other than the death of your friend, Warrick."

"Different story for a different time." He said simply.

"Well," Lindsay smiled as she rested her hand on his shoulder "If you ever need to talk, you know where I am" she smiled warmly as she headed towards the elevator with an evidence box clutched in her arms.

Nick took a deep breath as he slammed the trunk shut, and jogged after her.

* * *

"What do you think of Nick," Danny asked as he settled into the passenger seat of Flacks departmental issued vehicle.

"I think he's sound. We get on really well. It's about time we had another guy to take to games. Adam never caught on."

"It was a pathetic attempt on his half" Danny laughed, "See, I can't make my mind up about him"

"You can't? I thought you two would be seriously close."

"There's just – you know what, it doesn't matter."

"No go on," Flack asked, genuinely interested, "Enlighten me,"

"You'll think I'm a moron, and paranoid."

"Well, try me."

"Nick seems to like Lindsay."

Flack nodded, "Yeah, they seem to get on. So come on, what's this about you being paranoid? Stop changing the subject, Dan."

"No, I meant Nick seems to _like _Lindsay."

Flack snorted, "Are you crazy, you actually think that Nick _likes_ Lindsay? I think Nick quite _likes_ his limbs where they are. Nick used to like Sam aswell, and look what happened there."

"I knew I shouldn't have mentioned it." Danny huffed as he turned to look out the window.

"Okay, in all seriousness," Flack said as he touched his friend's arm, "what makes you think that?"

"Way he looks at her, he sits and stares at her, Flack.

"Maybe she's something hanging from her nose or something."

"That's disgusting," Danny scolded, "Seriously, just watch him with her. I don't know, should I feel threatened, Flack?"

"Yeah, I think little Monroe will run off with the guy from Vegas-slash-Texas, while pregnant with your child, elope, and forget all about you..." the homicide detective paused and smiled at his friend, "You're right, you are a moron."

"I'm being serious." Danny spat, "You obviously haven't seen him look at her like I see him."

"You're looking for it though."

"Maybe" Danny shrugged, "Alright, next time you're with them together, just watch – from a unbiased point of view, as if you didn't know them. See what you think. I don't want to jump to conclusions, Flack, because I like the guy, a lot. He's awesome. But I swear to you, he tries, touches or even looks at her, in a way in which only I should, he won't know what's hit him."

"Danny" Flack warned, "come on, I thought we were over the jealous school boy thing, she's your wife for Christ sakes, she wouldn't go anywhere even if you wanted her to. Hell, he practically munched on Sammie for supper when we were starting up, and did I go wild on his ass? No."

"I just hope and pray you're right. Because I'll tell you one thing Flack, I will do anything to keep her – I don't want to lose her."

"You wont," Flack assured him, "You're worrying over nothing, and reading into it far too much."

"I hope to god you're right."

* * *

"Whaddya got, Montana?" Mac smiled as he bounded into trace, mimicking Danny's Staten Island accent

Lindsay chuckled lightly as she rolled her eyes "I got prints off the knife."

"Do you have a suspect?"

"No match,"

"Has DNA come back?"

"Waiting on Adam," Lindsay shrugged "Go figure, I've got a million prints, all with dead ends."

"Keep trying, Lindsay."

"What, no Montana?" she mused

"Wisebutt!" Mac threw over his shoulder "Where's Nick?"

"Sorry, my tracking device isn't working right now,"

Mac raised his eyebrows and folded his arms as he glared at Lindsay

"Sorry," she grinned sheepishly. "Time and place, right."

Mac shook his head and smiled as he headed into the hallway "You spend too much time with Samantha Ross, Don Flack and Danny Messer." He quipped as he left the room.

"Maybe" Lindsay smirked, as she turned back down to the file in front of her. "But I wouldn't change it for the world."

* * *

"What do you have, Nick?"

"Hmm?"

"Evidence? What have you found?"

"Oh" Nick blinked, "I found some type of sticky substance on the Vic's clothes" he said, offering Mac a glove and the sample for him to touch it.

"I'd say that's more gooey than sticky."

"Gooey?" Nick laughed, "That's uh-"

"Long story" Mac explained.

"There's seems to be a lot of them," Nick said, quietly.

Mac sighed and gripped his shoulder and squeezed it lightly, "There is plenty of time for you to make your own long stories."

Nick smiled and took a deep breath, "I'm sorry, I'm just – it's-"

"Making the transition from one life to another takes time, Nick."

"It's not that, I've already settled here, I love it here. It's similar to Vegas, and yet, it's so different."

"The city is a person in itself"

Nick nodded, "It's just gonna get used to getting to know everyone, finding where I fit.

"You fit with us, Nick."

"Thanks Mac, it means a lot."

"You're an asset to this team, Nick. Remember that when you're doubting yourself."

"It's not that-"

"Well, then, what is it?" Mac asked as he pulled up a chair next to him

"You know when you can't put your finger on a feeling, but you know it's there."

Mac simply nodded

"You know what, it's okay."

Mac nodded again, "if you need to talk-"

"I know where you are," Nick finished.

"If you need to talk to someone Nick, Lindsay would be your best bet. She was the new girl a while ago now, but I'm sure she still remembers what it felt like. Or Samantha… She started after you, but I'm sure you two are feeling the same thing, now you've both been here a while…"

"Yeah, I'll remember that" Nick smiled politely.

"Lindsay would be honoured you know, you going to her asking for advice, she'd be more than willing to lend you an ear to-"

"I'll think about it, Mac."

"Okay" Mac said as he threw his hands up in the air and stepped off the stool, "Good work, Nick."

"Thanks, Grissom." Nick threw over his shoulder, before realising what he had said. "Mac, I'm sorry – I didn't."

"Nick, it's fine." Mac laughed, "I could think of worse names to call me."

Nick chuckled, as Mac left the room. He took a deep breath and pushed the evidence away and rested his head in his hands.

He needed some air.

* * *

"What's eating you?" Flack mused as he chucked a cigarette butt on the floor and stood on it.

"I didn't realise you smoked," Nick commented

"I don't, I'm just stressed right now."

Nick rolled his eyes as he shoved his hands in his coat pocket

"Is everything alright, Nick?"

"Mhmm." Nick nodded, "just a little overwhelmed, I thought I could do with some air."

"I know the feeling, anything you wanna talk about?"

"Y'all like talking down here, don't ya?"

"Well, I don't know how 'y'all' communicate over in Vegas, but usually-"

"I meant about personal lives. Back in Vegas, it was hush-hush. Didn't say much."

Flack nodded, "We take an active part in employee's social lives. Didn't you read that on the application form?" he shrugged. Nick turned to look at him alarmed at his honesty and statement. "Kidding," Flack mused, "I specialise in sarcasm"

"Right," Nick nodded. "I'll make a mental note"

"You hungry? Fancy going to get a bite to eat?" Flack asked "My treat? A very, very late, welcome to the city kind of thing."

"You took me to Sullivan's" Nick reminded him "You've done enough."

"Hey, you're one of us now." Flack grinned, "One sec, I'll call Messer, see where he and Amanda are, he took her out for lunch."

"No" Nick shouted, then blushed slightly, "I meant, no it's okay – I have a bunch of evidence to shift through."

"Mac doesn't want you to starve."

"Honestly Flack, thank you but no thank you."

"Well, we'll probably be in the diner down the road if you suddenly decide to stop wimping out of whatever you don't wanna tell me and decide to join us."

Nick nodded as Flack pulled his coat around him, and held his phone to his ear; "Mess, it's Flack. Where's you and my godkid, I'm hungry… you want… Be there in ten…" Flack smiled as he waved to Nick, and headed off in the other direction.

Taking a deep breath, he turned and headed back into the crime lab.

* * *

"Nick" Lindsay called from layout "Nick",

He stopped and turned around and poked his head in the room "Can I help you?"

"Come here," she squealed excitedly as she darted across the room and pulled him by the hand to a computer screen and pointed, "Look"

"What am I looking at?"

"Just look," she instructed as she pulled out a chair and pointed at the screen

"What is this?"

"The kid's internet activity over the past 10 days."

"And, do you have a lead?"

"I might, although I can't track the IP address he was talking to."

"Well then Linds, that's not much of a lead." Nick smirked as she slugged him in the arm

"Sit" she smiled as she moved off the chair, to let him sit down, and then leant over him "Try and nail him for me, there's something else I want to try"

He nodded absent-mindedly as he watched her head for Trace... he sniffed the air in attempts of smelling her perfume that lingered around him.

Then he shook his head and verbally scolded himself. "What are you doing, Nick?"

He pulled out his phone, and dialled an increasingly familiar number and held it to his ear, "Flack, I changed my mind… how's about that lunch?"

* * *

"I don't know what to do" Nick said simply, exasperated, "I don't know why I see her like this."

Flack hadn't said a word since he had sat down. "Have you said anything to her?"

"She has no idea."

He nodded silently.

"What should I do, Flack?"

"Do you want my honest opinion?"

"Yeah, absolutely."

"You need to forget about her, and quickly. I'm your friend Nick, but Danny's my best friend. Lindsay is that man's life and soul he would do anything for her. This would kill him, if he knew how you felt…" Flack lied – Danny knew full well. Hell, from the sounds of it, Danny knew before Nick.

"I don't know why though, Flack, She's just –"

"She's Danny's" Flack said simply, "She's the mother to his children. Don't go crossing any lines, Stokes, because you have me to deal with. Never mind what the hell Danny would do to you."

"I wouldn't ever act upon it Flack, I just had to talk it out. I think it's cause she was nice to me when I started-"

"I was nice to you when you started, where's your declaration of love for me?"

"I don't love her Flack, I'm just lusting after her-"

Flack leaning across the table interrupted Nick. "And you can knock that shit off. Try talkin' about Lindsay like that again and see what happens. Ya hear?"

Nick nodded adamantly, "I didn't mean it how it sounded though Flack, I swear I would never, ever attempt to break them up, or do any damage to their relationship. It's just a schoolboy crush. I mean she's pregnant with his baby for Christ sake-"

"So long as that is all it is," Flack warned, "I like you Nick, it'd be nice to be able to keep you around" Flack said, "But, if I catch whiff of you doing anything to sabotage their relationship-"

"Flack" Nick assured him, "That isn't me, I wouldn't do that."

"Well, just make sure you don't start playing with fire Nick, cause let me tell you, you'll get burned. I'll make sure of that. Amanda's my goddaughter, and I would walk through hell and high water to keep her happy. If that means kicking your ass because her parents are on the rocks because of you, -"

"I wouldn't do that, Don." Nick assured him, "I swear, it's just – honest to god it's one of them things. I needed someone to talk too, and I trust you"

"Don't get me wrong Nick, I like you. You're cool, but I am not in any way willing to sacrifice my friendship with Danny to protect your ass."

"I wouldn't want you to," Nick assured him before the shrill rings of a cell phone cut him off. Nick pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"It's Lindsay," Nick told Flack, "She's got a hit, I gotta go."

Flack nodded, "I mean it, Nick. Forget about her, she's forbidden."

Nick nodded as he turned and closed his eyes as he headed out of the diner. He was in too deep over his head.

* * *

"I got your text, Linds. What's up?" Nick asked,

"I'm beginning to think this is a lot more twisted than what we originally thought."

"How'd you mean?" he asked as he took a seat next to her at the computer. "You get a hit from the DNA?"

"Yes and no."

"Go on,"

"His father is in the system with priors for gang related crimes. Dwayne Manson"

"Right, so are we thinking like father, like son?"

"That's my theory, but I managed to pull up the recent Internet activity, and somehow came across the kid's MSN conversations."

"Right, and…?"

"The Vic and someone else were getting into it online."

"I presumed that's what you meant, over what?"

"Eleven dollars." Lindsay sighed, "They were arguing over eleven dollars."

"Right," Nick nodded, "And that is of significance because?"

"That's why they met up, I think. For our Vic to give him eleven dollars."

"Well, do we have an address on this kid then,'" Nick asked.

Nodding, Lindsay picked up her cell phone, "Danny, where are you? I got a lead, can you swing by and grab Nick?"

Lindsay nodded, and giggled lightly, "Alright, well take your time…. No, not literally – I'm kidding." She rolled her eyes in Nick's direction, "Just get here," she scolded down the phone before hanging up. "Kids," She muttered

"Amanda?" Nick asked

"No, Danny." She corrected, "It's like I'm a mother of two. Plus little bear on his or her, merry way…"

Nick smiled, "You seem really excited about the baby."

"You have no idea," Lindsay beamed.

"You're a wonderful mother, Lindsay."

She blushed, "That's sweet, but I'm nothing special. I just try my best, and hope it's good enough for her. And I'll keep trying when this little one here is born" she smiled brightly as she patted her stomach

Nick took a deep breath, "Lindsay, I need to tell-"

Suddenly there was a knock on the glass, "Ready Nick?"

Lindsay turned excitedly, and beamed at the figure stood in the doorway "Danny,"

"Hey baby," Danny smiled at her, "Ready to go, Nick?" Danny repeated.

"Sure, I'll go get my keys,"

"No, it's okay" Danny assured him, "I'll drive."

"You sure?"

"Positive" Danny glared at him,

Nick nodded and said his goodbyes to Lindsay.

He was a dead man,

* * *

Danny broke the long and awkward silence that had overtaken the SUV, fifteen minutes into their journey. "So then Nick, Married?"

Nick's eyes widened as he snorted and turned to look at Danny from the passenger seat, "What?"

"Are you married?"

"No" he laughed, "why?"

"Wondered" Danny shrugged, before he fell silent again.

Nick bit his lip and took a deep breath, "Danny – I"

"Why Lindsay?"

"What?"

"Why d'ya have to pick Lindsay to demonstrate your Texan charm on? Why Lindsay?"

"What?"

"Why did you have to pick Lindsay?" he repeated

"Danny – I"

"Cut the crap, Nick," Danny spat, "I know you like her."

"Flack told you that I spoke to him then?" he sighed.

"What?"

"Nothing," Nick coughed, "I just want you to know, that I would never act upon it, it's just a crush."

"She's my wife, Nick. My wife. The mother to my children. Pregnant with one of my kids."

"I know and I get that."

"No you don't," Danny informed him, "You don't know what it's like to love someone so much you are terrified that everyday something or someone is going to take that person away from you."

"You're right, I don't," Nick told him, "But it doesn't mean I'm that person that will take her away, Danny. She loves you. She doesn't even know me, not really. You got nothing to worry about,"

"I do though," he said quietly, "She's my wife,"

"Exactly, she's YOUR wife, she ain't mine. She's got your last name. She's had your baby, Danny. And she's having another baby. Your baby. I don't even come into this equation. It's just one of them things, she was nice to me, and maybe I appreciated the kindness a little too much. I fall for people easily, that's all."

"Why my Lindsay, why'd you have to go and fall for her?"

"Because you have a wonderful wife Danny, that you need to trust."

"I trust her," Danny spat, "It's you I don't trust."

"Whatever," Nick said, shaking his head.

"What'cha mean, 'whatever'"

"You need to calm down, Messer. Get down off your high horse, I ain't about to come in and sweep Lindsay off her feet and become Amanda's new Daddy."

"Let me tell you it's a good job we're here"

"What?"

"You heard me," Danny said as he pulled up at the side of the road, "otherwise I would have kicked your ass to the curb so hard and fast, your grandkids would have had trouble focusing."

"I'm just saying you haven't got anything to worry about." Nick told him

"You're right. I don't" Danny nodded, "You however, do."

Nick bit his lip and closed his eyes and Danny slammed the driver's side door, violently.

Officially this was shaping up to be the worst day.

Ever.

* * *

Danny glanced at Nick as Nick pounded on the green door, "NYPD"

Danny narrowed his eyes as he listened carefully to the sounds going on inside, "Dwayne Manson, NYPD" he called as he banged on the door, "We got a couple questions,"

They heard the lock turn and a weedy teen stood on the other side "Can I help".

"Is your Dad home?" Danny asked, "We need to talk to him."

"No," the boy said simply.

"Have you got any brothers?"

"Me?" The kid asked towards Nick,

Nick glanced all around him, "No, the guy stood behind you, yes you. You got any siblings?"

"A baby sister."

Danny glanced at Nick, "Maybe it's you we need to talk to after all." Danny concluded.

The kid shrugged, "Come on in."

* * *

"I didn't do it." Elijah assured them, "I wasn't there."

"Your prints and DNA tell a different story kid. We have evidence that connects you to his murder, we need to wait till your dad gets home."

"I don't want him here."

"Well, then we'll go to the precinct and get you a lawyer then,"

"No, I don't need a lawyer, I didn't do anything."

"You're singing the same song as everyone else, kid. What makes you different?" Nick inquired

"I'm telling the truth" he shrugged, "I didn't do it."

"You telling me you didn't know him?" Danny asked, shoving a picture in Elijah's face,

"I didn't say that, I knew him, I wasn't there when he died though."

"How did you know when he died?" Nick asked

"Um, I would have seen him die, duh."

"Wiseass," Danny muttered, "Look kid, we have your prints and DNA on the murder weapon."

"And?" the kid asked

"That gives us probable cause to arrest you. And we're thinking we're going to find the clothes you wore somewhere in this house, no?"

"Sure. If I killed him, which I didn't."

Danny shook his head, "You just have all the answers, Kid"

"Well, what can I say, it's the truth."

"Why don't I believe you then?" Danny snorted

"You're trusting of nobody and suspectful of everyone," the kid observed, and then shrugged, "I like psychology."

"Really?" Danny mused, "What am I thinking then?"

"I said psychology, not telepathy."

"Well, let me tell you what I'm thinking. I'm thinking you're extremely smart, and these friends of yours were using you for said brains. At first you didn't mind, because it felt nice to belong, right? You wanted to keep hold of that."

"Maybe," the kid shrugged

"But then they started taking advantage," Danny added, "They took you for granted, what turned into one or two assignments for some money, turned into demands."

"Maybe" he sighed nonchalantly, "It's all hypothetical, right?"

"Of course," Danny assured him, "Hypothetically, then, after all that hard work, and they were chasing you for the eleven dollars that you borrowed from your so called friends, you cracked."

"I didn't kill him," Elijah insisted.

Danny sighed heavily, "You know what, I believe you. You didn't kill him, did you?"

"No," he shook his head, "I couldn't do it," he breathed

"What was that," Danny smirked,

Elijah closed his mouth and his eyes widened in shock, "I think I need to speak to my Dad."

"Yeah, I think you're right," Danny nodded.

* * *

"How did you know he would cave like that?"

"Experience, practice." Danny shrugged as he closed the front door of the house they had just been sat in, waiting for the kid's father to return. "There's something we all specialise in, I just know kids that have fallen off the beaten track. They want someone to reach out to them,"

"From experience?" Nick inquired

"Fuck you, Nick. I'm still pissed at you, don't go making conversation with me."

"Danny, come on. How old are you?

"You know what Nick," Danny said tossing him the keys, "I'll get the subway and walk back,"

"You're being ridiculous," Nick called after him, "Just come on and get in."

When Danny rounded the corner and headed out of sight was when Nick realised his pleas of him coming back with him was falling on deaf ears.

**_Special thankies as ever to..._**

Brown eyed Girl 75

twinkeyrocks

IluvPeterPetrelli

muchmadness

iheartcsinewyork

Hope06

Devil-may-care101

cinnimonforever4

afrozenheart412

messer's girl

JavaJunkie4evr

edward-and-bella-forever

dantanaforev

Baby Jefer

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jordinajamaica

Simplelove3663

MeredithandDerekfanforever


	148. Jeez Danno, chill out

**_A/N: Sorry on the late update, guys... Blame RL. I feel a recap of last chapter is in order. _**

**_Okay, so... Nick had developed that crush on Linds, right? and Nick revealed all to Flack at the diner... then Nick and Danny headed to the kids' house that they suspected had killed the other kid, and Nick let it slip that he had told Flack... This chapter follows on and let's just say Danny tries to get some answers himself. _**

**_We good now? Saves you from re-reading last chapter._**

* * *

"You're an asshole," Danny spat as he walked into Flack's apartment. "Sam?! Oh my god, Samantha? What in the hell?"

"Danny!"

"MY EYES! Sam, Jesus Christ."

"Danny close your eyes" she squealed as she grabbed a blanket to cover herself up with, and knocking a tub of Chocolate Mint Chip ice-cream that was balancing, tumbling to the floor. "Don't you knock!?"

"I didn't expect for you two to be going at it on his couch," Danny spat keeping his eyes covered, "come on. I always walk in without knocking. Seriously though, on the couch? With the door unlocked? Do you two have no self-control? And what the fuck is that ice-cream doing on the floor? Ever heard of a freezer?"

"Like you and Linds have any self-control?" Flack spat as he grabbed his clothes, "And you know, use your imagination with the ice-cream, Danno." He sniggered as he tossed Sam her shirt across the room.

"What?!" Danny grimaced with his hands still clamped securely over his eyes, "Scarred. Mentally scarred for life," He declared, "And as for me and Linds, I like to think we have some ounce of control. I mean we at least lock the door." Danny said, shaking his head while he covered his eyes.

"Hey, don't knock it until you tried it." Flack mused, "So go on, why am I an asshole?"

"It can wait," Danny, sighed, _still _covering his eyes. "Just know I'm majorly pissed at you."

"It something I said or did?" Flack questioned, "And you can open your eyes now,"

Danny removed his hands, and opened one eye carefully. He then shook his head, and opened both eyes, "You talked to him, didn't you. He told you something about Lindsay, about liking her, and you didn't tell me."

"Who likes Lindsay?" Sam asked worriedly, "Who, Danny? Who?"

"Not important" he told her,

"Don't just dismiss her like that," Flack defended Sam, "Don't speak to her like that…"

Danny let out a breath, "I'm sorry, Sam. I just…" he sighed before turning back to Flack, "I expected more from you. You're my best friend; you didn't think to tell me? Even after I talked to you in the car?"

"I knew-"

"You knew how much it would hurt me?" Danny finished, "You know what, picture that hurt, and times it by ten, that's how much you've hurt me, Flack. I thought I could trust you."

"He hasn't told you what I said, so stop jumping to conclusions, I was ready to kick his ass, to defend you. I'm on your side, Danny."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew this would happen, you freaking. I was going to deal with it."

"It's not your problem though, Flack."

"I'm just going to go," Sam said as she stood up from the couch.

"Sit down, Sam." Flack said

"Babe, it's fine, I'll call-"

"Sit down, Sammie," he repeated.

"No, honestly. It's-"

"Samantha, just sit the hell down." Flack bellowed, "Take a hint that I don't want you to leave. Why do you always gotta do that?"

"Time and a place, Flack." She said coldly, "Call me when you're done with this." She said as she got up and left without making eye contact with Danny.

Flack sighed heavily as he flumped on the couch as the door slammed shut.

"I guess this is my fault then?" Danny sighed sitting next to him.

Flack snorted, "Believe it or not, the whole universe doesn't actually revolve around you, Danny."

"Why'd she leave then? Everything okay?"

"Because – it's got nothing to do with you, Danny. Everything's fine…"

"From the way she spoke to you, I would think there was something wrong, Flack."

"Have you come here to criticise my relationship, 'cause if you have… You know where the door is," Flack said as he stood up off the couch

"No, I didn't. But Flack, you kept it from me."

"Kept what?"

"He likes her Flack, you didn't tell me."

"You told me!" Flack bellowed, "What the hell do you want from me Danny, you sound like a three-year-old. GROW UP! She's your wife, not his. She's completely oblivious to all of this. What the hell is your problem?"

"Because for a long time things have been perfect, Flack, and I'm terrified that something is going to fuck us up."

"You lead a sad life if you are constantly worrying what might break you up" Flack said as he walked to his kitchen.

"Don't walk away from me!" Danny yelled at the kitchen door Flack had slammed in his face.

"Don't come into my apartment, sulking like a two-year-old then. Get the whole story before you start pointing the finger at whose fault this is."

"I didn't say it was your fault."

"No, but you 'expected more from me'" Flack air quoted, "I don't know who you think you are Danny. You come in here as if it's _me_ that likes Lindsay."

"It's not like that at all,"

"Isn't it?" Flack questioned, "It's what it sure as hell feels like. Regardless of the fact that I practically threatened to hand him his ass twice over if he even so much as looked at Lindsay in a way that was questionable. He knows Danny; he knows he wouldn't get away with shit. I wouldn't let that happen – and I told him that."

"Flack, I'm sorry I –"

"You didn't take the time to pull your head out of your ass, and realise that I have your back, as usual. No, you're right – you should be sorry."

"Flack I – I'm sorry."

"It's just a word Danny, I'm sick of it. Get the hell out of my apartment. You're not the only one with shit you know."

"I didn't say I was."

"Stop acting like it then," Flack scolded, "You're 33 years old, nearly 34. Start acting like it."

"I do," Danny, reminded him, "I'm the one with a kid at home, and another on the way"

"Yeah, and you have a wife, that is currently sat waiting at the lab for you, wondering where the fuck you are because you haven't gone back with Nick."

Danny didn't say a word.

"You need to go and apologise to Lindsay, for not trusting her."

"This has never been about me not trusting Lindsay." Danny informed his friend.

"Hasn't it? Well, why hasn't it entered your mind, that god forbid, Nick was to try something with her, that she wouldn't push him away. Reject him. Danny she loves you, she's your wife, and you don't even trust her."

"I do…" Danny nodded, "I don't trust him"

"Why? Because you don't know him? I could quite easily develop a crush on her Danny, she's got herself a wicked sense of humour, a personality second to none, and sexy as hell."

"You wouldn't,"

"You sure about that," Flack retorted. "How do you know that's not what me and Sam are arguing about?"

"Because you wouldn't do that to me!!" Danny bellowed, close to tears, "You know how much it would kill me. You know how much I love her!"

"So does Nick!!" Flack bellowed back, "He's your friend Danny, you have treated him like shit! I bet you and your impulsiveness just walked away and left him at whatever scene you were at!"

Danny stood, fury and tears in his eyes,

"You didn't even give him a chance to explain-" Flack reasoned, "you didn't give him a chance for him to tell you how much he likes you as a friend."

"He likes my wife!!!" Danny yelled as a tear escaped, "He said…"

"Be flattered!" Flack spat, as he handed Danny a box of tissues from his breakfast bar in the kitchen, "Be flattered Nick likes your wife! Be flattered that she chose you out of the entire male population! Appreciate what you have instead of focusing on what you might lose."

"How? How do I do that?" Danny asked as he screwed the tissue up in his hand, "How?"

"The same way you do everything else, Danno. You find a way." Flack reasoned with him, while they were both taking deep breathes. "Give the poor guy a chance, Danny. You were hung up on Lindsay when she first started. I think all of us were apart from Mac, she has that affect – it doesn't mean that we're gonna take her off you though."

"I haven't ever had to deal with this before though. Loving someone as much as I do, and having the threat of someone her away from me."

"Lindsay worships you and the daughter you share together. And the other baby you created together that's growing inside of her. So do you want to know what I think?"

"Yeah, please" Danny begged,

"Get the fuck out of my apartment, and talk to your wife instead of driving me crazy." Flack's face was serious, until a smile danced around his lips.

"Is everything okay between you and Sam?" Danny asked, "What's going on?"

Flack shrugged and turned away from him, "You have bigger things to deal with right now."

Danny pulled out his cellphone and speed dialled his most frequent contact.

"Linds, it's me… I have some explaining to do… No, it's more me, and why I have been acting so crazy recently… Can you cover for me? Where am I? I'm at Flacks'… Would you… Linds, I owe you, sweetie... I love you too."

Danny shut his phone and chucked it onto the table. "Let me help you, Flack. Let me repay a favour."

"It's nothing," Flack assured his friend, "Seriously."

Danny raised his eyebrows as he took a seat at the cluttered breakfast bar.

Flack took a deep breath, and sat next to his friend, "Should she be moving in before we get married? I mean logically and traditionally..."

"Traditionally, I think you would know each other for longer than two months, but whatever… I thought it didn't bother you, what people thought…"

"It doesn't," Flack spat, "What I'm saying is that traditionally, she should be living here, right?"

"Why?" Danny asked as he sat next to him, "Well, I thought she lived here anyway….?"

Flack shook his head, "No."

"Ask her then," Danny snorted, "Jesus Flack… this isn't as hard as you're making it out to be."

"It's a big step," Flack defended himself.

"Flack," Danny said, patiently. "A big step would be giving her a key, _before_ you gave her that little engagement ring of yours… Did you not consider that before…"

"She has a key," Flack told his friend, "It's just that none of her stuff is here. Like there are things, but not actual things. I know I want to spend the rest of my life with her…. It's just seems like the next logical step is her moving in."

"No, see the next logical step would technically be something like getting a cat or meeting the parents. Not considering whether or not she should move in_ after_ you gave her a ring."

"I told you it was nothin' in my defence! You didn't have to 'return the favour'."

"Nothin'? You're having yourself a little midlife crisis there, Donnie." Danny teased. "Have you spoke to Sam about it?"

"I was about to before you just walked on in."

Danny snorted, "Oh yeah, cause that looked like a conversation that was about to reach a whole new definition of deep. I mean, it looked to me like you were going to bare your damn soul to her in a confession."

"Don't be such a smartass." Flack glared at his friend, "Seriously."

"Go and talk to her," Danny suggested, "go ask her…"

"You gonna go and explain to Linds where the hell you've been?"

"Yeah…" Danny blushed, "You going to see Sam?"

"Damn right," Flack nodded. "Time to get myself a roomy."

Danny shook his head as he opened Flack's apartment, "You know what, for your sake, I'm pretending I didn't hear that, a'right?"

"Duly noted."

* * *

"Where have you been?"

"How did you know that was me?" Danny asked grabbing a lab coat from his hanger, "You didn't even look up,"

"I know my husband," Lindsay reasoned as she glanced at him, and then back down at the trace she was analysing, "So, where have you been?"

"Flack's. I called you, remember?"

"Why were you at Flack's?"

"You got a minute?"

She glanced up at him, "Why?"

"I really need to talk to you."

"Not really," she told him, "I have a bunch of things waiting for me to do… not to mention the mountain of paperwork."

"It won't take two minutes, Montana."

She snapped off her gloves, "I suppose I have a few things I need to talk to you about."

"You do?"

She nodded as she linked her arm in his, "Can we go get a doughnut?" she asked hopefully.

"A doughnut?"

She nodded again, "me and little bear want doughnuts."

"Plural?" Danny chuckled as he pressed a kiss to her temple, with his arms still interlinked with her's, "Like as in two?"

"Who said anything about two?" she grinned, "The way my tummy's grumbling I would happily eat a dozen from kripsy kreme."

"So what is it? You're gonna eat me out of house, home _and_ wallet now."

"The kid has your appetite, in my defence."

* * *

She smiled softly at him as she pushed an Irish coffee in his direction, the princess cut engagement ring from Tiffany and Co he had slipped onto her finger days previous, displayed proudly on said finger, "Hey,"

"Hey you," he smiled he leant down to kiss the top of her head before sitting opposite her and grabbing his cup from the table.

"You and Danny okay?" Sam inquired as she sipped her half filled cup, "It seemed like you two…"

"We're good," Flack cut her off, "It's me and you I'm more worried about, actually."

"What's wrong?" she sighed

"What?" he snorted, "No, that isn't what I meant. Not what I meant at all."

"What then?" she asked,

"Listen," he said as he leaned forward to set his coffee on the table, before taking her hands, "I love you."

She nodded, "I know…"

"I need to ask you something...."

"Can you hold that thought?" She asked, as she stood up, "I really have to pee."

"Not really, can't it wait?" Flack told her,

"Well, I need to use the bathroom," Sam informed him, "So unless you want me to go _here,_ I'll be right back."

He rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. She was so goddamn awkward sometimes. He took a deep breath and stood from his seat. He bent down by the side of Samantha's chair and grabbed her purse, before wrapping the long strap around his hand, and making his way to the bathroom. He knocked once, before letting himself into the women's toilets. "Samantha?"

"Donnie?"

"I don't think you understood me when I said I needed to speak to you, Sam."

"In a restroom? Really? Can it not wait like 25 seconds for me to…?"

"I insist," he told her as he locked the outer door to the bathroom, "Whether you come out or not, is entirely up to you."

She let out a breath, "I have no choice do I?" she asked through the door.

"Nope," he informed her, "we need to talk, and I got the feeling that if it's up to you, we wont."

"What's so desperate that you need to speak to me right this very instant?"

"Us," Flack said simply.

"You said," She sighed, as she left the cubicle, "Look, have you changed your mind about getting married, Donnie? Cause I would prefer to know now… I mean, I can…"

"What?!" he practically yelled. "No! No! It's not that…"

"Well, what then?" she sighed.

"I have something I need to ask you, Sam."

"What then, Donnie?" she asked slowly losing her patience, "spit it out, for the love of god!"

"Give me a break okay, I haven't asked someone to move in with me before,"

Sam blinked, "What did you just say?"

"Move in with me, properly." Flack said as he grabbed her by the hips and set her on the surface next to the washbasin. "Move in with me, Sam."

"What about the lease on my apartment?"

"Fuck it…"

"I'll lose my deposit." She argued.

"You don't need the deposit, Sam. What, you think I'm gonna charge you rent or somethin'? What would you need the money for?"

"Stuff," she slugged him, "If you're planning on us getting married sometime in the near future, we kind of need to budget, Donnie… Weddings are relatively expensive… you attended Danny and Linds' correct?"

"Smartass," Flack muttered, "What'cha say then, think you'd let me pull some strings with your landlord? I mean Sam, you're not even there anyway…"

Sam jumped down from the counter top, and moved to wash her hands

"Sam?"

"You know, I love how you're desperately trying to persuade me why it's a good idea us moving in together… Did you at any point here me say no?"

"Well, no…" Flack shrugged, "but you haven't said yes yet."

"Have you given me chance?" she asked as she grabbed a paper towel to dry off her hands, "I mean, honestly… have you?"

"Well, no…" he admitted "but I'm giving you the chance now…"

"To what?" she smirked as she stood in front of him, and wrapped her slender arms around his strong body, "giving me the chance to do what."

"Sammie, move in with me…?" He whispered as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Why didn't you just say?" she smirked as he kissed her nose. "Why not?"

"That a yes?" Flack smirked.

Her musical giggle filled the bathroom, "It's a yeah."

Flack bit his lip as he pressed a kiss to her forehead, "I love you, you know that right?"

"I do," She replied, "and I..."

_"What's going on in there?"_

Sam broke into a fit of giggles. "We'll be right out..."

"The things I do for you, Sammie..." Flack sighed as he handed her the purse he had carried in for her.

"You wouldn't know what to do in life if I wasn't here, keeping you on your toes." She declared as she unlocked the bathroom door.

Flack let out a chuckle as he passed a highly confused elderly woman, "That's for damn sure."

* * *

Lindsay smiled up at him as she took his hand and took a bite out of her third doughnut, "Yeah, I know."

Stopping, dead in his tracks he let go of her hand, and stared at her, "What?"

"I know… I sensed it a while ago, but well, that's his problem, not mine. I mean don't get me wrong; I love him like I love the rest of the team, Danny. And I would do anything for him. But never in a million years would it change the way I feel about you."

"I know… I just…"

"You know?" she chuckled softly, and retook his hand as they made their way through the park. "You sure about that? I mean, it seems to me that you were far from knowing that."

He sighed, "Okay, so maybe I was a little shitty today."

"A little?!" She snorted, "I understand that the old you surfaces from time to time, and those insecurities make their presence known, but honestly, baby…" she touched the side of his face, and pressed a soft kiss to his lips, "honestly, I love you… and nothing's gonna change that… Whether it be Nick Stokes or Michael Weatherly from NCIS, no one is going to take me away, okay? You're it for me, and I just wish you would remember that. Trust me, Danny. Surely you know I wouldn't hurt you like that…"

"I do." He simply nodded, "I do know that… I just – I'm scared… I don't want to lose you."

"What makes you think you would, Danny? We aren't like who we used to be… We aren't that couple that sat on either side of the door, pushing notes underneath my apartment door; taking baby steps all the time, terrified something will break us up. We have a life together. We have commitments to each other… Promises. Nothing's going to change between us, okay…" She took the his face in her hands, and kissed his nose, "Forever and ever."

He nodded and kissed her back, "I'm sorry, Linds. I'm sorry I didn't say anything to you."

"Don't apologise to me, Danny. You didn't do anything to me… Apologise to Nick. He's probably beating himself up about this…"

"I don't know how you do that," Danny commented, "see the good in people, despite everything."

"Life's too short to hold grudges, Dan. You just have to grow up and move on. Take things as they hit you, and get on with it."

He bit his lip in contemplation, "You're right… like always."

"I'm just honest," she smiled as she popped the remaining donut into his mouth, "and I'm a mommy. Mommy's are always right."

He took her hand, and pressed a kiss to the top of her hand, "I love you, Linds."

"And I love you," she smiled, "despite your royal fuck ups from time to time."

"Hey, I haven't screwed up in a long time,"

She nodded as he took her hand and turned, heading back to the crime lab, "you're right. You haven't… And, even when you do, it doesn't matter, because you know what?"

"What?" Danny smiled,

"I'm never going anywhere. So fuck up all you want."

"That an invitation?" Danny smirked.

"To fuck up?" Lindsay chuckled, "In all honesty, I don't think you know how to anymore."

Danny kissed her cheek and drew her into his side, "I think you're right." Danny concluded.

She prodded him sharply in the sides, before pinching him. "Still got them love handles, hey cowboy?"

"You're a wiseass," he said as he wrapped his around her and drew her into a hug in attempts to stop her from pinching him, "What am I gonna do wit' you, huh?"

She shrugged childishly and stuck her tongue out at him.

He shook his head and tickled her sides, making her shriek with laughter, begging him to stop. Eventually, she managed to wiggle away from the loose grasp he had on her, and she backed away from him, "Stop!"

"Or what?" he chuckled as he edged forward towards her. "What are you gonna do?"

"Go and buy that top I saw that was way out of my price range when I was shopping with Sam and Stella the other week."

"Buy it," Danny shrugged as he edged towards her, with a huge grin on his face, "I'll stay at work and do paperwork for a few hours to cover the cost, no big"

"I'll buy it in every colour," she threatened.

"Want me to come and carry the bags?" Danny asked as he advanced onto where Lindsay was feverishly stepping away from him, backwards.

"What time do you get off?" she smirked, "Cause there was this one thing I saw…"

"Easy there Montana," Danny chuckled as he caught up to her and pulled her into a hug, "Hold your assault on my credit card, will ya?"

"I need clothes," she declared.

"And I'll get you some," he promised, "Just chill out, alright?"

She bit into her doughnut and grinned, "Chilled as can be,"

He rolled his eyes and kissed her forehead, "You do your best at keeping me on my toes, don't ya, Montana?"

"You wouldn't have me any other way in all honesty."

Danny chuckled. No truer words had ever been spoken.

* * *

As Danny Messer walked down the busy hallway in the NYPD crime lab, he took a deep breath, sucking in his pride.

He had been a first class asshole, to put it bluntly. He had treated a relatively new friend like crap, and had jumped at him, giving him neither the benefit of the doubt, nor the chance to explain.

He had been childish. Plain and simple – there was no two ways about it. He had pitched a fit, and resembled the way in which his 17-month-old daughter acted when things weren't going her own way. He was acting like a damn baby.

He stood, in the doorframe of the AV lab, where Nick sat, head lowered, engrossed in a case file, avoiding all eye contact with other members of the lab.

As Danny stared at his friend, he saw how uncomfortable Nick looked. Here was a guy, in a new city. Alone.

And Danny had just made his transition a hell of a lot harder.

"What you workin' on, Nicky?"

Nick looked up and swallowed, "Danny… Look, about before…"

Danny held out a hand as he grabbed a lab coat from the hook, and walked towards him, "I owe you an apology, Nick. I was completely out of order acting like I did."

Nick shrugged.

"I just want you to know that I'm sorry, okay? And whatever I said to you… I didn't mean. I don't think I can tell you how bad I feel, man."

Nick shrugged again, "I'm sorry too. I don't know what I was thinking in all honesty. It's my fault for saying anything… I shouldn't have…"

Danny held his hand up, "We could go on like this for a while,"

Nick chuckled, "So you know, what I thought I felt, whatever it was? It isn't there anymore, and even if it were, I wouldn't ever act upon it. I want you to know that."

Danny nodded, "Honestly, I knew that all along. Just sometimes I get a little hot-headed and overreact, I guess."

Nick held his hand out "Buddies?"

Danny smiled, while he took Nick's hand, and pulled him into a one-armed hug. "Absolutely." He nodded, "Shall we just, keep it on the hush-hush that we called each other buddies?"

"I'm glad you just suggested that," Nick laughed, "Cause well… you know."

Danny chuckled, "Yeah, I know… So, what is it you're working on?"

"This mound of case files trying to link the kid we just questioned to the victim. I know we have links through the MSN conversations Linds managed to get, but I got the feeling Mac will want something more."

Danny nodded as he shuffled his seat underneath the table, "Where do you want me to start?"

Nick smiled and handed him a folder, "Enjoy."

Danny returned his smile, and opened the case file. He glanced up briefly at Lindsay on the opposite side of the hallway in trace. He flashed her a smile, and blew her a kiss that she caught before turning his attention back to the case file.

Well and truly glad that whatever it was that happened today was over.

* * *

**_Special thankies to..._**

Brown eyed girl 75

twinkeyrocks

afrozenheart412

Dani Hope

saderia

SkyBlueSw

iheartcsinewyork

edward-and-bella-forever

aussietasha

JavaJunkie4evr

gwen24

.queso

Simplelove3663

KLynn07

cinnimonforever4

jordinajamaica

ambercsiny

Baby Jefer

Hope06

Bulletgirl1723

MeredithandDerekfanforever


	149. Daddy's Little Girl

Danny Messer sighed as he toed his shoes off, and dropped his bag in the hallway a sound of giggles erupted from the kitchen, indicating his wife and daughter's presence in the house. He draped his leather jacket over his arm, as he rested against the doorframe, leading into kitchen.

His heart warmed at the sight of his wife and daughter. Amanda was sat on the counter, dropping M&M's into a mixing bowl filled with ingredients one by one, as Lindsay stood, patiently with her pink hello kitty apron tied loosely round her waist. The radio was on low in the background, the soft sounds of a love song filling their kitchen.

He decided to ignore the obvious tornado that had destroyed his kitchen. There were various dirty pots and pans stacked by the sink, along with flour, dusting the work-surfaces.

"What the hell happened in here?" he chuckled as he stepped over the baby gate. "I hope you called the police to report the break in."

Lindsay placed a hand on Amanda's belly, steadying her on the work surface, before turning to face him, "Funny, cowboy."

"I thought it was." Danny shrugged as he flung his leather jacket onto the cluttered kitchen table. He then made his way towards his two girls and pressed a kiss to Lindsay's cheek. "Seriously, what happened?"

"BLUE MUFFINS!" Amanda bellowed as she launched herself from her position on the work surface, to Danny's arms.

"Holy heck, M&M!" Danny gasped as he attempted to regain his breath at the fright of Amanda launching herself off the counter, "What the hell was that?"

"Um, she missed you?" Lindsay offered as she placed the last tray of cupcakes in the oven. "How was your day?"

"Good," he replied as he set Amanda on the kitchen floor, "Same stuff, different day."

"I like how you edited that trademark Flack sentence," Lindsay smirked as she turned and wrapped her arms around Danny's waist, the only thing separating them was their child, slowly growing in Lindsay's stomach, "Did you miss us?"

He nodded and pressed a kiss to her flour tipped nose, before rubbing his own nose against her's softly, in a 'Eskimo kiss'. "I always miss you guys."

He felt a soft 'kick' from Lindsay's stomach, to which Lindsay let out a small laugh at the timing of the kick, "And you too," he assured the baby as he pressed a soft and loving kiss to Lindsay's lips.

After a few seconds of being reacquainted with his wife after a long day, he felt a slight tug on his jeans, and he directed his attention down to his daughter, sat on the floor, giggling to herself.

"Are we okay down there?" Danny inquired as he bent down to pick his daughter up, "Who you giggling to?"

She grinned brightly and placed a kiss to the tip of Danny's nose, and wrapped her small arms around his head. He sighed heavily and extracted himself from her relatively tight grip, and he placed her on his hip.

"Go on," he sighed as he looked at Lindsay, "Who did she beat up at daycare today? She trying to sweeten me up before you drop the bomb?"

Lindsay chuckled as she moved towards the dishwasher and began filling it with various pans and dishes. "She didn't, she's just been asking for you all day. She really missed you."

"Really?" Danny mused as he rubbed his nose against Amanda's, "Well, I missed you ALL day," Danny told her as he pressed a kiss on his daughter's forehead.

"Mommy, picture."

Lindsay smiled, "Go get it,"

Amanda wiggled, and let out a "humfph" indicating that she wanted Danny to set her down on the kitchen floor.

"Picture?" Danny asked as he rolled his sleeves up past his elbows and gently moved Lindsay out of the way. "Let me get the dishes."

She smiled, "Put me on the counter?"

Rolling his eyes, Danny wiped his wet hands on his jeans and grabbed her hips softly and set her on a empty space on the work surface, "So, what picture?" he questioned as he turned back to the dishes.

"You'll see," Lindsay chuckled, "So, how goes that case?"

Danny shrugged, "Sam and Flack were chasing up leads as I was clocking out…"

"I remember a time when Mac had to physically remove you from the lab, now you're stood at the clocking out machine?"

"Yeah but Linds, you gotta remember," he said as he rinsed a plate and set it in the dishwasher, and then leant against the counter, so that he faced her from where she sat on the other side of the sink, "I didn't have people worth coming home to back then. Gone are the days when I used to do a four till twelve, a grand jury hearing, and then another shift after that. I have a family that needs me at home. I'm not spending my kids' childhood at work. Call me a sap, but I want to be at home as much as I can. Eighteen years are going to go dissolve in to nothing, and will go in a blink of an eye, and the last thing I want, is, when the kids move to college, I'm gonna be sat wishing I had spent more time with them when they were growing up."

"Were you not the person who declared that you weren't having kids?" Lindsay reminded her husband, "I mean, I'm sure you said that kids were too expensive."

"I did," he admitted, "But, the way I see it, I can't take money with me where I go. And, it would be an injustice to society in all honesty."

"What would?" Lindsay asked, highly confused.

"Me not having kids. I mean come on, have you seen my daughter?"

"I would like to take the opportunity to remind your egotistical butt that our daughter is the spitting image of me."

"Wait till you see my boy, Linds." Danny declared as he turned his attention back to the sink full of dirty dishes, "Kids' gonna be a heartbreaker."

"Funny that," Lindsay laughed, "if any other father would be advocating that to their sons, you would be kicking their ass."

"They can advocate it, I'm fine with that."

"You're fine with some boy breaking Amanda's heart?" Lindsay asked, slightly amused.

Danny flung the dishtowel over his shoulder, and turned to look at Lindsay with a serious look on his face, "Amanda isn't dating until she's thirty."

Lindsay snorted, "For a minute there, I thought you were being serious."

Danny said nothing.

"You weren't, apparently." She chuckled, "Danny, you can't possibly stop her from dating."

"Lindsay," Danny sighed, "I can. I know what boys are like. Did you forget I was once young?"

She rolled her eyes, "You're impossible. I can actually see you on the front porch sat with a shotgun in your lap from seven thirty onwards, waiting to terrify the unsuspecting guy that happens to fall for our daughter's charm."

"Damn straight I am. I'll have Mac there with me too. Hell, I'll have Flack there too. Unless it's his son that's out with Amanda. Then that could get a little awkward."

Lindsay shook her head, "I'm not encouraging this behaviour. Do you hear me?"

"Duly noted." Danny chuckled, "But Linds," he said, voice turning serious again, "I wasn't kidding. She's not dating till she's thirty."

Lindsay raised her eyebrows at Danny.

"Okay, twenty nine."

Lindsay cleared her throat.

"Twenty eight?"

She shook her head at her husband's awkwardness.

"Twenty eight is my final offer, Montana."

Lindsay nodded in response as she heard Amanda mutter under her breath as she tried to drag her daycare bag from the floor by the table, "Danny, go help her," Lindsay sighed, taking pity on their daughter. "Look at her,"

Danny chuckled as he flicked water at his wife from his wet fingertips and headed to Amanda, currently struggling with the bag that was caught around the leg of her high chair.

"Here, want me to get that, baby girl?" Danny chuckled as he lifted the highchair up slightly, releasing the strap of her hello kitty bag from underneath, and unzipped the book bag containing a spare outfit, and also Amanda's lunchbox she took to her daycare.

It had been a tough decision made by both Danny and Lindsay enrolling Amanda into daycare, especially when they had taken into consideration Amanda's close bond with Beth, however, they felt that the sooner they could get her interacting with other kids her age, the better.

Beth had been extremely understanding about it, which helped the process. Amanda went to daycare on the days where both Danny and Lindsay were working at the same time, as it made it easier, with the crèche being on the thirty-second floor it was easy for one of them to get to their daughter in case of an emergency.

And, when they were on the late shift, it required a sleepover at Beth's. And so far, Amanda adored it. She loved being able to interact with other kids and make friends with other toddlers her age.

He crouched and balanced by her side, and gazed contently at his incredibly smart daughter, as she attempted to unzip her Hello kitty lunch bag.

Danny chuckled as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head as she chewed her lip, and narrowed her eyes as she concentrated.

A trait she had inherited from Lindsay.

Amanda sighed heavily and thrust it on Danny's lap, and used his knee to help push herself up from the kitchen floor, "Daddy, pwease."

"Want me to open it?" he asked as he smoothed down her denim skirt, and pink cowgirl shirt, before he sorted her pink and purple tights, so that the tights weren't going to cause her to trip, with them creeping down her legs. She nodded in response and moved to sit on his knee, causing him to topple to the floor.

Amanda shrieked happily as Danny thudded to the floor. He sat up, while muttering a profanity or two under his breath, earning him a death glare from Lindsay.

He zipped open the lunchbox and placed the empty yoghurt container and wrapper from her cheetos on the floor next to him, "Why did I need to see this, little one?"

Amanda craned her neck to look at Lindsay who was still sat upon the work surface. "Mommy?"

"She wants you to look at the picture. She carries a picture of you two in her lunchbox."

Danny narrowed his eyes at his daughter, before opening the lunch box properly.

That was when his eyes met his, quite possibly, favourite picture of Amanda and himself.

It had been taken not a week previous, when Flack had stopped by the Messer's house, with a toddler's Yankees bat, and a pink baseball cap, with a squishy ball, telling him that they were hauling ass to the local park.

Which was exactly what they did.

Danny had spent the best part of three hours teaching Amanda how to hold a bat, and swing it so that she could hit the ball that Flack, while sat on the floor, had been chucking at them.

Danny had come home a cripple, from bending over for the constant amount of time that he had.

But he hadn't had as much as he had that day playing baseball, ever. Including his days in the minor league.

There was just something about his daughter and best friend that made even the simplest and smallest activities the best days he had ever experienced.

As they had arrived home, sweaty and extremely hungry, Lindsay had immediately stopped them on the front lawn, and made Danny whip out the baseball bat and position himself in the way in which they had been at the park for the past three hours, so she could snap a picture.

And that moment was what he was staring at in his daughter's lunchbox.

Amanda with her pink Yankees baseball hat turned backwards, with loose pigtails in her hair, with Danny sporting a adult version of the Yankees hat, also turned backwards. Amanda was clutching the bat over her shoulder, and Danny was crouched by the side of her.

"I didn't realise you had printed this off," Danny told his wife after a few minutes.

"She wanted it in her lunchbox," Lindsay shrugged, "Sat on my lap when I was sat at the computer printing it off. We cut it together and everything, didn't we sweetie?"

Amanda nodded, "Wike it?"

"I love it, darlin'." Danny told his little girl, "You have it in there so that I can see you eat your lunch?"

"No," she shook her head, "Daddy everywhere wiv M&M."

Danny blinked back tears in his eyes as he placed a kiss to her cheek, as he deemed her, the most intelligent toddler he had ever come across in his life.

And all of that was down to the woman currently sat on their kitchen surface, pregnant with his other child.

As he looked up at Lindsay and winked, he let out a breath.

Realising that life really didn't get much better than it was right now.

* * *

After over an hour and half of shrieking and giggling, Lindsay Messer took solace in the silence that had overcome her house.

Danny and Amanda had gone for a walk around their block ten minutes ago and then onto the park, giving her the time and opportunity to get some reading done.

Not that she didn't know what the book was telling her already, but it was always good to top up on her knowledge.

She took a sip of her lemon tea, and sighed as she shifted on the couch, and moved, so that she was laid on the couch, while propping her head up on the arm of the sofa.

She had successful tidied the kitchen from the previous baking activities, completed the laundry she had left to finish off, and tidied the living room.

All the while, Danny and Amanda were upstairs, screaming like banshees in Amanda's toy room.

Which, was a room she refused to go into right now.

She was taking full advantage of the tranquillity that was flowing through their home at that very moment. Because she knew that as soon as the two screaming banshees returned home from their spring stroll, it would be one hell of a fight to get bath-time and bedtime out of the way.

And that was just Danny.

She continued the chapter she was reading until a shrill ring of the landline startled her. Lindsay set her "_What to expect when you're expecting_" open on her knee and pressed accept on their cordless phone that had been sat on the arm of the chair.

"Hello?"

"Hey… it's uh, me."

"Stella?" Lindsay asked, relatively shocked at the caller at the other end of the line,

"Hey Linds."

"Wow. Hi."

"Look, Linds, I'm so sorry."

"Sorry?" Lindsay asked as she held the phone to her ear with her shoulder as she sat up on the couch and folded the page down, and shut her book, "Why?"

"I haven't been the best friend," Stella admitted, "I kind of cut you out of my life, and it was… I've been extremely childish recently, and I was hoping that we could make amends somehow."

Lindsay let out a breath,

"Lindsay, I want you to know that I am really sorry for how I've been… and I…"

Chuckling softly, Lindsay interrupted Stella, "I didn't sigh because I'm mad, Stel. I sighed because I just realised how much I miss you."

"What about Sam?" Stella questioned, "I thought…"

"Stella," Lindsay sighed, "I don't know how old you think I am, but I do have the capability to have two best friends, okay?"

Stella sighed, "Can we hang up, and I try calling you back…"

Lindsay laughed softly, "Don't be silly. We just… I think…"

"I need to make more of an effort to be involved with your life," Stella admitted, "I haven't been the best friend, and I wasn't there when you needed me. Sam was. Which is why I backed off, because well, she ticked all the boxes, and she still does, but Linds, I miss you. I miss how close we used to be… And if I'm honest, I want to be close with Sam like you are. Not that she would give me a chance,"

"Stella," Lindsay interrupted her again, "believe it or not, Sam actually likes you. What happened between you and me is none of her business, her words. Not mine."

"But I used to date Don." Stella reasoned.

"So? She dates him now. It really doesn't matter to her, Stella. She knows he loves her, and she loves him. They're happy."

"In that case, I have a favour to ask…"

"Go on," she said tentatively, slightly unsure of that it was Stella wanted to ask her,

"I heard Sam and Flack are engaged."

Lindsay nodded, despite Stella not being able to see her, "You heard right," Lindsay laughed, "Why? What were you thinking?"

"Well, I was hoping that, well… maybe…"

"Spit it out, Stella." Lindsay teased.

"Do you want to throw an engagement party, like me and you plan it for them, make it a surprise?"

A smile spread across Lindsay's face, and a bubbling feeling warmed her person. "I would absolutely love that, Stel."

"Good… cause I was thinking, and there's this place I was at last week, and thought it would be absolutely perfect for…"

"You've already thought about it?" Lindsay asked, genuinely shocked.

"Yeah, I mean it's nothing fancy," Stella admitted, "But it's nice, all the same."

"I just.... I didn't..."

"You could say I had a lot of time to think recently, and I realised I wasn't exactly the best person to be around, and I have the distinct feeling that me distancing myself made Sam feel slightly uncomfortable."

"She says not, but I think it did hurt her, Stel." Lindsay admitted, "I mean, I think she thought…"

"That I thought she was replacing me as your best friend, and excuse the pathetic phrase, but I thought that she was stealing Don?"

Lindsay sighed, "Yeah,"

"Which is why I want to throw this engagement party, Linds… I want to make amends. With them, and you… And I feel that this will. Well, I feel this might put us on the right track."

"What are you doing for lunch tomorrow?" Lindsay asked, "Cause we could go for lunch and discuss it. I know Sam's off tomorrow, so she wont catch a drift of this… cause I would love for it to be a surprise for her."

"We could grab some lunch," Stella nodded down the phone line, "throw a few ideas on the table…"

"What time do you start?" Lindsay asked

"Six."

"PM?"

"No, honey, AM."

"Ouch," Lindsay chuckled, "Well, I'm in at nine, so you'll be wanting a early lunch, yeah?"

"No, it's fine, I can…"

"Stella, I eat about six lunches," Lindsay giggled, "Honestly, it's fine…"

"Danny must love you pregnant… you must cost him a fortune."

"Not my fault that we make cute kids," Lindsay chuckled, "And, if you think about it, it's all for the greater good, I mean, we get a son or daughter at the end of it, so as much as he begrudges spending the amount we do on food for me, I don't think he minds in reality."

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"Stel?"

"I'm here," Stella reassured her friend, "I just realised how much I missed you, kiddo."

Lindsay smiled at the use of her nickname, "I missed you too."

"Okay, well, I'm gonna let you go, but I'll grab you tomorrow, okay?"

"Absolutely." Lindsay agreed, "Good luck getting out of bed at four AM."

"Four?" Stella laughed, "Try five. There ain't no way I'm getting up that early."

Lindsay rolled her eyes, "I'll talk to you later, Stel."

"'Night Linds."

And with that, Lindsay heard the sounds of a dial tone.

The dial tone of bringing their broken relationship to an end, and starting afresh.

Hopefully with a whole new level to their friendship.

That level, being a feisty firecracker from Brooklyn.

She took a deep breath as she gazed at the cordless landline phone, and let out a breath, hoping that differences from the past few months be put aside, and new friendships formed between two of her closest friends.

"Lindsay, Sam and Stella." Lindsay whispered to herself as she re-opened her book and began reading again.

* * *

"… And that's why you won't want to date until you're at least thirty, okay M&M?" Danny nodded as he pushed through the wooden gate, leading to their neighbourhood park.

Amanda nodded in response, and laid her head on Danny's shoulder "Wub daddy."

"And I love you too, darling." Danny said as he pressed a kiss to Amanda's chubby cheek, "Can I put you down yet?"

Amanda shook her head, no, adamantly, "carry foreber and eber!"

"There's no way in this god's earth I'm carrying you forever and ever little girl," Danny informed his daughter as he bent down to set her on the floor, tucked a brown curl behind her ear, before taking her hand. "You wanna go play on the swings?"

Amanda nodded as she tugged away from Danny's hand. "Catch."

"We didn't bring a ball baby, I'm sorry."

"NOOO!" Amanda giggled, "Catch,"

And with that, Amanda took off, running, as fast as her 17-month-old legs could carry her, away from Danny.

"Oh, that kinda catch," Danny, laughed as he waited a few seconds, giving her a head start, before sprinting after her, and scooping her up in his arms. "Got'cha," he smirked as he tickled her stomach as he set her into the baby swing and pushed it slightly, before taking a seat next to the swing in an adult swing.

"Higher!" Amanda shrieked with glee as she wildly swung her legs around, in attempts to go higher.

Danny sighed as he held a hand out behind the slowly moving swing, and pushed it a little harder, so she went slightly higher.

"Higher!!" Amanda shrieked again, "higher!"

Danny rolled his eyes as he applied a sharp push to the swing before moving away and swinging slowly back and forth on his own.

"HIGHER!!" Amanda bellowed.

"No." Danny told her, "That's high enough, little one."

"Higher!" Amanda whined, "Higher daddy, higher."

"That's high enough," Danny repeated,

Amanda sighed and shook her legs, "Out daddy."

"You wanna get off?"

Amanda nodded in response, and pointed to the adult swing Danny was sat on. "That"

"You're not going on this," Danny told her, point blank. "No way."

"Wiv daddy," she sniffed.

Danny sighed as he stood up and gently stopped the swing and lifted Amanda out. He moved back to his swing, sat down and placed Amanda on his knee, and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "Happy?"

She nodded against his chest as she giggled, "Higher."

Danny laughed as he pushed off the ground. "Daddy's scared of heights, okay, so we're not going too high."

Amanda sighed as she accepted defeat.

"Atta girl," Danny praised, "So then, what you wanna talk about?" he asked as he swung his legs.

She shrugged.

"Life?" Danny mused, "Economics? The difference between DNA and RNA?"

Amanda giggled, "Little bear!"

Danny's heart rate increased, and he abruptly stopped the swing, "What?"

"Little bear," Amanda repeated as she turned in Danny's arms and stood up, so she was balanced on his thighs, before prodding his hard stomach. "Little bear."

Danny let out a small laugh, "baby, little bear isn't in my tummy."

She gasped, genuinely shocked, "Why?"

"Because little bear is in mommy's tummy."

"Why?"

"Because," Danny shrugged, "that's just what happens."

"Why?"

"Because daddy says so."

"Why?"

"Because you're too little to know why."

"Why?"

"Because you are."

"Why?"

"We could go on like this forever sweetie," Danny laughed, "Just know that when you grow big, mommy will fill in the blanks, okay?"

She sighed and relented. "Sisber?"

"What sweetie?"

"Me sisber."

"Sister?"

She nodded in response.

Danny furrowed his brow, "Baby, who told you that."

"Grandpa Mac." Amanda declared, "Resterday."

"Yesterday?"

Amanda nodded. "Me sisber."

"Do you know what that is, honey?"

Amanda shook her head no, causing Danny to let out a hearty laugh.

"I figured as much. But, you know what… you'll be an awesome sister, baby girl. Won't you?"

She nodded adamantly, despite her having no idea what on earth a sister was. Whatever it was, it seemed to be important to her daddy, and grandpa, and if it was important to daddy and grandpa, then it was important to Amanda.

"You'll stick up for your baby brother or sister, right? Won't let put up with shit from kids at school, right?"

She nodded, "No shit."

"Crap, baby no… No, we're not supposed to say that word."

"Daddy did," she argued.

"Well, daddy's silly sometimes." Danny shrugged, "But, you'll look after your baby brother, or sister, won't you honey? Set a good example, wont you?"

She nodded, "PWAY!"

"You'll play with little bear?" Danny asked, "Are you going to share your toys when little bear is big enough to play with you?"

Amanda snorted in response.

"Take that as a no?" Danny laughed, "Well, we can work on sharing."

Amanda shook her head, and wrapped her arms around Danny's head "My mommy and daddy."

"I think you were telling a fib, Amanda Messer." Danny laughed as he extracted his daughter's hands from around his head, "I think you do know what being a sister is."

She shrugged, "My daddy."

"That's right, sweetie. I am your daddy."

"Foreber?"

He nodded in response, "Forever and ever… I'm not going anywhere, okay? You can always count on me to be there for you baby. Rain or shine, day or night. You call daddy, and he's there for you as soon as he can, okay? Even if you're a plane ride away."

Amanda sighed.

"Cause I love you lots and lots." Danny told his daughter, "And I know right now that I'm the only man in your life… But when some guy replaces me, remember I loved you first, okay? You were my baby first. I'll be nice to him, Amanda, but don't expect me to like him straight away. I'm going to give him hell. I hope you know that…. Because I'm not letting just anyone take you away. He's gotta pass the test, okay?"

Amanda gazed at him contently, hanging onto his every word.

"And I will be having words with him and scaring the jelly beans out of him… Don't say I didn't warn, you."

She giggled and pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose, "Wub daddy."

"I love you too princess." Danny kissed her nose back, "Just remember me when you're all grown up, okay? Remember that you mean the world to me, and I'll always love you. Cause you know, for that ten seconds in the delivery room, when you didn't cry straight away, it seemed like a lifetime. It killed me, cause you have no idea how much I loved you, right from that very second, and not to hear you cry, scared the living crap out of me."

Amanda giggled and stuck her tongue out at her father.

"I'm glad you think it's damn funny, baby girl. You nearly scared your mommy and me to death."

Amanda giggled and placed a kiss on Danny's lips, "Wub me."

"You're right. I do love you, more than you'll ever know."

"Wub mommy?"

"I love your mom with all my heart and soul. And I would do anything for her. She's my angel." He told his little girl, "But you, you have a different place in my heart. You're my baby girl. You both have a hold of my heart. Your mom is nothing short of amazing. But you knew that, didn't you, you mommy's girl."

Amanda giggled, "Wub Daddy."

"Oh, I got it. You're greedy, and you're both. You're a daddy's girl, and a mommy's girl. Keeping the options open, aren't we?"

Amanda giggled.

"Your mother is going to be the disciplinarian." Danny laughed as he Eskimo kissed Amanda, "Cause there ain't no way I can say no to them beautiful brown eyes, little one."

"Miss mommy."

Danny glanced down at his watch and gasped. They had been out for well over an hour. Time had escaped him.

"Shall we head 'em up and move 'em out? Mommy's gonna wonder where the hell we are." Danny said as he moved of the swing, and set Amanda on his hip, making his way over to the gated entrance of the park.

"HAUW ASS!" Amanda shrieked.

"What on earth did you just say?"

"Hauw ass!" Amanda repeated.

"Haul ass?" Danny questioned

Amanda nodded adamantly, "Donnie! Hauw ass!"

"Me and Uncle Donnie will be having a conversation or two, about that… I think…"

Amanda giggled, "Wub Donnie."

"You love everyone, don't you, little one?

Amanda smiled brightly and nodded, "'Ramn right."

Danny blinked, "Who'd you hear that from, little girl?"

Amanda giggled and shrugged, "Secret."

"Who'd you hear that from?" Danny repeated. He had a good idea of who the perpetrator was, but with no evidence, he couldn't go in guns blazing.

Amanda grinned sheepishly and shook her head, "Secret."

"Daddy will buy you a teddy if you tell me."

"Mommy," the little girl answered instantly.

"Boom!" Danny smirked as he shut the gate behind him and pressed a kiss to Amanda's temple.

* * *

**_Huge thank you to all my readers and reviewers still sticking with me! I adore hearing from you all! And it encourages the muse like crazy! So thanks for taking the time to review the epic onshot update after update! It means alot guys!_**

**_Special thankies to..._**

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SkyBlueSw


	150. Falling To Pieces

"Shut up!!" Lindsay bellowed as she whacked the wailing object on her bedside table.

She turned and buried her head into her warm pillow and let out a breath.

"The alarm usually means you gotta get up, baby." A sleep laced Danny muttered into his pillow, "You'll be late."

"Two more minutes," she pleaded, "Wake me up in two minutes."

"How about I show you how much I can do in two minutes?" Danny whispered as moved towards her, and pressed a trail of kisses along her neck.

"That isn't selling yourself very good." Lindsay said as she turned over so that she was facing away from him. "Ravish me after work."

"But Linds," he whined as he snuggled up to her, "Come on, it wont take five minutes, and it will wake you up."

"This isn't advocating your skills in the slightest, baby."

"You don't know what type of skills it is I'm referring to," Danny whispered as he nibbled lightly at her neck, as she lay on her side squirming, and giggling at the sensation of his kisses.

"Danny,"

"Mhmm?" he said, throatily as he turned her onto her back, "What?"

"Two minutes," Lindsay whispered as she turned and pressed a kiss to his lips, and snuggled down on her pillow. "Two minutes, then I will have a shower, and you can soap me up."

"I think I can wait two minutes," Danny nodded and as he laid down, "Two minutes I can deal with."

Lindsay smiled as her eyes fluttered shut, once again falling victim to sleep.

Until the shrill ring from her cellphone blasted it's way through the bedroom.

"Seriously, for real?!" She muttered as she reached for the shrieking object and slid her finger across the bottom of the screen of her I-Phone. "Messer," she sighed.

"Sorry, did I wake you up?" the voice at the other end chuckled.

"I had two more minutes," Lindsay complained, "What can I do for you, Mac?"

"There's a scene with your name on it, Linds." He told her, "Do you have a pen?"

"Yeah, one second," she muttered down the phone as she grabbed a pen from her bedside table, and turned to face Danny, "Go on,"

She nodded as she held the phone to her ear with her shoulder while lifting Danny's shirt up, and scribbled the address on his toned stomach, much to his dismay. She read it back to Mac, and bid her farewells, before hanging up.

"What in the hell was that?!" Danny bellowed as he crunched up to look at the cursive writing on his stomach, "Lindsay Messer?! What in the hell…"

"I didn't have any paper," she shrugged as she swung her legs out of the bed, "Would you mind writing it on a piece of paper for me?"

"So let me get this straight," Danny said as he sat up in bed, "Not only do you write it on me, you expect me to find a piece of paper, and write it on there for you… What the hell else do you want me to do for you?"

She nodded as she shifted through her side of the wardrobe for her work clothes, "If you wouldn't mind brewing me some lemon tea, and butter me a croissant, I would love you forever."

"That's blackmail, Montana," Danny informed his wife, "They have laws against blackmail," he told her swung his feet over the side of the bed and moved towards her.

"Arrest me then," she reasoned as she pressed a kiss to his shoulder, "Punish me."

"Country girls," Danny muttered as he pressed a kiss to her forehead and headed towards the bedside table where he kept a generous stack of post it notes and a pen, "I'm gonna have to take a cold shower after you haul ass to work."

"I thought you had a conniption fit with Flack for using that phrase." Lindsay laughed as she chucked the gym shirt she had worn of Danny's back onto the bed

"I did." Danny nodded as he glanced down at his stomach and turned his head slightly, as he tried to read the address sideways, before scribbling it down on his post it notes. "But, I also had a conniption fit with you for teaching Amanda 'damn right' so, I feel I should…"

"Use both the phrases and be a hypocrite?" Lindsay chuckled as she made her way to the bathroom, "Awesome idea, Dan."

"Wiseass," Danny threw over his shoulder as he chucked his pen down on the bedside table, "Are you sure all you want is a croissant, baby?"

She nodded in response as she brushed her teeth.

"Don't you think you should have something more?"

She shook her head, "Why?" she mumbled as she rinsed her toothbrush,

"'Cause, my baby boy needs nutrition."

"And your daughter will get nutrition," Lindsay argued as she popped her toothbrush back in the holder and quickly brushed her hair.

"It's a boy," Danny said simply.

"Girl."

"Boy."

"Girl"

"I'm not arguing about this, Montana. I know it's a boy."

She rolled her eyes before she quickly applied some waterproof mascara to her eyelashes, "You also said Amanda was a boy."

"Okay, I was slightly off, but I'm positive this time."

"Whatever," she laughed as she smoothed down her soft pink blouse and grey slacks, "How do I look?"

"Beautiful," Danny replied instantly. "Glowing."

"I'm going before you get all sentimental on me," Lindsay giggled as she grabbed her socks from the bed.

"You do though," Danny said as he wrapped an arm around her, "You're as beautiful as you were the day I met you."

"Oh, is that right?" she chuckled as she pressed a kiss to his unshaven jaw. "Because I was so breathtakingly beautiful, you decided to embarrass the hell out of me, and make me look like a fool in front of Mac."

Danny considered it for moments before nodding, "Yeah, pretty much."

She slugged him on his shoulder and glared at him, "Remember who keeps the house in a comfortable living condition, and cooks your meals, and does your laundry and…"

"I get it," Danny laughed as he cut her off, "You do a lot of things, and I love you, and appreciate what you do every single day, okay?"

She smiled, "Did you dig the 'things to say to your wife when she's pregnant' book back out?"

"I learnt it off by heart when you were pregnant with Amanda," he smirked, "Go on, go get Amanda up, and I will have your breakfast ready in a little sandwich baggy, and a thermos of tea before you get downstairs,"

"Lemon tea," she reminded him, "And just butter on the croissant, nothing else okay?"

"Duly noted," Danny smirked led her out of the bedroom, and directed her down the hall to Amanda's bedroom. "Go be a mommy."

"Who the hell are you talking to," she giggled, "Go be a mommy? When am I not a mommy."

"When you're being my Lindsay." Danny smiled as he headed down the stairs, leaving Lindsay with a shy smile, as she headed to her daughters room.

* * *

As the sunlight cascaded into the pink bedroom, Lindsay felt a lump in her throat. Her baby girl had soon turned into a little girl, right before her eyes, leaving her to wonder where on earth the past 17 months had gone.

Literally.

It seemed like yesterday that they had brought her home from the hospital. Yet, here she was, in her bed, a far cry from the tiny baby they had brought home that day.

Lindsay crouched down by the side of her daughter's toddler bed, and pressed a kiss to Amanda's sweaty forehead, "Baby, wake up sweetie."

Amanda scrunched her nose up, and turned towards the wall, facing away from Lindsay.

Chuckling, Lindsay moved to sit at the very end of the bed, where the barrier, that Danny had attached to her bed to prevent Amanda from going anywhere during the night, allowed her to sit. "Sweetie, rise and shine."

"Hmpff" Amanda muttered as she snuggled under her cover, "Sweep."

"Amanda, baby, daddy's making you pancakes, wake up sleepy head."

"No."

"Amanda," Lindsay chuckled as she lightly shook her daughter, "Come on honey, mommy wants a cuddle before she goes to work."

"Mommy stay home," Amanda muttered, still not waking up.

"If Amanda wants lots of toys to play with and have lots of yummy foods to eat, mommy has to go."

"Daddy go,"

Lindsay let out a small laugh, "Well, as much as I like the idea, mommy would miss her friends at work everyday."

"Mommy stay with M&M."

"Mommy can't stay with M&M all day, baby."

"Why?" Amanda asked as she slowly sat up in bed,

"Because we need money so that we can buy lots of toys."

"Oh," the little girl nodded, "home?"

"I will be home tonight," Lindsay nodded as she held her arms out for Amanda to slowly walk down her bed, and sit on Lindsay's lap. Lindsay pressed a kiss to Amanda's temple, before pointing at the clock, "Mommy will be home when the big hand gets to twelve, and the little hand gets to six, okay?"

Amanda looked at her as if she had just spoken a completely alien language.

"Never mind," Lindsay laughed, "Shall we take you downstairs and put on some cartoons?"

Amanda nodded as she rubbed her eyes, "Mommy be home soon?"

"Yes," Lindsay laughed, "Mommy will be home soon. You're gonna play with Daddy all day, and then mommy will be home before you know it, okay?"

Amanda nodded, "Otay."

* * *

"Ah, sleeping beauty, your breakfast awaits you," Danny smiled at his daughter as she padded into the kitchen, clutching 'Lickle bear'.

"Pandcakes?"

"No baby, daddy and Amanda are going to have Froot Loops today."

"Pandcakes. Mommy said pandcakes." Amanda told her dad, "Me want pandcakes."

"Shall we have pancakes for lunch, sweetie?"

Amanda furrowed her brow, before sighing and held her arms up at Danny indicating that she was ready to go in her highchair, "Otay. Wunch."

"Atta girl," Danny praised as he placed his little girl in her high chair, "Where's mommy?"

Amanda shrugged as she grabbed a froot loop from her bowl and threw it at Danny, "Me no know."

"You don't know, huh?" he said as he bent down to pick the froot loop up off the kitchen floor, "Did you lose her on the way down the stairs?"

Amanda giggled as she placed a red froot loop in her mouth, "Mhmm."

"I'm right _here_," Lindsay called from the hallway,

"Where's mommy," Danny gasped, "Did you hear her, little one? I can hear her, but I can't see her… Mommy? Mommy? Where are you?"

"Lost in a parallel universe, apparently." She laughed, as she appeared in the doorway, "Is my breakfast ready, sweetie?"

"In the sandwich bag, ready and waiting. There's your thermos with your _lemon_ tea, as requested, and I also put some money by the side for lunch for you."

"Aren't you the doting husband," Lindsay teased as she wrapped her scarf around her neck before grabbing her hand bag with one hand and placing it over her shoulder while pocketing the money and grabbing the thermos and sandwich bag, "I should be home for six, but I'll call if I'm gonna be any later, alright?"

He nodded, "Want me to make dinner, yeah?"

"If you want to eat, it maybe something worth considering," she smirked, "Have a good day, okay? Don't burn the house down."

"I will try my very hardest," Danny assured her, "You have the address?"

"Did you write it down?" she threw back,

He nodded as he handed it to her, "you'd lose your head if it wasn't screwed on."

"How do you know that I wasn't about to ask you where it was?"

"I didn't, but I know you, and you would have been at the end of the road, and realised that you had no idea where in the hell you were going."

"DADDY!" Amanda bellowed, "bad word."

"Sorry," he grinned sheepishly before turning back to Lindsay, "be careful, okay… Look after my boy."

"Girl," Lindsay said as she kissed him, "She's a girl."

"He's a boy."

"Whatever," Lindsay smirked as she moved towards Amanda and stole a soggy froot loop, "be good. No monkey business, alright. Tell me if Daddy misbehaves today."

She nodded.

"Give mommy a kiss?" Lindsay asked as she leant in towards Amanda, so that Amanda could easily press a kiss to her lips.

"Mommy stay," Amanda sniffed, "Mommy stay with daddy and M&M."

"I really want to baby girl, but mommy has to go. She's gonna be late."

"Mommy, stay," Amanda sniffed as tears threatened to fall.

"I have to go, baby," Lindsay told her as she pressed a kiss to her forehead, "I'll be home later."

Amanda sniffed, "Mean mommy!"

"Amanda, chill out," Danny scolded, "You know the deal, mommy will be home later okay? Eat your froot loops."

Amanda glared at Danny and pushed her bowl away from her, causing it to topple from the highchair.

Lindsay let out a sigh, "Amanda… Knock it off, okay? Mommy needs to go, and you need to be a good girl, okay."

Amanda looked up at the ceiling, avoiding eye contact from both Danny and Lindsay.

"I'm really sorry Dan, but I'm gonna have to go, you don't mind getting it, do you, I mean I can…"

"Lindsay." Danny laughed, "Go, okay? Go have a good day at work, alright? Don't worry about things, okay? I can clean some milk up off the floor."

She moved towards him and pressed a kiss to his lips, before whispering, "I love you."

"Just go," Danny told her, "Go to work."

"Going," Lindsay giggled as she stepped over the baby gate and headed out the front door, ready to face the day.

* * *

"Hey Samantha," Stella Bonasera smiled brightly at the homicide detective stood on the front lawn of a residence in the South Bronx, "What do we have?"

Sam politely returned the smile, "Thinking it was arson. As far as I know, there's one DOA, and one on his way to hospital."

"Do we know what happened?"

"Initial reports suggest arson." Sam said as she cocked her eyebrow. "That's it so far."

Stella nodded, "Who else is coming?"

"Lindsay's on her way," Sam told her, "she should be here any minute."

"Okay…" Stella nodded and stood with her case in one hand, "So… how are you and Flack?"

"You don't have to make small talk, Stella. It's okay, I understand…"

"No, I'm genuinely interested."

Sam nodded, "Right, yeah sorry, like the time you were genuinely interested in breaking us up?"

"I was looking out for a friend," Stella said simply, "And I made a mistake, and judged you too quickly, and I apologise for that Sam, I really do. All that matters is that you're still together. You're together and happy, and that's all that matters."

"With no help from you," Sam said, "And before you ask, this isn't me being jealous about you being the ex, okay? 'Cause that really doesn't bother me. What does bother me is that you have the nerve to stand here, and pretend like nothing's wrong. I know for a fact you haven't spoken to Lindsay in months, Stella, and she's missed you. She missed you a hell of a lot. And do you know how shitty that feels? Not just for her, but for me? I've felt like a stand in for you, some days, because you were so high and mighty dealing with your own problems and shit, and you couldn't be there for her. I picked up them pieces. I know it hurt her, Stella."

Stella nodded, "I know, you're right. You're absolutely completely right."

"Yeah, damn straight I am. Lindsay has nothing but nice things to say about you, Stella. And I know for a fact the thing she wants most in the whole wide world is for us to be at least civil."

Stella nodded in response, "I'd like that."

"Well, I…"

Their conversation was interrupted from the sounds of a SUV pulling up by the side of the road, indicating Lindsay's arrival.

Stella waved at Lindsay before turning to Sam, "I'll meet you inside," she said with a smile before heading inside the house.

Sam let out a breath before turning and moving towards Lindsay, "Morning."

"What was that about?"

"Nothing," Sam replied as she handed Lindsay a white facemask, "she just… we were talking."

"What's this for? We painting someone's house?"

Sam shook her head, "I heard it was a potential arson attack, and figured that I would stop by the lab first and grab you a mask. I didn't want you breathing in anything you shouldn't be. With all that smoke still lingering."

"I love you, Sammie." Lindsay smiled as she pulled Sam into a one armed hug, "You said initial reports suggested arson?" she then asked.

Sam nodded. "The mother is over there, they say that their daughter is in there, she's thirteen. Dad is with the little boy at the hospital."

Lindsay furrowed her brow, "How are the parents… Why are they not…?"

"I thought the same thing." Sam told her, "The father told me that they had run to the store to get some last minute things for a party they're supposed to be at, right…" Sam looked down at her watch, "now. It was the daughters thirteenth today, and…"

"I don't think I want to know anymore," Lindsay admitted. "Anyone inside?"

Sam nodded, "Stella's just gone in."

Lindsay nodded, "is she okay today?"

Shrugging, Sam sighed, "Same old… Although, I was being brutally honest with her earlier, and she didn't say anything."

"She's trying really hard, Sam." Lindsay told her friend, "Really hard, and I would really, really like it for the both of you to be friends. I know how much she shit on you before, and I'm still mad at her for that, but if you knew, what I knew, you'd give her a break."

"Lindsay, she wasn't there for you when you needed her. I don't care what kind of shit she's going through. You were willing to be there for her, and she pushed you away. You needed someone, and she wasn't there. That's inexcusable in my honest opinion. Your friend needs you, and you're there. It's simple as."

"I know that, okay… Honestly, I do… I just… I suck at holding grudges. I want you guys to be friends like me and you are. I love you both so much, and I just want you two to experience the friendships that I have with you both."

"You should be an advocate for world peace, you know that, right? You can twist anybody's arm backwards."

"Please Sam?" Lindsay asked, "Give her one more chance, okay? I swear to you, there's no way in this gods' earth that she will ever get away with the shit she pulled about breaking you and Flack up, again, because I wont let it happen. But, I really want you to…"

"Lindsay," Sam said, interrupting her, "I will try my best. I'm not promising anything, and I want you to know that I'm only doing it for you, okay?"

"That's all I ask, for you to try, Sam. I know you can be the bigger person in this. Show her that you don't give a fuck about what she did. Because you don't, do you? I mean, it made you two stronger if anything."

Sam sighed and nodded, "I guess, but, Linds, I am still hurt. I thought we were at least okay with each other, as colleagues, and then she pulls that kind of shit, meddling with my private life? You just don't do that."

"She knows, Sam. She knows what she did. Trust me. Just try and put the past behind us, and start again."

"I can only try my best," Sam said, with a little reluctance.

* * *

Lindsay removed her white facemask Sam had insisted she wear as she let out a breath and blew her bangs out of her face before straightening up and sealing her kit.

"We good?" a voice came from behind her.

Lindsay nodded in response, "Bring Sid in, take her back to autopsy."

"What's it looking like?" Stella asked, "Can you find anything in here to suggest Arson, kiddo?"

She shook her head, "Nothing. The only thing I've found is trace, and so far, I think its candle wax. Right above it is that charred towel." Lindsay said as she motioned to a sealed evidence envelope.

"You think this was an accident?"

Lindsay nodded sadly, "it's the only conclusion I can come to. The fire chief said the fire started in here, right? Well, as far as I can see, there's no accelerant pour pattern, nothing to suggest that this was intentional. I think it was an accident Stel."

"Which makes this even more heartbreaking," Stella concluded, "I'll go and call Sam, and see where she is in regards of getting hold of the little boy and getting his statement."

"Let's hope that he can give us some idea of what went down."

* * *

It had taken Lindsay and Stella thirty-five minutes to get back to the crime lab because of the midtown traffic, giving them plenty of time and opportunity to discuss and get some ideas together on what it was that they wanted to do for Sam and Flack.

Stella's initial idea was the Four Seasons for drinks, and then rent them a room for the night so that Sam and Flack could take advantage of the luxuries that the hotel offered, but instantly, Lindsay had shook her head. While it had been a nice idea, and personally she would have loved it, it wasn't Sam or Flack. Not really.

Instead, Lindsay had suggested some type of Sports bar. That way, the guys could do their own thing after the initial celebrations, and the girls, could sit and talk, and really, in theory get to know each other. She figured from the initial ideas Stella had suggested that it would be somewhat of a small gathering, with just the people that Sam and Flack would want to be there. The close-knit team, as opposed to random lab techs, that in theory, neither of them actually knew. Or liked for that matter.

Lindsay threw out names consisting of herself and Danny, Stella, Mac and Peyton, Nick, Hawkes and Adam. Then of course there was Scagnetti. The little matchmaker that had brought the happy couple together after all.

And that was about it..

No frills as such. Just beer (and water for her and those on call) flowing freely, while the team had a good time. Stella had already placed a call to the New Jersey lab, and pulled some strings so that they had cover for the majority of the staff they wanted to attend, so that if all hell broke loose in New York while they were at the engagement party, only a few team members would have to leave the event, which in their line of work, seemed to be inevitable.

"So, it's settled then," Stella concluded as she stepped out of the passenger side of Lindsay's SUV, "I'll set to on making sure everyone is there, and the decorations are up, and you can get Sam and Flack there and call ahead to make sure that it's okay if they corner a section of the bar off for the NYPD's finest."

Lindsay nodded, "And if it isn't, I'll send Danny down."

Stella let out a laugh, "Yeah, send in the heavies. That would work."

Lindsay winked as Stella gathered the heavy boxes of evidence from the back of Lindsay's SUV, before handing her the two kits.

"Stel, I'm capable of carrying something, other than the kits" Lindsay sighed as she shut the trunk, "I'm only pregnant."

"And pregnant woman aren't supposed to carry heavy things, remember?"

"Alright, alright." Lindsay sighed. "You win,"

"I know," Stella smirked, "How are we feeling today?"

"Good, really good. She's kicking a lot."

"She?"

Lindsay let out a small laugh as she pressed the elevator button in the parking garage, "Danny's convinced that we're having a boy."

"So you're pissing him off by saying the complete opposite,"

"Pretty much," Lindsay nodded "We have an appointment next week," Lindsay told her friend, "Hopefully we can find out the sex."

"I thought you didn't like knowing?"

"I don't," Lindsay said as she stepped into the elevator, "But Danny does. So I dunno."

"Why don't you let him find out, and have him keep it from you. Like… ooh. I know… he could decorate the bedroom, and then it's done as a surprise, and you have no idea. That would be really sweet."

Lindsay let out a small laugh, "You know what's funny? Sam suggested the exact same thing. Apparently you two have more in common than what you originally thought."

"We have the same common interests." Stella shrugged.

"Flack?" Lindsay asked extremely defensive.

"No, no…" Stella assured her, "No, the common interest we share is our best friend."

"Me?"

"Yeah," Stella nodded as she shifted the evidence box onto her hip, "You kiddo. Is that so hard to believe?"

Lindsay shook her head as she rested against the back of the elevator. "No."

* * *

Lindsay glanced up from the trace she was currently analysing, to Sam, who was stood solemnly in the doorway, "What did you find out?"

"I spoke to the boy's father." Samantha started, "Turns out the little boy was playing downstairs on his Wii. He knew that the sister was wanting to relax in the bath with the candles he had picked out for her birthday the day before." Sam relayed the information from her Hello Kitty memo book. "The father said that she was a big fan of candles. Trait she got from her mom."

"What happened?"

"The little boy began coughing, and couldn't understand why, which was then when he realised that the room was full of smoke. Luckily the parents made the kids memorise their cell phone number, so he dialled it, and told his parents. When they asked about the daughter, he told them that she was in the bath."

"With the candles?"

"With the candles," Sam nodded, "Parents told him to go next door, and get them to help him. Parents called 9-1-1 and hauled their asses back home, and was met with sight of their house in ruins and…"

"Why was the crime scene unit dispatched if it was an accident?"

"On the 9-1-1 call, apparently it seemed suspicious, and you know how it is, they send the troops out if it's deemed a suspicious death."

"When really, in theory it was a tragic accident?"

Sam nodded in response.

"Is the little boy okay? How old is he?"

"He's seven." Sam said, as she swallowed a lump in her throat, "When I left the hospital, it… they said they were doing the best they could, but he was really suffering from smoke inhalation. They said considering the amount of time he spent in there and when he got out, they aren't sure of the lasting effects and damage the smoke that he inhaled will do."

Lindsay blinked back tears, "Seven and thirteen. That's just…" She glanced down at her trace, "heartbreaking."

Sam nodded, "Fire chief wants the report as soon as, Linds."

"I'll get on it." Lindsay said, "Sam, I thought you had the day off today?"

"I did." She laughed, "Don fell victim to a migraine over night, so I…"

"You tired him out last night, that's all," Lindsay laughed, "Don't feed me some bullshit about him getting a migraine. I've known him for well over six years now, and never has he had a migraine."

"He may or may not be handcuffed to a bedpost."

Lindsay shook her head, "You disgust me."

"I inspire you." Sam declared, "don't tell me you're not considering doing that when you get home."

"I'm considering going to damn sleep. Have you ever been pregnant? Sitting down can make you sleepy."

"No, I haven't," Sam shook her head, "And I don't intend to be for a good while yet."

"Famous last words," Lindsay singsonged.

"Bite your tongue, Lindsay." Sam scolded, "Don't be saying things like that."

Lindsay made a popping sound with her lips as she signed the evidence seal and set in the box and storing it in the trace lab with the rest of the evidence, "Remind me to say I told you so," she smiled before slipping her lab coat off and heading to her office, sticking her tongue out at Sam as she passed her on the other side of the glass walls.

"Pain in my ass," Sam laughed to herself as Lindsay disappeared out of sight.

* * *

"That's such a shame," Stella sighed as she handed Sam a cup of coffee in the break room, "What must the parents' be going through? I mean they left them home alone… and… god, it's just awful."

"Tell me about it," Sam said as she took a seat on the couch, "Look, about what happened at the crime scene I'm…"

"Don't apologise." Stella said instantly, as she sat next to Sam, "You were right, I was pathetic acting like I did. I should have been there for Lindsay when she needed me, and I shouldn't have put what I was going through first. I shouldn't have judged you just because you didn't want to speak about your personal life, nor should I have tried to meddle in your relationship with Flack. I just want you to know that I'm sorry, and I hope that someday, we can build a friendship, and put the past behind us."

Sam gazed at the other woman as she nursed her own coffee. She seemed genuine. Extremely genuine in fact. She was sorry and she realised her mistakes, and admitted them. Which in Sam's opinion took a lot of guts. Sure, she was in no way happy with the way in which Stella had treated her and Lindsay over the past few months. But, it was exactly that. In the past.

She had let go of many people, some good and some bad, in the past, and she had gained new friends, new experiences and new love.

And now, she figured, was time for something completely new.

An actual friendship with Stella Bonasera.

"You know what," she said after sipping her coffee, "what are you doing after work tonight? I don't suppose you fancy going for some coffee or something?"

Stella laughed, as she glanced down at the cup in her hands, "Can I go for the something?"

"Yeah I might join you on that actually," Sam laughed as she placed her cup on the table, "

* * *

It was a quarter after six when Lindsay Messer was finally opening her front door, and shutting it on the burdens that had placed themselves on her shoulders throughout the long and somewhat stressful day.

"Hey baby!" Danny called from the living room as the sounds of Amanda's musical giggles filled the house. "Are you hungry? Have you eaten?"

"No," She replied, "I'll just…"

He appeared in the doorway with his tight green shirt, jeans, and was barefoot. "I made you dinner," he smiled as he pressed a kiss to her forehead before heading into the kitchen.

"What did you make?" she inquired as she dropped her purse and toed off her shoes.

"Kraft Macaroni and cheese with hotdogs."

"For us, idiot."

He grinned, "I pulled it off the acceptable things to have in the house list, you got pinned on the fridge."

She smiled as she opened the fridge, pulling out a carton of fruit punch and stabbing it with a straw, "What did you make? Or are you purposefully making me wait?"

He moved towards the kitchen table and moved the magazines and junk mail onto their third seat, so that there was plenty of room for her plate, and for them to sit at an uncluttered table "Cotoletta alla petroniana" Danny smirked.

"And in english?" She asked as she dug her fork in

"Like a cordon bleu," he smirked, "I know that wasn't on the list, but everything in a cordon bleu dish was on the list, so I figured I would compromise."

She rolled her eyes, "How was your day?"

"Mostly playing," he shrugged as he stood up and headed to the fridge and got himself a beer.

"Playing?" she asked with a cocked eyebrow

he laughed, "No, seriously, I played with Amanda for a little while."

"Oh yeah?" Lindsay asked, "What did you play?"

"Nothin'" Danny muttered as he twisted off the cap of his beer and sat back at the table, "it doesn't matter."

"What did you play?" Lindsay smirked a she took a sip through her fruit punch.

"We may or may not have played hairdressers."

"You played with her hair?" Lindsay asked, slightly amused, "what did you do, put her hair in bunches?"

"Not exactly," he admitted. "I may or may not have had barrettes in my hair for the best part of this morning."

Lindsay snorted, "You let her put barrettes in your hair?"

He nodded sadly, "she looked at me with them eyes, and she had her lip quivvering and it was just, ugh. I was a gonner."

"She has you wrapped around her finger so tightly," Lindsay giggled, "Honestly."

"How's your dinner?" Danny asked, changing the subject, "Do you approve?"

"It's very yummy," She smirked as she popped a roasted potato in her mouth, "What did you cook the potatoes in?"

"I seasoned them with Rosemary," he said, "Why?"

"No, they're really nice," she shrugged,

"How was your day?" he asked her as he pressed a kiss to her temple before standing up and heading over to the dishwasher and unloading the clean dishes.

She sighed heavily.

"That bad, huh?" he asked as he pulled himself up onto the kitchen counter and sat facing her, "What happened?"

"Case with kids," She said, "Turned out it was an accident."

"Accident?" he pressed, "How do you mean?"

"Candles set a towel on fire in the bathroom. Killed the thirteen year old, and seven-year-old brother has affects from smoke inhalation, apparently."

"Where the fuck was the parents?" Danny barked, "Thirteen and seven, and they were home alone?"

"At the store, getting supplies for her birthday party. She turned thirteen today."

"DADDY!!!"

"What princess!?" Danny called to his daughter, bellowing for him in the living room.

"SPONGEBOB LEFTED!" she shrieked

"Wait and see what comes on next!"

"NO!!"

"Just wait and see!"

"DADDY!"

"What?"

"CHANGE!!"

"Amanda!" Danny bellowed, "Just wait, it's Spongebob again!"

They waited for a few seconds until the heard the musical giggle of their daughter, filling the lower level of their home, as she attempted to make her own words up to the opening of Spongebob Squarepants.

"So, where were we?" Danny asked, "It was her birthday?"

Lindsay nodded as she pushed a roasted potato around her plate, avoiding all eye contact with him, "I don't really want to talk about it,"

He sighed as he jumped down off the counter and moved to the seat next to her, and took her hand, "You know I'm here, right?"

She nodded, as tears threatened to fall, "I don't know why I'm so upset about it… It was just…"

Danny pulled her into a hug and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "It's okay, Montana."

"They were just kids, Danny." She sobbed, as he held her, "Just little kids."

"And it was a tragic accident."

"The little boy lost his sister. The parents lost their daughter. And on her birthday. I mean, I can't even imagine losing… I can't…."

"I know," Danny soothed, "I know."

She sniffed, "I don't want you to get me any candles ever,"

"Okay," he nodded adamantly, "that I can do."

"And none for Amanda. No candles."

"It's done," he assured her. "No candles."

"I'm not hungry anymore," Lindsay sniffed as she wiped her eyes, "I mean it's really nice, but…."

"I'll whip you something up later on, okay? Want to go watch Spongebob with her while I clean up?"

She nodded and stood up, "Are you sure?"

He nodded adamantly; "Go on,"

Slowly, she made her way through the kitchen, and cautiously stepped over the baby gate, protecting Amanda from wandering into the kitchen when one of them wasn't around to keep an eye on her.

"Hey sweet pea," Lindsay smiled, getting Amanda's attention,

"MOMMY!" The little girl shrieked "MOMMY!"

"Hey baby," Lindsay giggled as Amanda wrapped herself around Lindsay's legs, "How was your day?"

"Otay," Amanda shrugged as she sighed, as she gazed up at Lindsay, "Is Mommy sad? Mommy wooks sad."

"Mommy's a little sad," Lindsay sighed as she carefully picked Amanda up and sat on the couch, "She had a bad day at work."

Amanda sighed heavily, before standing up on the couch, and wrapped her two little arms around Lindsay's head and pressed a kiss to her mother's forehead, "Better?"

"Your kisses make everything better," Lindsay smiled. "What are Spongebob and Patrick doing today, sweetie?"

Amanda shrugged as she sat on Lindsay's lap and stuck her thumb in her mouth, "I miss you today, mommy."

"I missed you too, sweetie."

"Did anyone miss Daddy?" Danny asked as he plopped himself down next to Lindsay on the couch, "I mean, poor old daddy, everyone forgets about daddy."

Amanda giggled before carefully moving from Lindsay's lap, and jumped on the tiny space between both Danny and Lindsay and launched herself onto Danny's lap., "WUB YOU!" she shrieked in his ear, as she held onto both sides of his head, and gazed into his eyes.

Lindsay snorted as she flipped the channel, "She totally just got you, didn't she?"

"Right in the crotch," Danny groaned as he moved his daughter out of his lap and set her on the couch, "Holy crap, it's like it's a target for her. Every time she just nails it."

"She thinks it's a game, she loves getting your reaction of doubling over, and declaring you're going to die from the pain," Lindsay laughed as her eyes didn't move from the television screen, "You fall right into her hands."

Danny smiled sarcastically, as he rocked back and forth from the pain, "You're a silly M&M," Danny told his daughter with a gritted teeth smile. "That loves to cripple daddy."

Amanda grinned and hopped off the couch, and headed towards her pile of toys in the corner of the living room, allowing Danny to lay his head on Lindsay's thigh, and groan with pain, "You have no idea how much this hurts."

"Pull up them big boy pants, Danny." She snorted, "The pain you feel now, will be nothing when I'm throwing glares at you in five months."

"Oh yeah, your glares are gonna hurt?" Danny smirked, "I hardly think so,"

Lindsay raised her eyebrows, "between the glares, the profanities coming out of my mouth, and me breaking your hand, I think it will hurt."

Danny weighed up his options as he shifted and lay on his back as he gazed up at Lindsay, "Willing to take it all if it makes it any easier for you, baby."

"Oh bite me," Lindsay laughed as she softly laced her fingers through his gelled hair, "You got me into this mess."

"Maybe so," Danny smirked up at her as he prodded her nose, "But I don't remember you being so against the idea of actually making our baby."

"Maybe not," Lindsay smiled down at him, "Thank you."

"What for?" he asked.

"For taking my mind off the case. Making me forget."

"Like I said," Danny said as he sat up, and pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose, "Anything I can do to make it easier for you."

Lindsay smiled rubbed her nose against his, giving him an Eskimo kiss. "You know what?"

"What?"

"I might actually keep you around," She grinned "How does forever sound?"

"I can deal with forever," he returned her grinned and pulled her into his side.

He smiled as his eyes found Amanda concentrating on re-dressing Lickle bear. She turned up and smiled brightly at both her parents happily watching her. She stood up, and padded over to Lindsay and handed her the top and the teddy bear, and indicated that she wanted Lindsay dress the teddy. Danny sighed as he watched Lindsay carefully dress the teddy, and hand it back to Amanda with a smile.

Forever sounded damn perfect.

* * *

**_Thankyou for all your support guys, you have no idea how much it means! I appreciate each and every one of your reviews, and i promise to get back on track with reponding personally to reviews soon! _**

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**_And a special welcome to,_** Axellia


	151. A Trip Down Memory Lane

_**A/N: This chapter's layout and idea behind it is a little different. In fear of giving too much away, basically the italics are a series of flashbacks... I hope it will make sense for y'all :) **_

**_Huggles to Meepy. _**

* * *

"Bullshit!!!"

"Keep your voice down. It's late, Linds."

"Bullshit," she said, quieter this time.

"What? Me?!"

She laughed, "You heard me, I said bullshit."

"You're full of what?!" Danny smirked as he picked up the stack of cards that were scattered in the middle of their King sized bed. "Jesus Montana, how the hell did you get so good at this game."

"Remember when I said I used to lick stamps in college. I also beat my dorm's ass at bullshit."

"You know what," Danny sighed as he uncrossed his legs and shifted against the wooden frame at the foot of the bed, "I don't wanna play anymore. You're cheating." He declared as he fanned his cards out, "You have a three, an ace, and a nine, here Linds, you said it was three twos."

"That's the whole point of the game, baby. You're supposed to get rid of all your cards."

"Yeah well, I'm bored now," he said as he threw the cards onto the bed and scooted up to the top of the bed, and rested next to Lindsay, who was propped up against the headboard, with a pillow supporting her back and head, "Usually you're so honest, and I don't like seeing this side of you."

"Oh suck it up," Lindsay sniggered as she collected the cards and put them back into the deck they had brought from downstairs. "You just don't like losing, that's all."

"That too."

She rolled her eyes and placed the cards on Danny's bedside table, and turned over, so that she was laid on her side, facing Danny.

"You're on my side." He told her.

"I'm making your pillow smell like me, I just washed my hair. It'll smell of that Chinese cinnamon and ginger oil if I lay here when my hair's still wet."

"No!" Danny gasped sarcastically, "really? See I wouldn't have guessed that."

She glared at him, "No need to be _so _sarcastic."

"Linds, to be fair, I soaped you up, forgive me for reminding you about stating the obvious."

"I was just saying." She sighed, "Trying to make your pillow smell nice."

"Don't you think I smell nice?" Danny asked, genuinely hurt.

"Would you rather smell my scent or your scent?"

"Good point," He nodded as he laid down on her pillow, "So?"

"So?"

"What do you wanna talk about?"

Lindsay shrugged, "The weather was nice today."

"Oh holy crap," Danny snorted as he drew Lindsay into his arms and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "what the hell happened to us? Our pillow talk consists of the weather?"

She shrugged, "What do you want to talk about then?"

"What's the best memory you have of me?" he asked as he gazed down into her eyes.

"Jesus Danny, random much?" She snorted, "What do you mean?"

"Your best memory of me… what is it?"

She blinked for a few seconds. "Honestly?"

"Honestly," he nodded, "favourite memory you have of me."

"A memory of us together, or a memory of you."

"Us together."

"Hmm," she considered it for a minute and then smiled, "When I saw you stood at the other end of the church in Montana."

"Huh?"

"When you were stood at the alter with Chris after my mom and dad had convinced me that the church was holding a Valentines Day ceremony. You had planned the wedding? Got the whole of team there that mattered and a few lab techs you knew I was friendly with."

Danny smiled, "Yeah, that was one of my finer moments."

"And I have another one," she admitted. "Remember when Amanda cut her hand on the seesaw?"

Danny nodded, "I thought I was going to have heart attack waiting for you to get home."

"That's my favourite memory of you." She admitted, "In that moment, how, despite you nearly wanting to cry-"

"Hey… that's not…"

She cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Okay, maybe a tear or two, but Linds, she was so upset, and…"

"As I was saying," she glared at him, "right there, how you put your feelings aside and made her feel better. I just… I dunno, something inside of me fell in love with you again. You turned what could have been something tearful into something that wasn't a big deal."

He snorted, "It was you that did that."

She yawned, "How about we agree that it was a joint effort?"

He smiled. "Do you remember when Amanda crawled for the first time?"

Lindsay giggled, "You were practically swinging from the ceiling."

"Literally…"

* * *

_"Crawl to Mommy, baby. Go on sweetie, come on… crawl to me baby girl."_

"_It's a waste of time, Linds." Danny sighed as he continued his "pull ups" on his new bar in the doorframe, "We've tried for weeks. She'll do it when she's ready."_

"_You're not even looking in the right direction," Lindsay glared at his glistening muscles, framed perfectly with the wifebeater he wore, "You can't see what she's doing."  
_

_Danny shook his head, and Lindsay turned her attention back to Amanda, who was sat upright opposite her, "Please will you crawl for mommy?"_

_Amanda giggled and spit out her pacifier. "Gah!" _

"_I told your mother she didn't like these, Danny." Lindsay glared at her husband again, as she placed the object on her lap, "But oh no, Nanna knows best, doesn't she?" Lindsay said to her daughter, "Nanna knows you so well."_

"_Chill out, Linds." Danny smirked as he turned on the bar so that he was now facing into the living room. "So she don't like them, that's one good thing. She might not need braces."_

"_I wish you wouldn't do that," Lindsay sighed as she patted the floor in front of her._

"_Do what?" he asked as he pulled himself up on the bar, "Say Amanda might need braces, Lindsay, I've seen pictures of you. Your teeth were, wow. Take it you were a pacifier fan."_

"_Sucking a pacifier and needing braces are completely unrelated Danny. And actually I didn't suck a pacifier."_

_Danny smirked._

"_Say anything about me sucking anything, and watch me kick your butt."_

_He sniggered. _

"_And, for your information, I meant I wish you didn't do pull ups here in the living room."_

"_Why?" he snorted._

"_Because," she sulked, "You wander upstairs when you're done, leaving me down here, all alone."_

"_Put Amanda down for a nap then, I can teach you how to get all hot and bothered by doing pull ups, then I can…"_

"_DADA!" _

"_Sorry M&M," he smirked, "I'll knock it off,"_

"_She wasn't telling you off Dan." Lindsay smirked, "she's a clever M&M, but she had no concept of what you were saying. I hope."_

_Danny shrugged, before pulling himself up on the bar again, "I need a shower."_

"_You know how to turn the faucet on," Lindsay smirked as she took Amanda's hand, "Are you gonna crawl for me baby?"_

"_I still can't believe you cleared the whole living room. How much do you think she's gonna crawl, Montana?"_

"_Hey, it's like Pringles, once she starts, she won't stop."_

"_And before I know it, I'll be shelling out god knows how much for her senior prom dress, right?"_

"_And then her graduation dress for college."_

"_I wish not to talk about this," Danny glared at Lindsay, "Let's not dream her life away, just yet."  
_

_Lindsay rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at Amanda, "Come on honey, you can do this. Come on."_

_Amanda chewed her lip in contemplation and let her hands fall to the floor, before looking at Lindsay for reassurance. "Dis?"_

"_Like that baby, go on!" she encouraged, "You can do it,"_

_Amanda sighed and shuffled forwards, "Dis?"_

_Lindsay nodded excitedly, "DANNY! Danny, she's doing it!"_

"_That's it princess!" Danny praised, as he stopped his pull-ups ready to jump down, so he could join the monumental moment celebrations._

"_Don't you dare jump!" Lindsay warned him, "If you jump down you'll scare her and she'll stop."_

"_Whaa'?"_

"_Don't move!" Lindsay glared for a millisecond, before turning her attention back to Amanda who was shuffling along the floor towards Lindsay, "You're doing it honey!" she praised, "you're doing it! Aren't you the cleverest girl in the whole wide world?!"_

_Amanda shrieked with glee, before falling to her tummy and looking up at Lindsay, "UGH!" _

_Lindsay giggled softly, and picked Amanda up, and sat her up, "Try again."_

_Amanda sighed as she glanced next to Lindsay, "Dada?!"_

"_Yeah pretty girl? S'the matter?"_

_Lindsay turned to the side of her, where Danny sat, rather smugly next to her. "When… How…"_

_Danny smirked, "You were so engrossed in Amanda, you didn't see me trip and fall off the bar, and head over here."_

_Lindsay snorted, "Smooth cowboy, real smooth."_

"_I do what I can," he said as he pressed a kiss to her forehead, before patting the floor in front of him, "Come on M&M, show Daddy what you can do."_

_Amanda giggled and began shuffling towards Danny. _

_

* * *

_

"…Don't matter what you say Linds, she meant to come to me." he teased, "She loves her daddy."

"I know, it's a shame… I wonder what happened there," Lindsay smirked as he prodded her nose.

"I resent that," he said, "You know she loves me."

She smiled "I know, I'm just kidding. She just burned my ass a little bit from going to you, first. I had been sat there for a good two hours and as soon as you sit down, she crawls straight to you. Damn typical."

Danny laughed softly, "Montana, it's not the end of the world. It was you she smiled at for the first time."

* * *

_Lindsay sighed as she placed the last container of food on the table, "I never want to cook another meal for the rest of my life."_

"_Oh chill out," Danny smirked as got another spoonful of Amanda's food and offered her another mouthful, "I asked if you wanted any help. You told me to sit with Amanda and get her to smile."_

"_I'm well aware of that." Lindsay informed him, as she sat down and grabbed a warmed plate. And set it in front of her before taking Amanda's mashed pears baby food from Danny, "You eat, I'll feed her."_

"_You eat." Danny told her, "I'm good. I can wait."  
_

"_You've been prodding me with a stick ever since you got home to get dinner cooked, eat."_

_He smiled at her and handed her Amanda's baby food and pink plastic spoon, "There."_

_She dabbed a damp cloth to rid the area around Amanda's mouth to clear it of food that Danny had failed to clear up with the spoon, "Look at you, honey, what was daddy doing to you? Did you get any food in your belly, or was he just pasting it on your face."_

_Amanda glanced at Danny and then turned back to Lindsay. "Heeeh!"_

"_I thought so," Lindsay smiled as she placed a small amount on the spoon and tapped the small plastic spoon against Amanda's lips, "make way for the choo-choo train, honey."_

_Amanda opened wide and let Lindsay place the spoon inside her mouth, before clamping shut around the spoon, making it harder for Lindsay to remove the spoon from her mouth. _

"_Amanda…" She chuckled, "Open your mouth."_

_Amanda giggled, "WO!"_

"_Now," Lindsay narrowed her eyes jokingly, _

_Amanda opened her mouth and smiled brightly at Lindsay, and giggled heartily, a small smile forming on her lips,"HEEEEH!" _

_Lindsay gasped in excitement, and flicked the remaining mashed pears on the spoon in Danny's direction, "Dan, did you see her?"_

"_See what? I have mashed pears on my glasses." He said as he pulled the glasses from his face, "thank you for that."_

_Lindsay ignored him and leaned up to where Amanda sat in her high chair and 'Eskimo kissed' her, "I am so proud of you."_

_

* * *

_

"I cant believe she smiled at you first," Danny glared, "out of all the jokes I told her and she just looked at me, you almost tell her off and she laughs."

"She was laughing and smiling at my silly face," Lindsay shrugged, "Since then, she's never stopped smiling and giggling."

"That's one of the things I'm glad you gave her." Danny said as he smoothed Lindsay's hair down, "If there had been anything in the world I wanted my baby girl to get from you, would be your eyes and smile."

"Not my brains, wit or personality then, purely physical features."

"I didn't mean it like that," Danny laughed softly, "you knew what I meant."

"Only cause we're like one person, and think the same things."

"Exactly, so you knew what I meant."

"That's what I said," Lindsay said as she rolled her eyes.

A comfortable silence fell between husband and wife, both taking the peace and tranquillity of the room around them as a blessing to the usual chaos and giggling of their daughter.

And soon, she'd have a brother or sister to run around with, shrieking and giggling at the top of their lungs.

And neither Danny, or Lindsay could wait for that.

As Lindsay's eyes fluttered shut, Danny turned on his side, and propped his head up on his arm.

Despite their last six years together, he'd never really looked at her. He'd never taken the time to just sit back and look at how beautiful his girl was. Like how her long eyelashes softly rested on her rosy, and now chubby cheeks. And, although she was drifting off to sleep, there was a smile permanently fixed to her face. Her hair, (along with a little help from her curling iron) was now curly on a day-to-day basis, as opposed just under shoulder length and straigtened. And what was becoming more and more evident with each day that passed was the glow she had. The pregnant mommy glow that she had throughout the whole time she was pregnant with Amanda.

A small lock of hair fell into her face and he smiled softly as he tucked it behind her ear, and pressed a kiss to her nose.

"Hey, Montana…"

"Hmm?" she gave as a response, with her nose twitching and her eyes still closed.

"You're beautiful."

Instantly, a wide smile appeared on her face as she peeked one eye open, before closing it again, "I knew you were staring."

"I prefer admiring, actually."

"Whatever you were doing, you were looking," Lindsay smirked as finally opened her eyes and shuffled towards him, "lay down,"

"What?" he laughed, "why?"

She rolled her eyes, and moved his arm that was supporting his head making him fall to the pillow. She then laid her head on his chest, before smiling up at him, "That's why."

"You know," he said as he lovingly rubbed her arm, "Who would have thought a night on a pool table would have got us to where we are now?"

She laughed, "Are you telling me that you think that one night was the reasoning behind our marriage?"

"Linds, honestly, how many people can you name that would have sex on a pool table?"

"Sam," Lindsay replied instantly.

"Apart from Brooklyn girls."

"Montana girls?" Lindsay giggled.

"Okay, wisebutt, I get it…"

She smiled as she lazily played with his dog tags around his neck, "Danny?"

"What baby girl?"

"Do you remember when you took me to the batting cages. It was after we had been to that Yankees game…"

"And I couldn't believe you had never been to baseball field. Sports mad Lindsay Monroe had never been to a real baseball field. Outrage."

* * *

_"Danny, I'm pretty sure this is trespassing."_

"_Don't you worry your pretty little head, Montana," Danny laughed as he helped her over the fence, "I spent my childhood climbing in and out of this field. And I never got caught."_

"_I just think that…"_

"_You know what I think," he asked as he laid a finger over her lips, "I think you need to chill out and enjoy the thrill of rebelling."_

"_I rebel. I rebel all the time."_

"_Oh yeah," Danny asked as he handed her a baseball bat from the storage area, "when?"_

"_All the time," she repeated as she turned her Yankees hat backwards, "Sometimes, I don't put my cup in the dishwasher at the lab."_

_Danny snorted. _

"_Okay, no that was a sucky one. I… I… I have sex on pool tables!" She said excitedly, "That's rebelling against beds."_

"_That's having no self control, actually." He laughed as he tossed a baseball in the air, "There's a difference."_

_She glared at him as she tapped her bat on the floor, "Show me what you got, Messer."_

_He chuckled as he took his place on the pitching mound. He took a deep breath, as he looked at his girlfriend stood opposite him, with her pink Yankees hat turned backwards, along with her tiny Yankees jersey, and fitted jeans, complete with pink converse. _

"_You gonna pitch the ball or what?" _

_Danny smirked as he gently pitched the ball, allowing Lindsay to crack it with her bat, sending her into a comfortable run all the way home as Danny sprinted to the other side of the field to retrieve the ball. _

"_You're a bullshitter," he gasped as he jogged back towards the pitcher's mound. "Never been on a baseball field my ass, Montana."_

_She smirked, "I may have told a little white lie."_

"_What, were you on the little league or something?" _

_She snorted, "I might have played in high school." She shrugged as she took her position, "You've met your match, Messer." _

"_You willing to bet on that, Montana?" Danny smirked as he threw the ball, "cause I think it's about time we evened out that bet."_

"_You owe me a Benjamin, Danny. Period."_

"_Alright, you win, I pay you two Benjamin's. I win, you write off that debt."_

"_Deal." She smirked as she tapped the floor with her bat, "give it your best shot."_

* * *

"It was a lucky last shot," Danny argued, "My hitting was off."

"That's bull," Lindsay giggled, "You couldn't handle my awesome baseball skills."

"I think you was studying A-Rod a little to intensely at the game before, that's all."

"It takes damn talent to beat your ass," Lindsay laughed, "And I have that talent. I told you, you had met your match."

"Maybe," Danny shrugged as he placed a kiss to her forehead, "But at least I paid up."

"Sex in the bleachers while it was raining does not equal a Benjamin, Danny." Lindsay laughed, "There is no way."

"You got rain sex, outside. What more could a girl want? I mean that's romantic, right?"

She smirked, "I guess,"

"Guess. It was damn romantic, and you know it."

She smiled, "Do you remember what else was kind of romantic?"

"Nope, but I have a feeling you're gonna tell me."

* * *

_"Last shot, Linds," Danny laughed as he bent over the table with his pool cue, "I'm gonna win… and effectively bring an end to your winner's streak."_

_"Gives me a challenge." She smiled, "regain my victory."_

_He slowly raised his eyebrows and smirked at her as he stood facing her across the table, "prepare to lose, Montana."_

_She smirked and leant against the table, and ensured that her cleavage was in perfect view of Danny's eyes, while resting her head against her propped up hand. "Give it your best shot, Messer."_

_He coughed as she then moved and stretched in her tiny top that framed her curves, perfectly._

_He knew what she was doing._

_"Concentrate on the task at hand, Danny." He mumbled to himself, "Ignore her."_

_"What was that," Lindsay asked as she took a sip of her drink, "Ignore whom?"_

_Danny smiled as he stared at the ball, and then the pocket, "nobody." He answered as the ball effortlessly fell into the pocket, "BOOM! That's what I'm talking about!!"_

_Danny looked up and smiled at her, and instantly he knew there was something wrong. "Montana?"_

_She angrily set her drink on the pool table, "No seriously, what?"_

_"Linds, I was kidding."_

_"You said I was a nobody."_

_"I was kidding, baby, come on," he said as he grabbed his jacket and drink._

_"No!" She sniffed, "I heard you."_

_"Linds, chill, I was kidding, I wouldn't really ignore you. I mean, I was kidding. You saw what you were doing… I wanted to make that shot…"_

_She relented her stance a little, and moved closer to him, "really?"_

_"Yes, really." He smiled as he kissed her forehead, "did you really think I thought that you were a nobody?"_

_She shrugged, "I thought maybe…"_

_"I think you've had a little too much to drink," Danny smiled, "You go to the bathroom, and I'll meet you back here, and we can head back to yours, okay?"_

_She sighed, "Okay daddy Danny."_

_He glared at her, "Linds, we talked about that… I get you and Stella find it hilarious, but seriously, don't."_

_"Why, does it panic you or something?"_

_"Me as a dad?" Danny snorted, "yeah, a little."_

_"I'm sure you would be amazing!" She gushed as she nibbled at his ear, "Like really, really amazing."_

_"Yeah well, you go to the bathroom, and we can talk about it on the way home, okay? But it's not happening for a really, really, really long time."_

_She giggled a pressed a kiss to his nose before heading to the bathroom, leaving him and his eyes following her every step, until she disappeared into the ladies._

_"How's about you take a real woman home?"_

_Danny turned in his position and was faced with a small woman, in an even smaller skirt and seemingly matching top, "Can I help you?" he asked, highly unimpressed._

_She nodded as she ran a finger down his hard chest, "There's a lot of things you can do to help me."_

_He smiled politely before turning around and widening his eyes at the ludicrous woman stood behind him._

_"I don't think you understood what I meant!" she bellowed at him as she turned him around, "I have a cab waiting outside."_

_"Good for you," he smiled, "Do us both a favour and jump in it."_

_"I ain't going anywhere without you,"_

_"With all due respect, ma'am, I suggest you get out of here before I move you out of here. Go home."_

_"Do you speak to that girl you're with like that?"_

_He snorted, voice dripping with sarcasm. "No I save my best for special girls like you."_

_"Danny?!"_

_Danny instantly felt his heart sink as he turned and was faced with a tearful Lindsay. "Baby,"_

_"Save it," she spat, as she angrily wiped her tears, "You know what, fuck you!"_

_He sighed and rolled his eyes as she pushed passed him and headed for the exit. He glanced down at the woman stood in front of him, and shook his head, "you gonna move?"_

_She considered it for a minute before shaking her head, "Nah,"_

_He bit his lip, "You gonna move or am I gonna move you myself?"_

_"She's gone… Leave her."_

_He gently moved the 'over the top' woman out of the way before racing to the exit of the bar, and darted out onto the New York streets._

_The same New York streets that were suffering from a severe rainfall plaguing the city since he and Lindsay had stepped into the bar four hours previous. A rainfall that had him drenched within seconds of stepping out of the bar. A rainfall that had made it practically impossible for him to see his hand in front of his face._

_He tugged his phone off his holder on his belt loop and held down his speed dial for Lindsay, and willed her to pick up._

_"What!!!" she bellowed down the phone._

_"Where are you?" he questioned as he secretly smiled at the fact she had answered_

_"Why do you care?" she slurred, "you have that blonde… that blonde… that blonde… the blonde GIRL. Take her home. Why bother with a stupid country girl like me?"_

_"But I want to take you home. I love my country girl."_

_"No!" she sniffed down the phone, "take her home."_

_"Linds, come on, where are you?"_

_"I'm not telling you."_

_"Lindsay. Come on, it's 2AM, you're alone, and it's raining, where are you?"_

_"NO!" she sobbed,_

_"Lindsay, please. Just tell me where you are… Or, if you want, meet me back at yours, okay? Just stay on the phone."_

_"Why do you care so much?"_

_"Because I love you." He told her, "if something happened to you, I'd never forgive myself."_

_"But what you were sayin' to that girl… you…"_

_"Was being sarcastic. I was being sarcastic with her Linds. She was so completely out of her mind drunk she had no idea."_

_And then, he heard the sounds of the dial tone._

* * *

"I still can't believe you were stood behind me the whole time," Danny glared at her, "I was seriously worried about you… It was pouring down and…"

"And I was safe." She smiled, "it didn't matter."

"It mattered to me," Danny muttered.

"Well, the make up was worth it, right?"

"The kiss in the rain or the make up sex."

"Both." Lindsay giggled, "mainly the kiss. Cause I have a thing for rain scenes."

Danny rolled his eyes, "You have a thing for millions of things."

She smiled at him, "We've had some really good times, haven't we?"

Danny nodded and smiled, "And you know what?"

"What?" she asked as she rested her head on the pillow Danny was laid on and looked into his eyes.

"There's no one else I would have wanted to do all the things I have done with you."

She smiled and pressed a kiss to his nose, "That's sweet."

"It's true," he nodded, "I mean, I don't even know where I would be right now, if Mac hadn't of hired you. There's no way I would have been married to the love of my life with a beautiful baby girl."

Lindsay laughed, "Wow, you're extra sappy tonight."

He shrugged as he prodded her nose with his index finger, "I have a lot of things to be sappy about,"

She yawned and blinked with bleary eyes. "I guess so."

He nodded, "You look tired, honey… How about you go to sleep?"

"And leave you up all on your lonesome?"

"Believe it or not, Montana, I'm a big boy. I'm capable to stay up all by myself."

"It's nine thirty though, Dan."

"So," he shrugged, "I wont sue you for leaving me up on my own. You're having a baby, Linds. My baby. I think the least I can do is let you go to bed."

"Will you wake me up if you can't go to sleep?"

He smiled as he nodded and kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams, baby girl."

* * *

She awoke to the small sounds of a strumming guitar, drifting up the stairs, and into her bedroom.

Sleepily, and with both eyes still closed, she reached across the bed, to feel for her usual sleeping companion, and realised that his bed was not only cold, but also not slept in.

She peeled one eye open and glanced at the clock, and sighed heavily.

3:33 AM.

She smirked to herself, and half considered making an anonymous phone call downstairs.

Instead, she figured that instead scaring the life out of him, she'd head downstairs and witness the heart attack herself.

Cause after all, a wandering wife was probably the last thing he expected at this time in the morning.

She strained her ears as she kicked the covers off her and slowly swung her legs over the side of her bed. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the wall in front of her, as she tried to make it register.

Danny was singing.

Like, actually singing.

This… she had to see.

She grabbed his blue dressing gown, and wrapped it around herself and slipped her slippers on as she headed for the door to their bedroom and opened it.

She stood in the doorjamb for a minute, and listened to the small sounds of Danny singing to himself while playing the guitar.

She closed her eyes for a second, and she felt a flutter in her stomach. It was her favourite Aaron Lines song.

Despite it being sad, terribly sad, in fact. There was something about it that warmed her heart.

She had always figured it was because of Aaron Lines' voice.

However, that was before she'd heard Danny Messer sing it.

As she started on her descent down the stairs, she was slightly confused. First, at why Danny would still be up at three thirty in the morning, on his guitar, and second, at his choice of song.

She rested against the doorframe to the living room, and gazed at him sat on the floor, with her iPod in his ears.

He was teaching himself the song.

She knocked against the already open door in an attempt to get his attention, but failed miserably, and instead, she cautiously moved through the living room, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"SHIT!"

"Sssh!" she giggled as she took the earphone out of his ear, "it's alright it's just me."

"You scared the living crap out of me, Montana." He glared at her before pressing 'pause' on her iPod. "What the hell are you doing up?"

"I could ask you the same thing," she laughed, "Can't sleep?"

He shrugged, "After you went to sleep, I had a listen to your top played list on your iPod, and felt like digging my guitar out."

"Can I listen to what you have so far?" she asked as she sat crossed legged on the floor opposite him.

He contemplated it for a minute before shaking his head 'no'. "I have a better idea."

And with that, he stood up and shuffled back, so that he was sat against the couch, and motioned for her to come and sit in between his legs.

"What are we doing?" she laughed as he placed the guitar in front of her, and took her hands, before positioning them on the guitar.

"I'm teaching you how to play your favourite song," he smiled, "ready?"

She turned and looked up at him a pressed a kiss to his unshaven jaw, "I love you."

He smiled and placed an earphone in his own ear, before putting one in hers, "I know you do. And guess what?"

"What?" she laughed as he pressed play, letting the introduction of the song flow through the headphones.

"I love you more than words can say."

She smiled "So, what note first?"

"Well…" he started as he gently took her hand and moved it from guitar, "Watch me first? And I'll go through it slowly after"

She nodded against his chest.

And as Danny hummed softly along to the song that was flowing into her ear, she smiled.

She was glad to have him as her husband. She was glad to have him as her everything.

And with him, she knew that they had a million and one memories just waiting to be cherished.

And she for one couldn't wait.

* * *

**_I just want to say a huge thankyou to all you readers and reviewers. I really appreciate all your support and feedback! _**

**_Special thankies to..._**

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**_And, a special welcome to..._** CSIFAN112 **_and_** tivaloveforever


	152. Is This A Test Or Something?

**_A/N: Okay, I am extremely nervous about posting this - hence me holding off for so long, so I hope it is okay. Let me know what you think of it. *daisy* _**

**_Thanks to Twinkeyrocks, Megs and BEG for their help with this chapter!_**

* * *

"Stop kicking my chair, Amanda Messer." Danny sighed as he edged forward in the family SUV in the bumper-to-bumper traffic that was rush hour in New York.

"HUNGWY!" the little girl bellowed from her car seat in the back seat, " Daddy, me hungwy!"

"I heard you the first time when you shrieked at me. What would you like me to do Amanda? Pull a muffin out of thin air? You're gonna have to suck it up honeybunch."

"But…" she sniffed, "Mommy?"

"I'm sorry baby girl, mommy's bag with your blueberry muffin is in the trunk."

"Hungwy." Amanda sniffed; a tear welling in her eyes as she peered into the rear view mirror that Danny was looking at her in, "Daddy, pwease."

Danny sighed, and glanced at his daughter in the rear view mirror, "Baby, if I had something, I would give it to you. I would give you my last crumb baby girl. I just don't have anything."

"But daddeee,"

"Baby, I have nothing." He sighed as he looked over his left shoulder and began indicating to change lanes. "Linds, look in your purse, see if you have anything?"

"I might have some skittles or M&M's." she sighed, as she grabbed her purse from the floor, "I just didn't want her to eat candy at a quarter after eight in the morning."

"Beggars can't be choosers." Danny declared, "Anything to satisfy that Messer appetite will keep both me and her happy."

Lindsay sighed as she began placing items from her purse on her lap in attempts of finding something for Amanda to munch on for the rest of the duration of their drive to the crime lab. She distinctly remembered placing a pre-packaged muffin into her bag, but was unsure of which she had placed it in – her's or Amanda's day bag for her stay at day care.

"I need a smaller bag," she declared as she dumped her hello kitty day planner on her lap, "I have too much crap in here."

Danny rolled his eyes as he turned the volume up slightly to Maroon 5's S_he Will Be Loved. _"Did you hear about Maroon 5 playing a free concert in Central Park a while ago?"

She shook her head, as she tossed a packet of baby wipes to the floor, "No, I miss out on everything working unsociable hours."

"I know, we could have gone to see that." Danny sighed in annoyance. "My treat."

"It was free," Lindsay snorted, "But thank you for the gesture anyway." She chuckled as she removed her umbrella from her bag to the seat "BOOM!"

"Found something?" Danny asked as he made a right turn.

She smirked and turned in her seat to face Amanda, "Guess what Mommy found, angel?"

"M&M?"

"No, better." Lindsay smiled as she held up a slightly battered – but perfectly fine – wrapped blueberry muffin. "Mommy put one in for the drive for a certain baby girl."

Amanda shrieked with delight and clapped her little hands together "Mine?"

"Sure is," Lindsay smiled as she bit open the cellophane, after she handed Amanda a napkin, "you know the drill."

Amanda narrowed her eyes as she carefully opened the McDonalds napkin that Lindsay kept a stash of in the dashboard compartment. After successfully opening the napkin she laid the large square on her car seat that posed as a tray table almost for happy meals, and other various items; such as blueberry muffins.

"And what do we make sure there are none of?" Lindsay asked as she carefully passed Amanda the unwrapped muffin.

"No crummies." Amanda giggled as she bit into the muffin.

"That's my girl," Lindsay smiled as she began loading her purse with the items she had previously emptied out of it.

"Leave the baby wipes," Danny said as he watched her contemplating leaning down, despite her protruding belly preventing her from reaching them, "I'll get them when we get out."

She smiled and leaned over the console between them and placed a kiss to his cheek, "I love you."

He smiled as he pressed a quick, yet gentle kiss to her lips before turning his attention back to the road, "I love you three too."

Lindsay smiled as she sat back in her chair, as she gazed at the beautiful weather outside of the SUV. Spring was well underway, and she was enjoying every last minute of the cool breeze before summer hit them full whack. Something she was hardly looking forward to. Summers in New York weren't exactly sympathetic to her. Especially when she was pregnant.

But, she'd surely get over it.

"What's a matter?" Danny asked as he glanced at her. "Admiring the view?"

She smiled and nodded.

Today was going to be a great day.

* * *

Both Samantha Ross and Nick Stokes were confused.

Completely and utterly confused.

They had been ushered into Mac's office around fifteen minutes ago, by the man himself; then, he had disappeared, no words leaving his lips other than; "Wait here."

The question that was on both the homicide detective and CSI's mind was for how long exactly, and why?

"It could be cutbacks you know, Nick." Sam commented after the clock touched the twenty minute mark, "I mean we are the newest,"

"Mac wouldn't have hired me if he knew he would have to let me go after a period of time, he would have just made do with his staff that he had or called in temporaries, and anyway, they would cut back on lab techs before they cut back on their CSI's, Sam. And even so, Mac firing you… you aren't in his workforce technically, you just work hand in hand with the crime lab, so I highly doubt they would have Mac be the one to fire you. It would be Sinclair or Scagnetti, if anyone."

"Jeez Nick," she laughed, "I was just making conversation, tossing a theory in…"

"Sorry," he chuckled, "I'm just a bit nervous…"

"Why?" she laughed, "thinking we're in trouble with the big guns?"

"Well, no…" he started, "I mean, we haven't really worked a case together, so I doubt it's anything like that… I mean we haven't been handling evidence incorrectly, and you haven't done anything to a perp…" he shrugged before smirking and adding, "This week at least."

"Quite the comedian," Sam laughed sarcastically, "I disarmed and floored that guy the once, because he pulled out a knife. Think I'm gonna let him knife me, got another thing coming, buddy."

"Commenting," Nick laughed, "is all."

They sat in a comfortable silence then, slowly watching the time pass. As their total waiting time slowly added up to just over a half an hour, Sam sighed heavily.

"Maybe it's test… they want to see if we can follow orders."

"Maybe," Nick nodded, "can't see why… but I guess it could be…"

The door opened, quite suddenly, startling Sam significantly.

"Sorry to keep you guys waiting… I was requested at a scene."

"No worries, Mac," Nick assured him as he sat forward on his seat, "What can we do for you…"

"There's a scene you're both needed at…" Mac said as he removed his suit jacket, before hanging it on the coat hook in his office.

"Is that all?" Sam asked, "Mac, you could have just sent me the address and I would have…"

"I need you to keep this case between yourselves," Mac said, cutting her off. "I don't want any information leaking out to other members on the team. I don't want anyone analysing your evidence, nor do I want you to discuss this with other members on the team, do you understand?"

"Completely." Sam nodded, slightly confused.

"Absolutely," Nick told his boss, "Can I ask why though?"

"I just want you two to work this case, okay?"

"Do some people on the team know our victim, Mac?" Sam questioned.

"No," he shook his head, "Just you two on this case, okay? I have Danny, Lindsay and Flack busy working on one case together before Danny and Lindsay have their doctor's appointment this afternoon for a couple of hours, and Hawkes and Stella are on another,"

"What's the address then?" Sam smiled, "I'll drive,"

Mac passed her the written down address on a piece of paper, pulled from his jacket pocket, "This is a test, okay?" he told them, "I want to be kept in the loop. Me and only me."

"Loud and clear, Boss." Nick nodded

* * *

The apartment they had been sent to was just a typical New York apartment, from the outside, and on the inside for that matter. It had a shabby interior with bright red, extremely chipped paint. The building looked similar to Samantha, but was unsure of where she had seen it before.

She figured it could be from one of the shots they use on various crime TV shows or on Movies. Take a random screen shot of an apartment building, trying to pass that off as the character's home.

Friends sprung to mind; along with another CBS show she couldn't quite put a name too. All she knew was Lindsay practically lived off it.

She was a Maury girl herself. Hardcore Maury fan.

She shook her head as she clutched her hello kitty memo book; slightly dysfunctional as a homicide detective, but she figured with a job dealing with death all day, she had to have something to brighten her day. Reaching into her pocket and seeing the memo pad… It definitely brightened her day.

If only because it reminded her of Lindsay for a split second before she opened it up and began scribbling notes and names down. She sighed as both Nick and herself made their way up the various flights of stairs to the third floor.

"Does this building look familiar to you?" Nick asked Samantha over his shoulder, "I'm sure I've seen it somewhere…"

"I was just thinking that," Sam exclaimed, "I can't place it."

"Aw, seriously?" Nick sighed, "I was hoping you might know, it's gonna drive me crazy," he said as he pushed through the stairwell into the hallway.

"Sorry squishy," Sam sighed, "it's gonna bug me and you both."

"Squishy," Nick laughed, "Wow, you haven't called me that for a while…"

"Ha," Sam laughed, "maybe not to your face."

Rolling his eyes, Nick let out a small laugh as he followed Samantha into the open apartment that had a uniform on the door. Sam instantly began taking notes from the first on scene, allowing Nick to process both the body and the apartment.

Nick found the body within seconds, and from first glance, he figured that the victim had either fallen, or been pushed into the coffee table, at great force.

He began collecting evidence, as usual as he waited for Sam to come and relay a little more information, so that he wasn't completely in the dark about what may have happened to this dead woman in front of him.

He began photographing her position, and following his usual procedure until he felt a slight tap on his shoulder.

"B&E" Sam started, "The lock was bust when the first on the scene got here. A neighbour called 9-1-1 what she claimed was the sound of a gunshot. First on scene secured the area, but went no-where near the body, so we're unsure if it was the victim that was shot, or if she attempted to hold her own, and shot the intruder."

"Help me turn her?" Nick asked as he passed Sam a pair of gloves.

She quickly pulled the gloves over her hands, and assisted Nick in turning the body.

"GSW to the chest," Nick commented, "And it isn't a through and through, seen as there is clearly no exit wound,"

"Makes our job easier… means we already have the bullet, and can run it through IBIS."

Nick nodded, as he stared down at the woman laid on the floor, "a battered and bruised body, and a bloodied head. What the hell happened here?"

Sam laid a comforting hand on Nick's back and rubbed it softly, "Just take a deep breath, and we'll be out of here before you know it. I'm gonna go and have a look around, see if anything was taken,"

* * *

So far, Samantha Ross had found nothing remotely contributing to the crime scene she was at.

And she was frustrated as hell.

Nothing had been taken, or so it seemed; which meant this was a victim that was targeted… She was quickly going through the various options; battered spouse and a case of domestic violence; or the total opposite and a random hit…

Really… Honestly, she had no idea…

And seeing the picture of the boy – no older than ten years old, scattered all around the victim's bedroom, broke her heart.

She was searching for a purse, or some type of ID, seen as she had been unable to get in touch with the super, and no one seemed to be home.

Well, if they were, they weren't answering their doors.

She opened the bedside table, and grabbed what seemed like a women's wallet, and turned on her heel, heading for the living room, where Nick was currently, bagging and tagging evidence around the dead woman.

"I got a name," she told him, "Driving licence says she's 36."

Nick nodded in response.

"There's evidence of her having a close connection with a child – there's a whole bunch of pictures of them together… I'm thinking her son, maybe?"

"Since when did you turn into a CSI, Sam?" Nick chuckled, "detective work too tame for you?"

"Haha." Sam snorted, "I was trying to find a name, I can't get in touch with the super."

Glancing around the room, Sam's eyes fell on each and every picture. All of the same little boy that was in the pictures in the bedroom.

Then, she saw it.

She saw the picture that shattered her own heart.

Upon seeing Sam's face after hearing her gasp audibly, Nick stood up, "Sam, everything okay?"

She didn't answer him, but carefully moved across the room and crouched down by a framed picture on top of the TV. "What's a picture of Danny – Lindsay's Danny, doing in this woman's apartment, Nick?"

Nick shook his head as he stood next to Samantha, "I have no idea,"

Sam picked up the picture and turned it over in her hand. He looked younger. Much younger, as a matter of fact… But other than that, it was the same Danny Messer.

Stood over a little boy, holding onto a bike out in the hallway. Big smiles.

Sam had seen him wear that same exact jacket he was sporting in the photograph into work that very morning.

She looked on the picture for a date, but was unsuccessful. The only thing she noticed was the lack of a golden wedding band on his left ring finger. Indicating that the picture was taken a fair amount of time ago, considering the length of time he had been married to Lindsay for. Setting the photo down, she let her eyes cast down to the driving license she held in her hand,

"Rikki Sandoval… Why do you have a picture of Danny Messer?"

* * *

Lindsay Messer sighed heavily.

"I have never been so freaking bored at work in my whole entire life," she declared across the two desks in the office she shared with her husband. "Seriously, there is nothing to do until Sid gets back to me about my victim. I need those tox results."

"There's paperwork for you to do, babe." Danny chuckled, "you should try that sometime,"

"I didn't mean that, I mean there's no trace or anything… Nothing."

"No experiments for you to torture Mac with," Danny sighed dramatically, "what a damn shame. Whatever will Mac do?"

"Die," she declared, "he loves my experiments."

"He humours you because you're pregnant," Danny smirked cheekily across their desks.

"I could kick your ass for that." She said with cocked eyebrows, "pregnant or not, we both know I could royally send you flying into-"

"Messers," Mac smiled from the doorway, "where are you supposed to be in ten minutes?"

Both Danny and Lindsay gazed at each other in confusion before turning to look up at Mac.

"What?" Lindsay finally asked.

"You two, where are you supposed to be in ten minutes?"

Lindsay quickly shoved her keyboard out of the way of her desktop calendar and let out a gasp, "Crap! Crap!"

"What!?" Danny asked as he rolled his seat backwards, "what!?"

"The doctors appointment. I completely forgot…" Lindsay said as she grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair, "completely slipped my mind. Crap! Crap! Crap!"

Mac chuckled from his place in the doorway, as he watched the couple frantically shove their spring jackets on, and race around the room picking up their various items they would need, including Lindsay's purse and Danny's wallet.

"I figured you had forgotten when you were still here fifteen minutes ago… you'll still make it, but I figured I would kick you both out of the lab at the last minute,"

"Thanks," Danny muttered as he zipped his leather jacket up, "nice o' ya Mac."

"You two get going," Mac told them, "let me know how you get on when you get back from your long lunch, okay?"

Both Lindsay and Danny smiled at their boss as he moved from their doorway so that they could slip into the hallway, "thanks Mac," they said in unison before racing to the elevator, frantically pushing the down button, in attempts to make the elevator pick up it's pace a little.

Mac let out a sigh, wondering how long he could keep the terrible news he was keeping from them, secret.

He watched them playfully nudge each other, while they waited for the elevator to reach the 35th floor. He watched how in love they really were, and just hoped that this turn of events didn't hit them too hard.

Hopefully, if he had anything to do with it, it wouldn't hit them at all.

* * *

"There must be a reasonable explanation, Sam." Nick said as he bagged a piece of evidence that lay by their female victim that they now knew as a one Rikki Sandoval.

"You don't think that little boy is Danny's son, do you? I mean, it could be a possibility, Nick. Look at them, they look really close. And he doesn't have on his wedding ring in that picture, so it could be before Lindsay."

"Sam, for all we know, the little boy could be Danny's nephew or something, I don't think we should jump to conclusions here, treat it as a normal case. Focus on the victim and getting the perp, right?"

Sam closed her eyes and took a breath, "you're right… you're absolutely right."

"I know, so can we put the picture out of our minds, and get a move on with the victim?"

"Yeah," Sam nodded, and turned heading towards the victim that lay on the floor, "So, we have a potential B&E?" Sam said, trying to focus her mind back on the case at hand.

"That turned personal." Nick finished.

* * *

"You ready then, mommy and daddy? Ready to see little bear again?"

"We are," Lindsay nodded at her doctor as she squeezed Danny's shaking hand.

Lindsay gazed at the screen for moments on end, listening to the doctor talk, but not really hearing her. The little baby she could see on that screen was their little baby.

Their child.

A small, rhythmic sound filled the room, and tears instantly filled Lindsay's eyes.

"That's the baby's heartbeat," the doctor commented, "it sounds strong and healthy,"

"That's good right?" Danny asked, "right? It's good, yeah?"

"Yes Danny," Lindsay giggled tearfully, "strong and healthy tends to be good."

"Good. Good," he nodded, "just checking."

The doctor smiled softly at couple's reaction to their now visible baby. "Do you want to know the sex?"

They both answered in unison; and Lindsay turned to look at Danny. "You do?"

"You don't?!"

"No," she told him, "I want it to be a surprise, don't you?"

"No, I want to know whether I'm having a baby boy or a baby girl." He argued.

"I could tell you, dad." The doctor smiled, "keep it a surprise for mom."

Danny looked towards Lindsay with raised eyebrows, "how does that sound?"

She nodded, "do you want me to…?"

"No, no" the doctor exclaimed, "We'll clean you up, and give you a few minutes,"

Danny pressed a kiss to Lindsay's forehead as he stood up from his seat next to her, "Don't run off anywhere, alright?"

Lindsay rolled her eyes, "How did you guess that was my master plan?" she asked, voice dripping with sarcasm as the Doctor wiped the gel from Lindsay's stomach.

Danny smiled sweetly and sarcastically as he opened the door, leading out into the hallway, before shutting it again as he waited for the doctor in the hallway.

"Come with me, Mr. Messer," The doctor smiled, once she had obviously finished with Lindsay. "We can head to my office…"

He nodded, and followed her mindlessly, as he gazed up at the various wall displays of Polaroid's, containing close up pictures of children and babies.

She quickly ushered him inside, and pointed to one of two seats, signalling for him to take a seat.

Sitting down on her office chair, she turned and picked up a sonogram from the printer, "I had it sent to my own printer, didn't want her seeing me print it off, as it's a clear shot."

Danny nodded.

"You can speak you know," the doctor chuckled, as she placed the sonogram picture on her desk, "it's nothing to be scared of…"

"Sorry," Danny apologised, "Just a little…"

"Nervous? Excited?"

"Bit of everything," Danny said as he sat forward, "that's my baby?"

"Your baby boy." Lindsay's doctor smiled, "Say hello to your baby boy, daddy."

"Can I see that?" Danny asked as he pointed down at the black and white image in front of him.

"It's yours," she offered. "Or should I say he's yours?"

He smiled and held the photo with both hands before running his thumb over the small shape of his baby in the middle of the vast blackness. "Hey there, buddy. Hey."

The doctor smiled at Danny, "Want me to show you?" she asked gesturing towards the picture.

"Oh…" Danny cleared his throat, and wiped the tears from his eyes, "Uh, sure…"

The doctor smiled softly, as she gently took the image from Danny, and laid it on the desk in front of him. He gazed contently, and tearfully at the picture before registering what the doctor was pointing out.

"Oh, right." He chuckled, "Yeah, I see."

"You do?" she laughed, "Wow, not many parents see it."

"They're my kids," Danny shrugged, "If I couldn't, I'd make sure I could."

She smiled, "Shall we get back to your wife? I bet she's going crazy."

"She will now she knows I know and she doesn't."

The doctor nodded and patted Danny on the back, "congratulations, Daddy."

Danny smiled as he pushed through the door into Lindsay's examination room.

Lindsay tore her eyes away from the screen, and gazed at Danny, who currently had tears in his eyes. "Well?"

Danny smiled as he kissed her forehead, "You'll see, darlin'."

"How do you mean?" She glared at him, "Let me see the picture."

He briefly handed it to her, before snatching it away again and slipping it into his wallet, "Five months, Lindsay. You gotta wait five months."

"I can see the damn picture," She said as she swung her legs over the side of the chair, "Show me my baby."

"Fine," Danny sighed as he handed it to her, "happy?"

Lindsay giggled tearfully, as she ran a finger over the picture, "that's our baby."

Danny smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead before wiping her tears away with the pad of his thumb, "welcome to the family, little bear."

* * *

"SAM!" Nick called to the homicide detective through the apartment.

"Please tell me you have something." She sighed as she appeared from the bathroom in a pair of gloves, "please?"

"I do." He smiled proudly. "I have a bloody fingerprint on her neck."

"The killer seeing if she was dead?"

"It's what I'm thinking. Did we get a TOD?"

"Sid estimated it to be between four AM and six AM."

Nick nodded.

"Have you found any other foreign samples or trace?"

"As of yet," Nick sighed, "no. Whoever did this watches them crime shows, or was just pure lucky. I think he used gloves."

"But that contradicts the bloody fingerprint, Nick."

Nick looked at her, "Honestly, I have no idea. It makes no sense to me. Maybe he took the glove off because he couldn't feel the pulse? If it was weak anyway, he might have wanted to make sure by having skin to skin contact."

Sam shrugged, "Are we done here then? Get her back to Sid, see what he can tell us?"

Nick nodded, "I'll call Mac, let him know what's going on."

* * *

"Danny," Lindsay whined with her bottom lip quivering, "please tell me."

"No"

"Please, Danny. Please?"

"No," he laughed as he took a bite from his cheeseburger, "how many times do you want me to say no? You didn't want to know, so until you give birth, you're not finding out."

"Can I see the picture?"

"Look at your own." He snorted, "It's sat there on the table."

"It's not as much of a clear shot."

"Baby," he laughed as he took her hand from across the table, "You can whine, moan and bitch at me constantly for the next five months, and you're still not gonna find out. Okay? It's the way it is."

"You're taking great pleasure in this," she sniffed as she bit into her deli sandwich. "I can see it in your eyes."

"Maybe," he winked at her, "but it'll be worth it to see your face in the delivery room, right?"

She sighed heavily, "I hate it when you're right."

"I love it when I'm right," he smirked, "It makes such a change."

* * *

Mac nodded at the homicide detective and CSI stood in front of him, "And we found the weapon?"

"No" Nick sighed heavily. "Killer only left the bullet, lodged in her chest."

He nodded again. "When is Sid performing the autopsy?"

"He's backlogged on a few things mainly to do with Lindsay's case right now and he's trying to catch up on that while she's out and not pestering him for the results, but it's on his to-do list." Sam said, as Mac cocked an eyebrow at her, "His words," she shrugged, "not mine."

"Right," Mac nodded, "I presume, because of the looks on both your faces you saw the connection between the victim and Danny?"

"We _were_ wondering…" Sam admitted.

"It's unrelated to the case," Mac said simply, "Danny or Lindsay is to know nothing about this, okay? I don't want them to catch whiff, nor do I want Flack involved. I am understood?"

"We heard you loud and clear in you office, Mac." Nick told him with his hands in the air, surrendering almost, "No-one's to know."

"Samantha?"

Her eyes narrowed, "What do you mean by that, Mac?"

"Are we clear on Flack not finding out."

"Crystal." She retorted. "I am professional Mac. What do you think I'm gonna do, run to him and tell him the latest lab gossip? I'm working on the _murder _of an innocent woman. Whether he knew her or not, he's not on the case, therefore I'm not in the place to divulge information to him. Don't patronise me Detective Taylor. I take my job seriously and I'm perfectly capable at following orders."

"I'm not patronising you, Samantha," he said calmly, "I'm just making sure all three of us are on the same page. I understand you and Detective Flack are close and I…"

"With all due respect Mac, personal lives, are just that. Personal and private."

"Exactly, which is why I want to ensure that he doesn't find out. The last thing I want is for Danny and Lindsay's work to suffer today, I need them on the ball, and I feel this…"

"I understand Mac, okay." She snapped, "I get that this is something that quite clearly was an issue – an emotional issue - before Nick and I started. You don't need to tell me twice."

Mac nodded, "Okay? What's the next step on the agenda? Sam?"

She let out a breath to regain her composure, "Following up on the witnesses I couldn't get hold of earlier. I got telephone numbers. So it's to my desk I go."

"Nick?"

"Trace." he said, "there's nothing I can do in terms of figuring out the murder weapon until Sid removes the bullet."

Mac nodded, and smiled politely, indicating their team briefing was now over, and they could head to their next tasks.

Leaving him alone, and highly frustrated and torn of how to inform two members of his team that a woman had died. A woman that had held a dark cloud over their heads for a long while in their earlier days.

He didn't know the extent of what had happened, and honestly, he didn't want to know. Like Samantha had just said, his team's private life was exactly that. Private.

But, he couldn't help but think about the repercussions of this woman's death, and how it would affect them. Or whether it would affect them at all. He just didn't know.

All he could do was hope and pray that Danny Messer was in fact a changed man, and didn't push his nearest and dearest away like he had done in the aftermath of Ruben Sandoval's death.

And if he did happen to push them away; well, it was time to push back.

* * *

"Look, all I'm saying is that Batmobile had a field forensics kit. Okay?"

She sighed as she bit into her deli sandwich, "And I'm telling you that there is no way the Batmobile was better than the Mach 5. I mean in the dark knight, you saw the Batmobile. That was no Batmobile."

Danny sighed as he bit into his cheeseburger, "I still stand strong on my Batmobile is way better than the Mach 5."

"Only cause you like driving me absolutely crazy." She sighed as she chucked a potato chip across the booth, "Can I see the baby again?"

He laughed softly and drew his wallet out of his pocket, "Get yours out, Montana." He said as he handed it to her.

"I like yours more."

"Why?" he snorted as he dipped a fry in ketchup before dabbing it on her nose, leaving her nose sticky with the red sauce.

She shrugged as she smiled softly before reaching for a napkin and wiping her nose. "I hate it when you do that."

"That smile suggests you far from hate it."

"I'm happy," she replied, "nothing can bring me down off this mood."

He smiled and leaned across the table as he pressed a kiss to her forehead, "I love you, you know that right?"

"You tell me everyday." She smiled, as she cast her eyes down his Blue shirt, "Um, baby?

"What?" he said as he sat back on the booth.

"You when I said you should have worn a napkin as a bib?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

She bit her lip to stop a giggle as she motioned to his shirt, "You uh-"

Danny glanced down and closed his eyes, "Oh, for the love of god."

"I can't take you anywhere," Lindsay complained. "Our daughter doesn't make that much mess."

"Our daughter doesn't lean across a table to kiss your forehead."

"No because I would telling her to sit her butt back down on her booster seat," she giggled as her cell phone interrupted their easy flowing conversation.

"Hey Sid," she singsonged into her iPhone. "Did the results come back?"

Danny smiled as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before popping a potato chip into her mouth.

"So, I'm good to come and pick them up?" she asked into the phone while munching on the chip. "Well, me and Danny are just having lunch, but I'm pretty much done."

She nodded and bid Sid her farewells, as she disconnected the call and placed her iPhone on the table along with the ultrasound picture already staring up at her on the diner table, "Are you nearly done, honey?"

"Results back?" he asked as he took a sip of his Lemonade, before he grabbed his wallet from his back pocket.

She nodded as she dropped her napkin on her plate, "So Sid tells me," she told him as he dropped a twenty and a five onto the table and grabbed his leather jacket and zipped it up over his huge ketchup stain on his shirt. "I can't believe you did that," she snorted.

"It's a good job you filled my locker up the other day with fresh clothes."

"Seen as you never seem to do it," she smirked as he held a hand out to help her up. "I'm sometimes the good little housewife you expect me to be."

"I have better things to do with my time than ironing and washing."

"And I don't?" she snorted as she opened the door to the diner, "Thanks."

"I didn't mean it like that."

She bit her lip for a moment before smiling, "I'll let you off."

As, they walked down the sidewalk among the hustle and bustle of New York hand-in-hand, in their own little world, both let out a little sigh as they took a minute to reflect on their perfect life.

A strong and loving marriage, a healthy beautiful little girl and another child on the way.

With not a cloud in the sky.

* * *

**_I just killed who, you ask?! Yeah, well i'm evil like that. *grins*. R&R please? It's very much appreciated. _**

**_Extra Special thankyou To... _**

Brown Eyed Girl 75

muchmadness

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iheartcsinewyork

Hope06

Baby Jefer

redandblack 4eva

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Bulletgirl1723

katie

ncisabbylover

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ambecsiny

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Sammich

MeredithandDerekfanforever


	153. Could A Storm Be Brewing?

**_A/N: Don't you just love college? I have a major assignment that I'm half way through, and a book to read for tomorrow. So, instead of doing that, let's update WYHTG. _**

**_Happy Birthday Megs. _**

**_Twinkeyrocks. I love you. _**

* * *

"So sad," Sid Hammerback sighed as he looked down at the latest victim to lay upon his autopsy table, "first I perform her son's autopsy, and now her own. Heartbreaking, isn't it?"

Nick nodded, "is the COD a gunshot wound to the chest?"

"Actually" Sid said as he snapped on his glasses, "it wasn't. Blunt force trauma was the official COD. Perhaps the killer wanted to ensure his kill was complete by shooting her."

"The coffee table?" Nick suggested in Sam's direction.

"Did you find anything else, Sid?" Sam questioned.

He nodded, "she got beat around for a prolonged amount of time before her death. The killer was merciless."

"Did you manage to extract the bullet?" Nick questioned.

Sid nodded as he handed Nick the Petri dish. "Quite distinctive bullet if you ask me,"

"Bullet doesn't seem to me like a 9mm, I'll get it to ballistics and see what I can find out," Nick commented. "See if I get a hit in IBIS."

"I also found this," Sid said as he held up a small evidence bag containing a contact lens, "it's something I've never seen before."

Nick nodded as he accepted the small evidence bag and examined it, "I'll add it to the list of things to do."

Sid sighed heavily as he carried on relaying his findings to the CSI and homicide detective.

Wishing that he was anywhere but where he was right now.

* * *

Don Flack chuckled lightly at the sight of his best friend's wife laid on the leather sofa in their shared office with her eyes shut.

"Rise and shine, Monroe." He laughed as he tapped her forehead slightly, "You know how it's frowned upon to be sleeping on the job. Mac isn't lenient when it comes to overtiredness due to a lack of sleep from sex. "

"I'm not sleeping," she deadpanned, with her eyes closed. "I'm trying my hardest to stop my lunch from making a reappearance."

"Feeling sick?" he inquired

"Royally," she sighed, "and guess where I have to go right now…"

"You're either going to play with some of that righteous hydrogen sulfide that stinks like death, or you're going to pay Sid a visit."

"Ding, ding, ding." She sing-songed as she sat up slowly and placed a hand to her forehead, "You win first prize. A trip to Sid's. Lucky me," she groaned

"Shouldn't you be way over the morning sickness yet though?" he asked as he took a seat next to her. "You're way out of the twelve week thing, aren't you?"

She shook her head, "sixteen weeks," She shrugged and sighed, "I have no idea why I'm still feeling like this. All I know is Danny's baby is making me feel like shit right now."

"I love how it's Danny's baby."

"It is!!" She exclaimed at him as she pushed up on his knee to help herself up, only for him to grab her hand and slowly pull her back down onto the couch next to him.

"Wait here."

"Huh?" she half laughed, "did you not hear me telling you I have to go down into autopsy?"

"I did," he nodded, "But, I'm not ready to puke my stomach contents up, I'll head on down for you."

"Are you sure?" she asked, "I mean, I don't…"

"Linds, it's good." He smiled as he rubbed her arm affectionately. "Don't go anywhere and I'll bring them back up."

She narrowed her eyes, "What did you do, and what do you want me cover you for? I'm not hiding any bodies, Don."

"I haven't done anything!" He exclaimed as he stood up, "Can't I do something nice for one of my best friends?"

She rolled her eyes, "What do you want, Don?"

He sighed and sat back down, "There's this song…"

"There's a lot of songs Flack, I need a little more than that."

"Sammie told me Danny whipped out his guitar the other day, and I was wondering if you could drop some major hints."

"Don," Lindsay laughed, "you've been hanging around with Adam a little too much, spit it out."

"Do you think Danny would learn how to play a song to play at mine and Sam's wedding?"

Lindsay smiled, "What song?"

"Ever the Same, by Rob Thomas."

She smiled and patted his leg softly, "Mommy Lindsay will see what she can do."

"You're a star," he said as he kissed her cheek, "Sammie loves that song, and I know she wants it at the wedding for our first dance but I… well, I wanted someone…"

"I get it," Lindsay laughed, cutting him off, "God you're like a hyperactive puppy. Go get my results, and I will drop hints to Danny, okay?"

He nodded and rushed out of the office, with a huge grin on his face.

_Mission accomplished_ he smiled as he pressed the down button on the elevator.

* * *

"That _is_ some pretty nasty bruising," Sam commented.

"The killer left an imprint and I have been able to get a outline, so as soon as you run the gun through IBIS, if it gets any hits, you could maybe compare the fist of the suspect to the killers, and see where that takes you." Sid suggested.

Nick nodded, "Did you do a sexual assault kit?"

Sid nodded, "Came back negative. Tox report said that she was way over the alcohol limit. When I opened her up, I found a considerable amount of damage to her liver."

"Alcoholic?" Sam asked.

"Possibly," Sid shrugged, "They say alcohol numbs the pain. I remember after my second divorce was finalised..."

"You were blotto, you fell down the stairs, and didn't feel a thing." Sam finished, "I know, I think everyone knows."

Sid smiled, "My antics the focus point of the water cooler chatter?"

"No, it was one of the first things you told me, actually." Sam giggled.

"And me," Nick added.

There was a sudden knock on the glass door, leading into autopsy where Don Flack stood, "Hey Sid,"

Sid smiled politely, "to what do I earn the pleasure?"

"I'm here for…" Flack blinked at the woman that lay on the autopsy table, "I'm ah…" He swallowed.

Flack knew that woman. That was the same woman that had caused Danny and Lindsay mountains of heartbreak and struggle throughout the beginnings of their solid, committed relationship.

And she was dead.

"Lindsay's results," he finally managed to finish as he looked at Sid. "She's not feeling well," he explained, "and I wanted to be a good goddaddy and haul my ass around the lab for her."

"Ain't you a sweetie?" Sam said as she moved slightly so that Flack could no longer see the body "Shouldn't her husband be doing that, you know… the baby daddy?"

Flack shrugged, "Just doing her a favour," he said as he glared at her. "Last thing she needs to see are dead bodies down here when she ain't feeling peachy."

Sid nodded and handed Flack the results, "tell her to call my extension if anything is unclear."

"Will do," Flack nodded as he turned on his heel and walked out of autopsy, without speaking a word.

Sam sighed as she glanced down at the body of Rikki Sandoval, before looking up, "Could you excuse me for two minutes?"

"Sam," Nick spoke out, "You heard what Mac said, and he made it…"

"He made it clear," Sam nodded, "that he didn't want Flack to find out. But he has… I will literally be two minutes." She said as she turned on her heel, and darted out of autopsy.

Her eyes searched the ME's office, as she raced towards the elevator, in search of her partner.

She found him pinching the bridge of his nose with the hand that held the results settled on his hip, and sighing heavily.

"Donnie," she drawled in her thick Brooklyn accent.

"If I hadn't of come down, she would have seen that." He said to no-one in particular. "Lindsay would have seen that."

Sam swallowed, "Donnie… I…"

He held his hands up, "Look, it ain't got anything to do with me. Clearly this is a secret covert mission that doesn't involve the rest of the team."

"Donnie, Mac said…"

Flack bit his lip, "I don't know why I expected you to understand," he sighed.

She was taken aback, "What do you mean by that? Seriously what the hell do you mean by that?"

"You didn't see the heartbreak that Danny and Lindsay went through. Hell, you don't even know what happened. For weeks they were up and down over shit Rikki was trying to pull."

"I don't see why you're getting so worked up," she argued, "Sure, I wasn't here, you're right. And I don't know what she did. But had I been here, I think, of all people you know I would have been all over her ass. And honestly, it insults me that you would think otherwise."

Flack shrugged, "I gotta get back up to Linds."

"We're not done," she informed him as she tugged on his arm, stopping him from moving. "Why are you so convinced that this is going to affect them?"

"Because." Flack sighed, "he took Ruben's death really hard."

"Ruben?" Sam asked, puzzled.

"Ruben. Ruben Sandoval." Flack said as he leant against the wall, "Rikki's son."

"I," Sam sighed, as things fell into place for her. "I didn't know."

Flack shook his head, "I have to go, hun. Get these up to Linds."

And with that, Don Flack entered the elevator.

Leaving her stood there, dejected, offended and frustrated. All the while, trying to place the pieces of this fucked up mess together.

* * *

"Hey Nick," Danny sing songed as he clasped his friend on the back, "What case you on?"

Nick cleared his throat as he discreetly closed the autopsy report Sid had just printed off for him, "B&E."

Danny nodded, "Need any help, I'm bored to my back teeth and have nothing in the god's earth to do."

"I'm good," Nick lied.

"Nah, come on, you look like you have a bunch of shit to shift through, let me give you a hand."

"No, I'm good." Nick insisted, "Honestly."

Danny's eyes furrowed and he stood back slightly, "Nick? What's a' matter?"

"Nothing," he lied again, "honestly."

Danny sighed and shook his head, "Is this about what happened to me an' you about Lindsay?"

"What?!" Nick exclaimed, "No! Not at all!"

"It is," Danny nodded, "it is! Look, Nick… I apologised about that and I…"

"Honestly Danny, I swear to god this is nothing to do about what happened. Honestly, I swear to god."

"Well then," he asked, "what the hell is it?"

Nick sighed, "I…"

"What?" Danny asked as he sat next to him, "What? You can't tell me?"

Nick nodded.

"Why?"

Nick sighed heavily, "Danny, if I would, you would have been the first person I told okay, it's just… I… I can't."

Danny shook his head as he glanced down at the layout table in front of him. "This is bullshit, you're lying to me, Nick."

"I'm not. I just… Danny."

"You are!" Danny insisted, "You're…" Danny's eyes fell to the name on the top the case file.

**R. SANDOVAL. **

He closed his eyes as he let out a breath and removed the glasses from his face, so that he was able to pinch the bridge of his nose.

Nick sat back on his chair and let out an almighty sigh, "Danny, I'm sorry. I…"

"What happened?"

"Danny," Nick started, "it isn't my place to…"

"What happened?" he repeated.

Nick took a deep breath as he stared down at the case file and autopsy report sat in front of him.

He had one of two options. Stay true to his friend. Or stick to orders given directly by his superior.

"Nick?" Danny pressed, becoming agitated.

Nick let out a breath, hoping he was about to do the right thing.

* * *

Flack sighed as he gazed down at the crossword puzzle balanced on his lap.

"Kitchen utensil, five letter word?"

He sat for a moment, pen in his mouth, glancing around the precinct, as if the answer would jump out at him from nowhere. He sighed heavily and chucked his pen onto his desk, next to the tox report he was supposed to have run up to Lindsay.

Like he technically shouldn't have ripped Samantha's head off down in autopsy fifteen minutes previous, but he had done.

He knew it wasn't her fault. In no way was it her fault. She had simply got put onto a case with just another victim. Didn't make a difference to her who that person was.

Which was why, he knew in his heart of hearts was the reasoning behind her being on that case with Nick, someone else with no links to Rikki. Emotions ran high at even the mention of Rikki Sandoval's name. And Mac knew that.

But it still pissed him off to the high heavens that it was some type of covert operation that he and other members of the team weren't even told about.

And, honestly. It hurt him. It hurt him that she hadn't divulged that information. He knew – he knew full well, that because he wasn't on the case, she really had no reason to share the information with him. Like he wouldn't go to her and share every last detail of his victim and the COD with her.

But, because of the heartache he had seen two of his best friends go through.

He sighed as he turned his attention back to the task at hand, "Five letter Kitchen utensil."

"Try spoon," a voice said barely above a whisper, the breath of said person, tickling his neck.

"Hey," he whispered, as he set the crossword puzzle down, and turned in his seat, "How's a'… how are you?"

She shrugged, "I dunno, how should I be?"

"I'm sorry," Flack, sighed as he grabbed her hand and guided her towards the desk, and made her rest against it, so she was facing him, "I just…"

"Took out your shock on me?" Sam sighed, "Donnie, Danny and Lindsay aren't the same Danny and Lindsay that they were four years ago. They are completely different people. They've grown together, and they're there for each other no matter what, I thought you would know that."

"I do," Flack nodded, "But what I don't think you understand is how Danny pushed us all away throughout Ruben's death. He was a completely a different person."

"Key word there, Donnie. Was. As in the past, as in doesn't happen anymore."

"I don't know Sam," Flack sighed, "Danny deals with things differently. You haven't seen him when he's had something like this to go through."

"What, does he get the drama a lot?"

"Yeah, it's like the powers that be love to torture him"

Sam rolled her eyes and passed him his pen, "You better write that down before you forget."

"What was it?" he asked again, "Whisk?"

"No honey, spoon."

Flack nodded, "I'm sorry, Sam. I just… Danny and Linds mean a hell of a lot to me… And I…"

"And they don't mean a lot to me?" Sam countered, "Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to work on this case, knowing what I know and keeping this from them? Lindsay is my best friend, Don. I tell her everything, yet this, I have to keep from her."

Flack sighed as he stroked Samantha's hand discreetly, "Would you believe me if I said it will all get better in time?"

Sam shrugged, "we'll just have to see,"

* * *

The silence and tranquility of the locker room created an effective oxymoron for Danny's true emotions as he sat on the floor, with his back resting up and against both his and Lindsay's side-by-side lockers.

Danny sighed as a million and one thoughts ran through his head. He felt like he was swimming, but he wasn't sure why. There was an overwhelming sense of guilt flowing through his veins, along with regret.

He let out a breath as he rested his head against his wife's locker and ran a finger over the ultrasound picture not taken two hours ago.

The picture of his son.

And it hit him – the overwhelming sense of guilt, and fear.

He angrily wiped a tear away with the back of his hands. He was angry with himself. In what world was it fair that he took Rikki's little boy away from her, only for him to be given a boy of his own?

How could he deal with that? He wasn't capable of protecting Ruben, how could he possibly protect his own baby boy.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. No. He wasn't going to breakdown. He was a good dad. A fantastic one, actually.

He had vowed and declared to himself a long, long time ago, that he would not do this. He wouldn't push those away that meant the most to him. He wouldn't second-guess himself. He had protected Amanda every day since she was born and he hadn't failed her yet. And he didn't intend to.

Just like he wasn't going to fail his son.

He was a stronger person now, than what he was in the aftermath of Ruben's death.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Despite Rikki him screwing with him and his wife royally, he felt bad. She had no-one in the wake of Ruben's tragic death. In a way, he had taken her life, and then effectively moved on with his, leaving her alone and in the dark. He could have got her help. He could have helped her somehow. Done something. Taken her to someone. Protected her from herself.

He blinked his eyes open, and straightened his legs, and pulled his wallet out of his pocket, and effortlessly slipped the now crinkled ultrasound picture in his wallet, as a picture of Lindsay fell out.

He sighed as he flipped his leather wallet shut, and placed it on the floor before picking the picture of his wife up. He let out a breath as he rested his head back against the locker for support, before bringing his knees up to his chest. He ran a finger over the bright smile that radiated from the picture. It was of them. And, his heart warmed at the memory of the picture, and where they were when it was taken.

* * *

"_Danny!" Lindsay giggled as she squirmed away from him, bag of cotton candy clutched tightly in her hand, "I said no. Lindsay doesn't share food!"_

"_Come on, Montana," he whined, as he jogged towards her, "Just one smidgen. That's all I'm askin'."_

"_I said I'd buy you some," she reminded him, as she quickly backed away, "My treat and you said no."_

"_I brought you to Coney Island, therefore it should be me buying everything."_

"_Where in the world does it say that?" she snorted, "You know, with us being married, I had presumed we shared the costs. You know, hubby and wifey treating each other to things."_

"_Linds?" he asked as he grabbed her free hand_

"_Yeah?" she smirked as she popped a bit of the sweet sugared snack into her mouth, "What?"_

"_Please never, ever call us hubby and wifey again."_

_She rolled her eyes in response, "I'll see what I can do. Hows that sound?"  
_

_He nodded as he pulled his phone from his pocket, flipped it open and brought up the camera. He stopped, pulled her into his side, and held the phone up high above them, "Smile baby."_

_She had grinned with the cotton candy bag in between them, proudly on show. The grin – Danny knew straight away when he had looked at it that it would brighten any of his darkest days_

"_I hate it," she declared, "delete it and take another one. I look like a doot-da-doot."_

"_You do not," Danny snorted, "I'm keeping it. You look cute. We look cute."_

"_I will hate you forever if you keep it," she declared, "Please Danny, take another."_

And he had. He had taken thirty-seven pictures that day. One for every time he had told her he loved her.

She had loved the sappiness of it all.

She had also thought that he had deleted the picture he was now holding in his hand.

He chuckled as he ran a finger over her face; her heart-warming giggle from that day still echoing in his ears.

He smiled as he kissed the photo softly, and then he quickly looked around the locker room, to ensure he didn't have any company.

Cause after all, kissing a picture could seriously damage his bad boy image.

He wiped the tear tracks from his face one more time, as he stood up and straightened his clothes.

He bent down and grabbed his wallet before slipping the picture back into it, and replacing the wallet in his pocket.

He knew where he had to go.

* * *

Nick groaned in anger as he tossed the results sheet onto the desk in ballistics and swore under his breath.

"S'a matter squishy?" Sam asked as she carried an evidence box and a case file into the room.

"What's in the box?" he countered.

"I asked you a question first."

He sighed, "Well, it's not a 9MM. I've tried everything." He glared at the results he had printed out seconds ago. "I'm about this close," he said as he held his thumb and forefinger mere millimetres from the other, "to breaking down and crying."

Sam chuckled, "Well, hold off on them waterworks for now, Squish." Sam sing songed. "I did some research."

"Oh yeah?" he asked, humouring her, "Like what?"

"Like got Mac to authorize us gaining access to the Ruben Sandoval evidence."

"Rikki's son? Why?"

"Because." Sam shrugged as she set the box of evidence down. "I have a hunch, okay? Go with it."

He nodded, "Anything is better than nothing."

"So…" She said as she flipped open the case file, "Robbery at a Bodega, Ruben Sandoval was passing by on his bike, and got hit with a stray bullet."

"Seems like an accident." Nick shrugged, "wrong place, wrong time."

Sam nodded in agreement. "You haven't heard the link between this case and that case yet." Sam smiled.

"Saving the best till last, Samantha?"

She nodded, "I am so glad I did some digging." She announced, "you don't by any chance have the contact lens Sid found do you?"

Nick nodded, "I brought the box down with me."

Sam cocked her eyebrows and shrugged as she took the evidence bag, containing the contact lens, "You see this lens…" she said, holding up the item in the air,

"Yes, Sid found it on the victims body, Sam. What about it?"

"I think we have a suspect." She said seriously, "I had a look at the suspect list… here… have a look at this." Sam said as she passed Nick a wrap sheet. "Fits the profile and everything."

Nick nodded, "And the contact lens definitely suggests a link."

"And, I went even further in my archaeological dig."

"Oh yeah," Nick mused, "Go on…"

"Guess what I found out…"

"I have to guess," Nick smirked, "Really?"

"No," Sam smiled brightly, "I did some digging, and there was a police report drawn up by A Detective Angell."

"And…?"

"It seems our victim went searching for the suspect. With Danny's service weapon."

Nick blinked, "She did what?"

"It's all in the report," Sam handed it to him, "I talked to Don. She was walked through the system and got a slap on the wrists. I mean, sure I understand that her son had died, and god, I feel for her, I really do. But that's pure and utter bullshit. What if she had fired that weapon? Excuse my language but Danny would have been fucked."

Nick nodded as he flipped the page over, "So this Detective Angell took a statement from the victim about taking Danny's weapon?"

Sam nodded, "seems that way. I'm thinking he could be our guy, Nick. I really do."

Nick nodded, "we need to find some more evidence to prove that though Sam. It's all circumstantial evidence at best. We need to find a solid link between Ollie Barnes and Rikki Sandoval."

* * *

"Daddy," Amanda smiled brightly as she chucked a piece of Blueberry muffin at him across the table, "Daddy, wisten?"

"What princess?" he asked as he mindlessly stirred his chocolate milkshake in the McDonalds cup with a straw, "I'm listening."

"Mommy?"

"She's at work princess. Where Daddy should be aswell, actually."

Amanda sighed, "Sad?"

Danny nodded and pulled Amanda's high chair towards him, "Daddy's having a sad day."

Amanda sighed heavily, and looked down at her muffin, before picking it up off her tray table and handed it to Danny, "Dis?"

"I don't want your muffin, angel face." Danny smiled "Thank you, though."

Amanda shrugged and bit into it, as if to say 'your loss'.

He smiled as he leaned forwards a pressed a kiss to her forehead and tucked a honey curl behind her ear, "Baby… Daddy… Daddy has something to say."

She arched an eyebrow, "Huh?"

"Daddy wants you to know that he'll always protect you, no matter what, okay? Even if you think I'll be mad, if you need me baby girl, just call me. Okay. Day or night."

Amanda giggled and threw a chunk of her muffin at Danny, leaving a splodge of blueberry on his shirt.

"I swear, two shirts in one day," he grumbled under his breath, "Kids… who'd have 'em."

"You would," he heard a voice from behind him as he felt a kiss on his cheek. "I'm pretty sure you're supposed to be on shift right now, seen as I have a day off."

Danny turned and pulled out the chair next to him gesturing her to sit down, "I had to take a break before I had a breakdown."

The woman's eyes sat next to him widened, "Is everything okay. You and Linds aren't….?"

"No," he shook his head, "Do you remember Rikki?"

Stella Bonasera nodded, "I don't think any of us could forget." She replied, as she placed her jacket on the seat next to her "Why?"

"Sam and Nick are investigating her murder."

Stella swallowed, "Rikki Sandoval. Murdered?"

Danny nodded as he glanced over at Amanda, a napkin in his hand, as he wiped her mouth, "Nick told me… Went against what Mac had asked him to."

"Why?"

"Mac told him not to say a word to me or Linds. Presume he wanted to tell us himself."

"Please tell me this isn't you running away Danny, please? Lindsay… she's…"

Danny shook his head as he stirred his milkshake sat in front of him, "I needed a few minutes breathing time," he admitted, "Lindsay doesn't know… As far as I know anyway."

Stella nodded, as she stood up inspecting the floor around the table, "So you decided to throw a muffin around an unsuspecting McDonalds with the best little girl in the whole wide world."

"Auntie STELL!" Amanda giggled her arms reaching for Stella frantically, "Stelwa!"

"Hey baby," Stella cooed as she lifted Amanda out of her highchair and sat opposite Danny with Amanda on her knee, "How you doing baby? You like day care?"

Amanda nodded, "Wub, wub, wub!"

"I'm happy to hear that," Stella smiled at the little girl on her knee as she laid the remains of the blueberry muffin on a napkin in front of the toddler. "What's your action plan, Danny?"

He shrugged as he stared into his milkshake.

"Can I offer you some advice?" She asked.

Danny shrugged, "Sure."

"This isn't your fault." She said instantly. "There is nothing you can do. I'm sure you would if you were able, but you can't. Lindsay is back at the crime lab, Danny. Probably worried sick about you… Cause if I know that lab, people are running round like headless chickens, while she's sat there, watching the world go by… she's gonna figure something out."

Danny laughed. "Yeah, we'll give her some credit, shall we?"

"That's if she doesn't know. If she does, she's going to be sat there wondering if she's going to be left spiralling again. If I know Lindsay, and I do… she will know there's something wrong, and she will be reliving them god-awful memories from last time. Do you remember that? The time you walked away from her, and said you couldn't do it anymore. She sobbed Danny. She sobbed her heart out. And back then it was fine. You have two children now. You can't leave her and kids…"

"I'm not that person anymore Stella," Danny said as he offered Amanda a sip of her orange juice across the table.

"Then why are you here instead of being at the lab with her. Where you're supposed to be."

"Because…" He sighed.

"Because you freaked and panicked, while questioning yourself as a father?" Stella questioned

Danny nodded.

"So," Stella nodded, "You reacted with the only thing that you know… taking time out."

He nodded.

"Know what I think you should do?"

"Go back and reassure her I'm not pushing her away." Danny answered, "Make her understand that although I freaked, that I'm not freaking out. Things happen and it's tough, and it's sad. People get taken away too soon sometimes, and it's not fair. But it's not up to me to save the world all on my own. The best I can do is be there for my wife and kids. And how I will be there. No matter what."

Stella smiled, "You have no idea how proud I am of you." She said as she smoothed down Amanda's hair, and tucked a honey curl behind Amanda's ear, "Danny, you've done so well for yourself these past few years, and this little gem here," Stella said, nodded towards Amanda sat taking a sip of her Tropicana orange juice through the straw, "She's wonderful Danny. I'm just… I'm so proud of you."

Danny smiled as he leant across the table and affectionately poked Amanda's nose "I did good." He nodded, "Me and Linds. We did good." Danny's eyes widened and he held his hand up at Stella.

Stella's eyes raised as she laughed and made a silly face at Amanda, which in effect caused a fit of giggles from the toddler.

"Have a look at this," Danny said as he handed Stella the ultrasound picture, "That right there, Stell… That's our little boy."

"A boy?" Stella gasped as she clutched the ultrasound picture, "A baby boy? You… Danny – that's…" A tear fell down Stella's face, "I am so happy for you… So happy. And so damn proud."

Danny smiled, "thanks Stell. Can you – don't tell Linds. She doesn't know."

"Oh she's gonna hate that," Stella laughed as she passed the picture back to Danny. "And you're gonna love it. Am I right."

Danny simply smirked in response.

Stella smiled as she stood up and set Amanda back in her high chair. "You be good for Mommy and Daddy, sweetie." Stella said as she pressed a kiss to Amanda's forehead. "Kapish?"

"''Pish" Amanda giggled as she threw a fist of blueberry muffin up at Stella. "Wub Stella!"

"I love you too," Stella laughed as she wiped the crumbs from her blouse.

Danny smiled as he stood up to embrace Stella, "Thanks Stella."

She smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek, "Don't mention it. Congratulations on your baby boy, Danny."

Danny smiled as she rubbed his arm affectionately before slinging her purse over her shoulder and heading towards the door.

Danny turned and sat down before turning in his seat and called out to her, "Hey Stell…"

"Yeah?" she smiled as she turned with her hand on the door.

"Ain't you buying anything?"

She shrugged, "I decided I wasn't so hungry."

Danny nodded knowingly. "Who GPS'ed my cellphone?"

Stella grinned sheepishly and moved away from the doorway slightly, "I may have got a phone call from Mac, asking me to venture across town on my shopping trip to assess the damage."

"What's the verdict?"

She smiled as she opened the door, "there's no damage to assess." as she walked out onto the New York streets.

Danny turned after the door had shut behind his friend, to his daughter sat staring at him.

"You done making a mess, little Messer?"

She nodded and grinned. The same identical grin that her mother displayed in the picture in his wallet.

Danny brushed her lips with his hand to rid the area around her mouth free from crumbs, before lifting her out of her high chair, and setting her on his hip as he gathered up the trash and dumped it in the waste bin.

He took a deep breath as he pushed through the doors of McDonalds, with Amanda on his hip, heading back towards the crime lab.

"Daddy?"

"What baby girl?"

"I wub daddy. Wots. Walways."

Danny smiled and pressed a kiss to her sun-kissed nose. He opened his mouth to say something in response, but Amanda resting her head on his shoulder stopped his train of thought.

He pressed a kiss to her temple as he shifted her further up his hip, en route to the crime lab.

What had potentially been a nightmare had turned into an eye opener. Bumps would be thrown in the path, that was a given.

But the strength that he possessed from the support, the love, the respect and the admiration he shared with his wife was enough to get him through any storm on the darkest days.

And, as he glanced up toward the blue sky, he pulled Amanda tighter and took a deep breath.

Realising that he was damn proud of the person he had become.

* * *

**_Thankyou all so much for the feedback from last chapter! I promise I will get back to replying to you personally once college settles the heck down and the teachers stop torturing me with assignments. *glares*_**

**_Special thankies to..._**

Twinkeyrocks

Brown Eyed Girl 75

Muchmadness

Mellie

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Baby Jefer

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MeredithandDerekfanforever


	154. Wrap it up

**_A/N: You know what, yes I am going to shamelessly pimp my oneshot. It's a 'what if' oneshot, that the muse needed to get out so that this fluffy WHYTG world didn't fall victim to that idea. Check it out, it's called Left Behind. _**

**_Can you tell i'm kinda proud of it? _**

**_But, if you do, take tissues. seriously. I kid you not. _**

**_Twinkeyrocks, i think (hope) you will understand the first part of the chapter. credit goes to your class for the awesome picture you saw._**

**_Megs; Thankies for your help!! BEG; thankies for yours! and Muchmadness thanks for, well, 'cause I can. I'm sure you helped me at some point during the chapter, right?_**

**_That everybody? *thinks* I think so... _**

* * *

Danny Messer sighed heavily as he shut the door to Mac Taylor's office and headed through the lab to his shared office with his wife.

He tried, desperately, to seem solemn in his demeanour. He did. But, there was a part of him that just couldn't click and understand with the loss that he was supposed to be feeling. He felt sorrow. He felt the loss of an acquaintance's life. However, in no way did he feel the sorrow and guilt he felt when he had lived through Ruben's death.

He stopped just shy of his office door, and gazed through the glass wall, his eyes meeting his wife's slender back. His eyes were particularly drawn to her straight shoulder length hair glistening in the sunlight streaming in through the window. During her time in New York she had sported a few hairstyles, to say the least. Experimenting with a pair of scissors, he had chuckled to himself when she had come home to the apartment years ago with a cropped bob. His eyes wide as he plastered a fake smile across his face and gushed how much he loved it when in reality; he wasn't keen. He missed her curls. Those curls made her Lindsay.

Or so he had thought. Despite her sometimes curling her hair barely at her shoulder in length - he preferred it when she blow-dried it straight.

Curly haired Lindsay was country Lindsay.

Shoulder length, straight haired Lindsay was Danny's wife, Lindsay.

He pushed the door open slightly, and smiled to himself at the low, humming sounds emitting from the office.

She was singing to herself.

He couldn't help but chuckle as he pushed open the door completely and carefully moved towards her, cautious of the possibility of scaring her to death.

"Look what I bought Amanda earlier."

"Holy shit, Linds." Danny gasped, "I thought you were listening to your iPod."

She smiled as she glanced over her shoulder, "I was. But I saw you stood there for the best part of five minutes just staring."

"How?" he snorted

"Well," she laughed as she swivelled in her chair and leaned up and pouted her lips, hinting that she wanted a kiss, "You weren't exactly discreet, baby."

Danny grinned sheepishly as he complied and kissed her , "So, what were you saying before you tried to give me a heart attack?"

She smiled and swivelled back to face her computer screen, "Want to see what I bought Amanda earlier?"

"On the credit card?" Danny winced as he moved back across the room to shut the office door and placed his leather jacket onto the coat hook.

Lindsay smiled. "Just look."

Danny sighed as he back towards her and crouched down by her seat. He blinked as she pulled up the webpage, and sighed. "Linds, she has dolls." He said in reaction, "Lots of dolls. Like we could start a doll hospital with the amount of crap she has. Broken arms. Amputated legs. I swear, the girl should have been a boy. She's brutal."

"Oh yeah?" Lindsay smirked as she turned in her chair, "Just like it was paramount for GI Joe to take one for the team when you were little."

"I prefer casualty of war, actually." Danny informed her. "So what's so good about this doll?"

Lindsay beamed at him before turning and clicking the next picture in the gallery, before turning and smiling at Danny's reaction.

"That's…"

Lindsay nodded.

"That's a dolly in a M&M costume. Lindsay, where the hell did you find that?"

"Some magazine." She shrugged, "I wanted to rip the page out, but Mac was sat right by me, so I just googled it instead."

"Is googled even a word?"

She shrugged and turned her attention back to the screen, "What do you think?"

"Is it bad I want to get her a costume for her, never mind a doll. I mean she'd be M&M in an M&M. How cute would that be?"

Lindsay giggled and minimised the site, "I knew you'd like it. Where you been anyway? It's like a parallel universe. I had to call Sid and he emailed me the results. Flack never made his way up here. I think he got lost."

"Draw him a map next time," Danny smirked,

"So seriously, where did you go?" Lindsay pressed, "Mac was looking for you."

"Did he say why?" Danny asked as he avoided eye contact.

She shook her head as she quickly copied her handwritten notes into a DD5 report, "Seemed important though"

"Linds, there's uh… there's something I gotta tell you…"

She stopped typing and glanced up at him, where he now sat on the couch, "Well, I can't say that sounds good."

"It depends," he said as he patted the seat next to him, "You know I love you, right?"

Lindsay stiffened as she slowly sat next to him and shuffled so that her back rested against the leather couch. "Do I need to prepare myself for something, Danny?"

Danny swallowed.

"Can I guess?"

He snorted, "You could try. I would give you 10 G's to spend however the hell you wanted if you got this in one."

She laughed nervously. "Is it bad?"

"It depends," he told her honestly, "It's sad."

Her nose crunched in confusion, "It's bad and it's sad?"

Danny nodded.

"You're gay? And running off with circus monkeys and…" She giggled trying to make light of the imminent situation she felt was ahead.

"Linds," he said with cocked eyebrows as he cut her off. "I'm being serious here."

She nodded solemnly and took his hand, "Whatever it is, we'll be okay, right? It's nothing that will… That will…"

He nodded adamantly, "This time we will be."

Her eyes closed in an instant and she took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes a few seconds later, eyes were filling the rims of her eyes, "Rikki."

Danny nodded, "Lindsay, I'm…"

"I can't believe this," She said as she pushed his hand away from her. "I can't believe… You…" Tears threatening to cascade down her cheek, "When we were at that ultrasound appointment, you… You knew you had… And I…"

"Linds, whoa – whoa," he calmed her as he took her hand, "I think we're on completely different pages."

"Did something happen with Rikki?" Lindsay asked

Danny nodded as he wiped a tear away from her cheek with the pad of his thumb, making her flinch, "But not the kind of thing you're thinking, baby girl."

She sniffed, "I don't understand."

Danny took a deep breath, "Rikki was murdered today, Linds."

She blinked, "What?"

"Rikki was murdered. Sam and Nick have been on that case all morning."

"Rikki was murdered?" she asked in realisation, "How? When? Where? Who?"

"Blunt force trauma. This morning. At her apartment. And they have a suspect apparently. Any other questions?"

Lindsay nodded, and sat back, "that's… that's just…"

Danny nodded and drew her into a hug, "I know…"

"We should have done something," Lindsay sniffed, "She had nobody Danny, and… and she…"

"Lindsay," he said as he pushed her away from him, and placed his hands on either side of her face, "Baby, listen to me. Are you listening?"

She nodded and sniffed.

"There's nothing we could have done, baby. I honestly don't think there is."

"We could have… I could have…"

"Done what?" Danny asked as he pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose before placing a soft kiss to her lips, with his hands still placed gently on each side of her face, "What could you have done?"

She shrugged, "Reconciled? Made life a little easier for her. You were the last tie to Ruben, Danny. And it could have helped her."

He shook his head, "I think we'd like to think that but I dunno, Lindsay."

Lindsay sniffed, "Nobody deserves their child to be taken away from them."

"I know, Montana." Danny soothed as he pulled her into his chest, and hugged her, "I know"

"I didn't like her," Lindsay sniffed, "For what she did. But Danny, there wasn't a day that passed that when I saw a little boy that looked like Ruben that… that… I felt bad. I mean… She – he was her little boy and…"

Danny nodded, feeling incredibly guilty as he rocked her in his arms.

She was just being her Lindsay self. Caring, loving, sympathetic, and compassionate. To name but a few. But it still sparked some guilt simmering deep down inside of him over the little boy's death.

Lindsay sat up and wiped her tears, but continued sniffing, "I overlooked how much she must have been hurting, cause I had never felt love like that." She took a deep breath before continuing, "I don't think I would ever fully recover from losing one of my children. There would be a constant void in my life. Just like there would be if I lost you."

Danny nodded in agreement, "It wasn't your fault though Linds."

"No, it was an accident." She agreed, "I could have been a friend though. I could have been there, instead of making her out to be a witch."

"But Lindsay, we didn't know she would be murdered." Danny reminded her, "And even so, it doesn't change who she was and what she did."

"Everyone should be given a second chance, Danny." Lindsay told him, "Everyone should have that chance to change."

Danny pressed a kiss to her forehead, "I love you."

Lindsay smiled despite her tears.

"It'll be okay, Linds." Danny assured her, "It's just a shock."

She nodded, "it was the last thing I expected to hear," she reasoned, "And I'm overly emotional from the ultrasound today,"

Danny nodded as he looked at the framed ultrasound picture on her desk, "You really amaze me."

She smiled, but furrowed her brow; "Excuse me?"

"You amaze me," he repeated, "Your ability to forgive. Your compassion. How caring you are. How never run out of patience with Amanda… apart from maybe that one time when you and Sam took her to Chuck. E. Cheese."

"That was one time," Lindsay glared jokingly as she prodded him in the chest. "I'm allowed one meltdown."

Danny nodded, "And I know I tell you all the time, but I do love you, Montana. More than you'll ever know."

She smiled and kissed his fingers that were laced in her's. Before startling, and moving their hands to her stomach, "the baby kicked."

Danny smiled as he spread his hand over her stomach, as she set her hand on top of his "can you feel it?" she asked.

He nodded as he tucked lock of hair behind her ear, before kissing her cheek, "I feel our baby."

They both gazed down at her stomach, smiles tugging at their lips. Despite the sadness that their conversation had been filled with previously, life carried on. The life growing inside Lindsay was evidence to the fact.

And a silent agreement fell between husband and wife as they sat in the silence of their office together,

To embrace life everyday.

And to love and live as if it was their last.

* * *

Nick sighed as he careful ran his swab on the contact lens.

"Long day?"

Nick turned and smiled nervously, "Long week."

Mac nodded in response, "I spoke to Danny."

Nick swallowed, "About that, Mac…"

"Danny told me what he did, Nick. He said you tried everything to stop him."

Nick blinked, "What?"

"He told me that he just came on in here, and started helping with the case, looking at the case file. He told me that you had nothing to do with it, and I just wanted to thank you for listening. I know he's your friend, and I asked a lot of you, but I just didn't want Danny finding out through grapevine. Not that I wanted him to find out the way he did but…"

Nick held his hand up, "I told him, Mac."

Mac cleared his throat; "Excuse me?"

"I told him. I told him about Rikki Sandoval. He – he saw her name on the casefile, and, and I… He asked me what happened and I told him Mac. I couldn't lie to him. I know you specifically made it clear that neither Sam nor I was to tell him, but when he saw the casefile, I just… I couldn't lie."

Mac smiled, "Nick, I don't think you understood me. I know he saw the casefile with her name on. To clarify, what I meant was that I appreciated you not going to tell him. I know that Sam and Flack had words, and I just wanted to thank you for not going out of your way to tell Danny or Lindsay."

"Mac, in Sam's defence…"

Mac smiled, "Do I have 'come to ride your ass' tattooed across my forehead Nick? You don't have to think I'm here to reprimand you or Sam. You followed my orders to the best of your ability Nick. It wasn't your fault Flack or Danny came across the case. It was simply out of your control."

Nick let out a sigh of relief.

"Do I look like a crazed boss man Nick?" Mac asked with furrowed brows, "Is there something about me that just gives off this vibe of terror? Cause if I do…"

Nick shook his head 'no' adamantly, "I just… I…"

Mac broke out into laughter, and laid a hand on Nick's back and patted him, "I'm screwing with you, Nick."

Nick sighed, "You have the best poker face, in my defence."

Mac smiled, "You've been talking to Flack and Stella, haven't you?"

"Maybe" Nick grinned, "Catching up on my long stories."

"Good," Mac smiled as he turned out of layout, "Just make sure you're doing it in your own time,"

"Sure thing, boss." Nick nodded as he cut the cotton swab letting it fall into a test sample container, to run for DNA.

"Oh, and Nick, before I forget…"

Nick turned.

"Catch this bastard."

And with that, Mac Taylor 'disappeared' out of the glass walled room; leaving Nick with a new motivation and strength to bring the case at hand to a close.

* * *

Danny glanced up from his position at his desk and glared at his wife. "Lindsay?"

He sighed as she hummed along to the song that had been playing on repeat for the last thirty-five minutes.

"Lindsay!?" Danny sighed before chucking his pencil at her to gain her attention.

"What?" she asked as she removed her headphone.

"Can you change the song?"

She snorted and put the headphone back in her ear.

He sighed as he picked up another pencil from his desk and chucked it at her, and waited for her to remove the headphone again. "Can you at least turn it down? I'm sick of Carrie Underwood telling me where it is."

She snorted and turned her music up.

He chuckled lightly and stood up, as he manoeuvred around their desks and removed the headphones from her ears, "How old are you, Montana?"

"This many…" she smiled as she held up three fingers.

"Please, turn it down. I have Carrie Underwood concreted into my head. Change it or turn it down," he begged as he passed her the headphones, "Please?"

"Sure thing, dad."

"Dad?" Danny laughed with raised eyebrows as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, "Not sure what we were doing last night is legal in that case."

"I don't think _that _was legal anyway." She smirked as she turned the song up and put her headphones back in her ears.

"You're impossible," he muttered under his breath. "Seriously."

She grinned, "I want the baby to have this song in her head this week."

"Her?" Danny asked with raised eyebrows as he sat down on his office chair.

She nodded and paused her iPod. "Am I… Am I right? Are we having a girl?"

Danny sighed, "Yes, you're right…"

She smiled, but sighed. "Aw."

"You don't seem too enthusiastic." Danny laughed as he picked his pen up.

She shrugged, "I didn't mind what sex our baby was so long as she or he was healthy, but secretly, I think I was kind of gunning for a baby boy."

A smile tugged at Danny's lips, "Guess we'll have to try extra hard come number three."

"Can I give birth to number two first, please?"

Danny sighed dramatically. "I guess."

Lindsay smiled and nodded as she looked down at her keyboard and iPod before looking back up. "Do you want three kids?"

Danny shrugged, "I've always pictured us having two. A boy and a girl."

Lindsay smiled, "Me too."

"A daddy's girl and a daddy's boy."

"Thanks," Lindsay snorted. "No really, thank you. I mean, shall I just sit in the kitchen baking cookies and blueberry muffins while folding laundry while you play princesses and play baseball and get all the love, and mommy gets forgotten and…"

"I didn't mean it like that, Montana." Danny laughed as he cut her off.

"Oh, so because I'm from the country, you expect me to be this big country homemaker that makes…"

"Lindsay…" Danny asked carefully, "You feeling hormonal?"

She sniffed, "A little."

Danny nodded, "You want me to go and get you something to eat? Something to drink?"

She smiled. "Would you?"

Danny nodded with a smile, "Anything you want…"

"I really want some peanut butter cups," she smiled. "And some lemon tea. And some M&M's."

Danny smiled, "Sweet tooth?"

She nodded, "Can you get me a doughnut too?"

"Linds… they're all the way downstairs and by that vendor."

She sighed, "But Danny… I was… I really…"

"Were you watching that damn CBS show again?"

She grinned, "Youtube is a fantastic distraction."

"Lindsay you have work to do."

"But Danny, he proposes to her with a doughnut in her hand. It's hilarious."

"Poor guy." Danny sighed. "He was trying really hard too. I mean you can see how badly he wants to make things okay between them."

She shrugged, "He shouldn't have screwed up."

"They wouldn't be having that baby if he hadn't of screwed up."

"Touché," Lindsay smirked. "Now come on, chop chop, baby daddy. Me and your little girl are hungry."

Danny smiled as he pressed a kiss to her forehead, "I can't have my baby hungry."

"I'm glad you told me," she smiled as he reached for his jacket. "About the sex."

Danny nodded and slipped out of the office, chuckling to himself.

Boy, would she get the shock of her life in that delivery room.

* * *

"Come on," Nick whined at the computer screen in front of him, "Find a hit. Find a hit. Come on. Please?"

He sighed as the DNA database frantically scanned and searched the profiles for a match.

As of yet, he was yet to get a hit. Or have any luck for that matter.

But, despite himself, and his dumb luck, he was going to persevere until he got something. Anything for that matter.

Just something to link Ollie Barnes to the murder of Rikki Sandoval.

He pushed away from his workstation and allowed the search to carry on as he moved to glance at the bullet he had in an evidence bag. Honestly, it made no sense. He couldn't understand the reasoning behind shooting a woman that was already dead.

As the computer alerted him to a hit on the DNA sample he had collected from the contact lens, he punched the air, and headed over to the said computer with a spring in his step.

"Please let it be him, please let it be him," Nick whispered as he sat down on the office chair.

Nick blinked as a name flashed at him from the screen.

**OLLIE BARNES**.

Nick smiled and printed off the results. Before storming out into the hallway in search of Samantha.

It was time to kick some ass.

* * *

"Guess who just blew this case wide open?" Nick smirked as teased Sam by waving the results he had in his hand.

"Me?" she smirked.

"No," he said, slightly deflated. "Me actually. Why? Do _you _have something?"

"Do I have something?" she smirked, "Why yes Squishy, yes I do."

He sighed, "Go on, shoot."

She snorted.

"What's funny?"

"Sorry. It's just…. The results I have… It's the gun that was used to shoot Rikki… I got a hit."

"I got a hit on the contact lens," Nick told her, trying to relay his results before she could.

"Me first," she giggled, "The gun was registered to a…"

"Ollie Barnes," a voice said from behind them.

They both turned and glared, "How did you know?" Sam asked.

"Eyes and ears Sam, eyes and ears." Flack smirked, "While you two girls were fighting over getting the information out first, I got some guys to track his address down. You two girls coming?"

Sam smiled sweetly, but sarcastically as she walked past Flack, "You coming, Nick. Thanks Don… we'll let you know how we get on after we interrogate him."

"I'm coming with you." He told her, "Ollie's a whack job." Flack told her, "I don't think…"

"You don't think me and Nick can handle him alone? I'm afraid to break it to you Detective Flack but we're perfectly capable on our own. Now if you don't mind…"

And with that, Sam and Nick hurried down the hallway.

With Flack in hot persuit.

* * *

Lindsay sighed as she watched Sam and Nick disappear in to the elevator, "I don't know, but do you ever feel like you're missing out on something, Dan?"

He laughed as he looked up from the computer screen, "Why?"

"Cause the three Stooges were just racing to the elevator. I think they got a lead."

Danny snorted, "God I love you and your humour."

"What?" she exclaimed. "they run round like headless chickens most the time."

"We do usually, Linds," Danny reminded her.

She shrugged, "Guess we lucked out and get to have a day of paperwork."

He nodded, "It's been nice to spend the day together."

She smiled as she popped an M&M into her mouth, "Did I mention I love you for getting me two doughnuts?"

He rolled his eyes, "I believe you mentioned it… I just figured as soon as I got up here, you'd want another one. So I saved myself a trip."

"You're really sweet," she gushed. "Like the best husband ever!"

"My other wife tells me all the time," He smirked. "She told me to send you her regards."

"Ha, ha, ha." Lindsay laughed sarcastically. "I love you to the ends of the earth too."

"Do you think they got a lead then?" Danny asked, "it looked like business…"

Lindsay shrugged, "Time will tell."

* * *

"You're breaking my arm,"

"That's okay," Flack snorted as he pinned Ollie Barnes up against the wall. "You got another one."

"I'll get you for police brutality." Ollie warned as he thrashed around violently, resisting arrest.

Flack snorted again, "Please do." He said as he cuffed Ollie with his handcuffs, "Give me a reason other than pulling that shit on a police officer. Not even mentioning what you did to Rikki Sandoval. Can't you cope with picking on someone your own size? First Lucy Scott and her brother Justin… then Rikki, and now my partner… You ought to be careful Ollie…" Flack warned.

"Oh yeah?" Ollie smirked, "Why's that?"

"Cause I might accidentally let my fist slip a few dozen times."

"You wouldn't," Ollie glared at Flack, "You'd think I'm not worth it."

"Oh the contrary." Flack assured him, "I have a list as long as my arm of shit I have when it comes to you. Wanna know the top of that list?"

Ollie smirked, "I'll humour you."

Flack smiled and shook his head; "Humour me? That right?"

Ollie nodded.

Flack started walking towards the waiting squad car, "Okay," he said as he carried on walking. "I know…" he said as he approached the squad car and opened the door. "Humour this," he said as he threw Ollie into the back smashing his head on the doorframe, "Deepest apologies." Flack said with raised eyebrows as Ollie Barnes roared in pain. "You really should hold off on getting involved in scraps with female homicide detectives, Ollie."

"You shoved me into the door," Ollie bellowed.

"Prove it," Flack smirked, "with the obvious evidence on my partner's lip, that injury could have quite easily come about in the fight with Detective Ross."

"That's pure and utter bullshit," Ollie roared, "You fucker!"

Flack snorted, "You wound me," he feigned hurt as he slammed the door shut. "Get a better fucking insult, moron."

Flack shook his head as he turned and headed back down the alleyway to where Nick was stood, checking over Sam, making sure she was okay.

Nick sighed as he ran a hand through Sam's long brunette locks "Promise?"

She nodded, "It's just a cut, I'm fine."

Nick turned and smiled at Flack as he patted him on his back, "You swooped in just at the right time, Flack." Nick said, "How would we manage without Super!cop?"

Flack smiled, "You'd manage just fine," he said, "Life would just be dull, and the crime rate in the city would be significantly higher if I wasn't busting my ass."

Nick chuckled, "I'll head back with that douche, get his head checked out, considering Sam clocked him one after he hit her," Nick winked, "Meet you in interrogation?

Flack nodded and watched Nick head down the alleyway towards the squad car, before turning back towards Sam. "Let me see,"

"It's fine," Sam sighed, "honestly."

"No, let me see, Sam." Flack argued.

Sam sighed as she let him push her chin up towards him with his index finger, "Shit, Sam! That… he bust you up pretty good."

She shrugged, "I've had worse."

Flack sighed as he traced his finger softly and extremely gently across her lip, "We should get that cleaned up."

"It's fine," she sighed in response, "What part of that don't you understand?" she asked, "All it needs a kiss better, and BOOM. We're back to normal."

He smiled and pressed a soft and delicate kiss to her bruised and bloodied lips.

When he broke away, her eyes were still closed, and her mouth was tugging into a small smile, "See, all better," she smiled.

"You're tough Sam," Flack said as he wrapped his arm around her.

"What else do you expect?" She asked, "I mean, what? Think I would start sobbing when some guy threw a punch?"

He shrugged, "You're just this tiny thing that…"

"That can cope perfectly fine on her own," Sam said with raised eyebrows.

Flack nodded and chewed his lip as they walked out of the alleyway, "Well, I… I…"

Sam stopped and turned, before placing a finger on his lips, silencing him, "I can cope perfectly fine on my own. It's just I don't want to."

Flack smiled and pressed a kiss to the finger covering his lips, "Shall we haul ass to interrogation? Make him shit himself?"

"For shits and giggles?" she shrugged jokingly, "Why not?"

Flack smiled, "That's my girl."

* * *

"So," Sam smiled as she sat down opposite Ollie Barnes with a case file in her hand, "Things with you are a little different since the last time you were sat in our modest interrogation room, huh?"

Ollie wrinkled his brow, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You got contacts," she smiled. "The blue pigment from your eyes has gone." She observed,

He blinked, "you're talking in riddles."

She nodded and laughed softly, "Yeah, I guess I am. So, allow me to cut the bullshit… I managed to get a hold of your medical records Ollie. Sucks that you got an eye infection from the eye tattoo you had."

Ollie shrugged. "Sucks to be me. But you're not… So it's good."

"Is it though?" Nick smirked from behind him, "Cause I mean, Ollie, it's not looking good."

"My eye infection?"

"No," Nick laughed, "Whether or not you spend the rest of your life behind bars."

Ollie Barnes snorted, "You talk crap, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh you do…" Sam smiled sweetly, "Do you remember Rikki?" Sam asked as she pushed a picture towards him on the cold, steel table. "You know, you killed her this morning."

Ollie peered at the picture but shrugged in response, "Face doesn't ring any bells."

"Oh I'm sorry," Nick, said as he appeared behind Ollie, and shoved a picture, taken in Autopsy of Rikki. "My colleagues' mistake, you'll know her better in this state, correct?"

Ollie winced, "I don't know that woman."

"Your contact lens on her dead body, bloody finger print on her neck and bullet from your revolver extracted from her chest suggest your lying, or your twin has some explaining to do." Nick said.

"I suggest you start talking." Sam said, "Before me and my partner here have to piece together the story by ourselves."

Ollie shrugged, "Do as you wish. I didn't do shit."

Nick nodded as he took a seat next to Ollie. "It's been hanging over your head, Ollie… Hasn't it… The fact that she, a woman, cornered you, and threatened your life… it pissed you off didn't it?"

He shook his head adamantly, "She was mental. Delusional. Fucking crazy."

"Grief stricken aswell," Sam added, "I mean, I bet it pissed you off that she got off with no charge aswell. The fact she got walked through the system and not even a slap on the wrists. I mean what a slap in the face that must have been."

Ollie shrugged, "Shit happens."

Nick laughed, "You're right. Shit does happen. And you weren't happy about it, were you?"

Ollie shrugged, "So yeah, I was pissed. Doesn't mean I'd kill her. I don't even know where she lived."

"We tracked your phone records, Ollie." Nick said, "You made a call to information, and was then put through to a Ms Sandoval."

"Sandoval's a popular name,"

Sam snorted, "Hardly."

"So I called her. Doesn't mean I killed her."

Nick nodded, "No, you're right… it doesn't. However. The phonebook in your apartment with her address circled, does however suggest you knew where she lived, does it not?"

Ollie's eyes widened. "You need a search warrant for that. You can't go through my shit."

Sam smiled as she pushed a sealed envelope across the table, "Your attorney was faxed a copy before he made his way over here."

"This is bullshit!" Ollie declared, "Utter bullshit. She threatens – stands there- threatening to kill me – with two cops as witnesses, and fuck all gets done. She should have had attempted murder slapped on her. She went there – in that alley - with the intent of killing me. She had a fucking gun!"

"Except she didn't," Sam said. "She didn't kill you, did she?"

"You however, did." Nick added. "You killed her Ollie. You murdered her. Didn't you. You couldn't get over the embarrassment. You couldn't deal with her – seeing the loss of her child and how it affected her. It destroyed you, didn't it?"

"Yeah!" he nodded, fuming. "That kid wasn't supposed to be there! He shouldn't have stopped! It's not my fault that bodega owner shot him. I didn't use my gun. Why the hell should she have held me responsible?! I didn't put the bullet in him."

"You were the reason the bullet was put in him though." Sam said, "Had you not robbed that bodega, Lucy Scott would not have needed to open fire."

Ollie took a deep breath, "Her sobs. They haunt me." He admitted. "When she clung onto that cop. I… I haven't… I needed to… She…"

Nick sighed, "So you killed her?"

"I needed to find how to control my life again. Her sobs. They've haunted my dreams. I… Her son's death wasn't my fault."

"You can tell yourself that, Ollie," Sam said. "But it doesn't change what happened."

"You killed Rikki, Ollie. You killed her." Nick said. "And for what?"

"Closure?" Sam pressed.

Ollie Barnes sat back in his chair and let out a deep breath, "Honestly, I don't know… I don't know why I did it."

"Well," Sam sighed as she pushed her chair back and straightened the results sheets and case files she clutched, "You have a good twenty five to life to think about it."

Nick nodded for the uniform stood outside to come into the interrogation room, and led him away to his cell.

Leaving Sam and Nick speechless.

They stood for a few minutes, just gazing at the door, silence overtaking them both. Unsure of what to say to justify and put into words what they had just witnessed.

The years of anguish and guilt hanging over Ollie Barnes' head was almost too much for them to register and comprehend in such a short space of time.

Sam let out a breath and glanced at Nick, "Wow."

"That went pretty left field towards the end. I thought it would take us a lot longer than that. He was dead certain that he was innocent. Then, he just snapped."

Sam nodded and swallowed, "Guilt does that to you I guess. Eats you up inside."

Their quiet conversation was quickly disturbed by a loud and steady knock on the interrogation door, it opened soon after, with Don Flack stood in the doorway. "We good?"

Nick sighed, "We got him."

Flack nodded, "I watched."

"Ahh," Nick nodded, "I'll give you two a minute… I've got the paperwork to start on anyway. Good work Sam."

She smiled, "You too, Squishy. We make a good team."

The interrogation room shut, and Flack instantly drew Sam into his arms, "I'm proud of you, Sam."

She smiled as she melted into his arms.

That reassurance was exactly what she had needed.

* * *

Lindsay sighed as she went through the usual process of shutting down her Mac computer that sat proudly on her desktop, "You ready baby?"

He nodded as he had a pencil gripped in his teeth, a pen in one hand signing off a completed report, and his jacket draped over his other arm.

"Need a hand?" she laughed as she carefully stood up.

He shook his head, as he dropped his pencil from his mouth to the desk, "I'm like a woman. I perfected the art of multitasking."

"Comes with fatherhood," Lindsay laughed as she wrapped her purple scarf around her neck, "You would blow up if you couldn't."

Danny smirked, "it helps. Hey, we better not forget to pick Amanda up from day care. She would be pretty pissed if mommy and daddy forgot to get her."

Lindsay snorted, "She'd love it. A sleep over with Megan… She loves her daycare coordinator."

Danny smiled, as he closed the casefile and put it on his finished pile. "We made a good choice, didn't we?"

"What having a baby or changing her daycare?"

"Both," Danny laughed, "Wiseass."

"Wow," Lindsay mused as she zipped her jacket up, "That's something you haven't called me in a while."

"Please don't tell me you missed me calling you a wiseass."

She shrugged, "It's almost as notorious as you calling me Montana."

He rolled his eyes as he slipped his jacket on, "You're… Mac…"

She snorted, "No actually, I'm Lindsay…"

She heard a small laugh from behind her, and she closed her eyes. "He's stood behind me, isn't he."

"Yes, _Lindsay_. He is." Mac laughed, "I just wanted to come and give you the latest on Rikki Sandoval's case."

Danny let out a breath.

"We got him," Mac said. "Ollie Barnes is down at booking."

Danny's mouth dropped, "Ollie Barnes?"

Mac nodded. "We got him. Case closed."

Lindsay gave Mac a small smile. "Thank you, for today… Keeping us… Well, shielded, almost. I – we appreciate it…" Lindsay said as Danny placed a hand on the small of her back.

Mac waved it off, "I know how much pain that caused you, and it would have affected the case had I put you on it. I have to think about the integrity of the lab first and foremost." He said. "But, between you and me…" He said, leaning in towards them, "I think you two would have managed. You're strong, as a team and as individuals. I don't have a doubt in my mind about you two bringing that case to a close."

Both Danny and Lindsay smiled, and in unison thanked him.

Mac smiled as he watched Danny and Lindsay pass him and head out of their office and down the hallway towards the elevator, so that they could pick their daughter up.

Mac flipped the switch in their office, darkening the room, and closed the glass door as he watched them contently head for the elevator, Danny's hand on the small of Lindsay's back, his other hand clutching her handbag.

"Hey, Danny, Lindsay…" Mac called to them.

They both turned and smiled, "Yeah?"

"Don't ever let the love you share die." He said simply before heading in the opposite direction. Leaving Danny and Lindsay with shy smiles tugging at their lips.

Both vowing and declaring to do just that.

Never let their love die.

* * *

**_Huge thank you to all those reading/reviewing. You guys are the best!! I really appreciate all your reviews. They make my day!_**

**_Special thankies to... _**

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	155. Fun and Games

**_A/N: Sorry that the update took me forever to get up... The muse ran away for a while and I've been super busy! Hope this chapter was worth the wait!!_**

**_Cookie goes to the person that can pick out the 'One Tree Hill' quote I used in this chapter. Little challenge for you, Megs. _**

**_Thanks to BEG for her suggestions I used in this chapter *hugs*_**

**_And hugs to Muchmadness, cause I kinda stole something she says and slipped it in here, so BOOM. Lets see if you can get it. _**

**_And hugs to Twinkeyrocks. Cause, you know. Why not?_**

* * *

Danny sighed as he felt a soft trail of kisses lightly tickle his jaw line while the warm, late April sunlight highlighted the features in their bedroom.

"Wake up sleepy head," Lindsay's sleep laced voice whispered in his ear.

"Montana…" he whined, "Come on, leave a guy to sleep, will ya?"

She sighed, "But it's your birthday…"

"Yeah, so be nice to the birthday boy, and let me sleep, please?" he sighed, "Or at least wake me up properly."

"What do you think I'm trying to do?" she sighed dramatically, "Did you want an announcement that your wife wanted a repeat of last night?"

"An announcement would have been good," he smirked as he turned on his side and opened his eyes, "Morning baby girl."

"Morning." She smiled brightly as she lay on her back, and gazed up at him as he propped himself up on his arm. "So, how does it feel to be thirty-four?"

He shrugged, "No different than thirty-three," he said, before quickly adding "as of yet."

She giggled as she pressed a kiss to his arm, "Might you be hinting something, Mr. Messer?"

He shrugged and wiggled his eyebrows, "Want to see if I still run the same?"

"Oh my god," she snorted. "Mind. Gutter. Not good. Not good at all."

He laughed as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You live in the gutter, Montana."

"Yes" she smiled and nodded adamantly before moving the covers off her revealing a soft baby blue babydoll lingerie garment she had picked up from Victoria Secret the day before. "Join me, why don't you?"

"You're going to hell, Lindsay." Danny informed her, "You're a cruel woman. You were laid like that for _how_ long, and thought against telling me? When the hell did you get changed into that? You went to sleep in my sweats and my polo shirt… and that… well, that's no pair of sweat pants. I mean, you said nothing… I didn't even know you'd…"

"Hey," she said as she sat up and pressed a kiss to his lips after each word she spoke, "You… were… the… one… that… wanted… to… sleep."

"I suddenly remembered that I'm not tired." Danny nodded adamantly, "It's the strangest thing."

She snorted and shook her head, "Seriously, sometimes, I worry about you." She told him, "Like really."

He smiled as he took her in his arms and placed a kiss to her neck, before leaving a trail of gentle, yet scorching open-mouthed kisses to her neck. She shivered in response, bringing a smirk to his face as he sucked gently at her pulse and pressure points.

"You're gonna leave a mark," she whispered.

"Shit happens," he shrugged.

"It looks trashy." she said as she repetitively moved her neck away from him, "Seriously, knock it off."

He laughed pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. "You're beautiful, you know."

She smiled brightly.

"Hickeys and all." He quickly added.

"I'm gonna kill you." She declared as her hand moved to her neck, "Seriously Danny, we have the NYPD/ FDNY charity softball game today, remember? I'm gonna look like…"

"Do you care?"

She shrugged, "Yeah, actually. I do care. I'm gonna look like a…"

He rolled his eyes as he cut her off and pulled her into his arms before kissing her temple, "What time do we gotta go?"

"We have to be out of the loaded into the SUV for eleven AM."

"So we have a good three hours then?" Danny asked with raised and wiggling eyebrows.

"We have to get our daughter up, give you your presents, have breakfast, get showers…"

"Linds. For one day can we just be a little late? Chill out… Enjoy life… stop living to the schedules you create, a'right? Take it from your wise husband."

"Wise?"

"Just enjoy the small things, okay?"

Her eyes widened and she giggled as she tugged his wifebeater over his head, "Small?"

"Seriously," he said as he pressed a kiss to where her neck and shoulder met, "You live in the gutter."

Her eyebrows simply wiggled, leaving him with a grin spread wide across his face.

_Happy Birthday Danny Messer. _

* * *

"Danny, let's get a move on!!" Lindsay bellowed from the SUV, sat running in their driveway. "We're gonna be late!"

"I'm coming!!" He bellowed from the house, "Christ woman. Chill out!"

She gritted her teeth and slammed the SUV door shut, before turning carefully in her seat and looking at her Yankee themed daughter sat in the backseat. "It looks like a Yankees memorabilia store just threw up on you, baby girl."

Amanda giggled "Daddy wub Yankees."

Lindsay laughed as she handed Amanda a cup of juice, "He does, doesn't he."

Amanda nodded, "M&M?"

"It's a quarter after eleven, Amanda. If you think mommy's giving you M&M's before lunch then you're outta your mind."

Amanda sighed, "Daddy?"

"Daddy's running around like someone cut his head off looking for his sneakers… I don't think he has the time to look for any M&M's sweetie."

"Hungwy!" Amanda sniffed, "Hungwy!"

"You should have finished your waffles then," Lindsay told her as she turned the air conditioning up, before opening her door and holding her hand on the horn, "Danny! COME ON!"

"I'M COMING!" He bellowed from the house, "Jesus Montana!"

"What the hell are you doing!?" she called to him.

"Looking for my wallet!" he answered, "Have you seen it!?"

"It's in my purse, like it always is!!" She replied, "Is that all you're looking for?!"

"Where did you put my sunglasses?" he asked as he appeared in the doorway.

"They're in the diaper bag!" she answered.

"Where's the…"

"Let me save you some time…!!" she called from the SUV, "I have everything covered. Can we get going? Before the neighbours think we're completely crazy bellowing at each other."

Danny turned and shut the front door, and locked it before jogging across the lawn and jumping into the drivers seat. "Way to go, Montana… Cooling the state of New York single-handedly with the freaking air-con."

She rolled her eyes, "Just drive will you? I wouldn't have had to be screaming to you if you had been more organised."

"Not me that wanted a round three," he smirked as he turned and placed his hand on her head restraint as he backed out of the driveway, "You know, sometimes you need to have a bit of self control, Lindsay."

She turned and glared at him, "Excuse me?"

He smirked at her and pressed a kiss to her nose, "I'm just screwing with you."

She sighed and sat back in her seat and placed her sunglasses on her face.

"How's my baby girl doing?" Danny asked as he peered into the rear-view mirror and reached behind him and squeezed her knee. "You ready to kick some butt, M&M?"

Amanda shrieked happily. "Kick ass Daddy! Me kick ass!"

His eyes widened, and Lindsay gasped. "I didn't teach her that." Danny said instantly.

Lindsay shook her head as she handed Danny his sunglasses. "Whatever… Do you know where we're going?"

Danny snorted as he held onto the wheel with one hand, "Linds, I've lived in New York my whole life, of course I know how to get to Central Park. Do I look stupid?"

She shrugged, "Do you want me to answer that?"

"Keep the wisebutt comments to yourself." He smirked in her direction. "So, what is this then? A charity what…?"

She shrugged as she opened up the invitation. "A family softball charity game…"

"For what charity?" Danny inquired

"I don't know…" she sighed, exasperated, "Do I look like the coordinator for the NYPD's social activities?"

"You're as good as," he commented "What's the final number for Sam and Flack's engagement party?"

"As it stands, there's me, you, Sam, Flack, Stella, Mac, Peyton, Hawkes, Nick, Adam, and Sid. And Stella says there was someone she wanted to bring along that we're gonna meet today…"

"So twelve…"

"I can't win with you," Lindsay sighed, "If I had of said twelve, you would have asked me who… I give you the names, and you act like I can't count."

"I sometimes wonder…" he smiled.

"Careful wiseguy…" Lindsay laughed, "I might beat your ass today…"

"Doing what? Sitting on the blanket and applying suntan lotion?" Danny smirked, "Linds, I don't see you running around a field being nearly five months pregnant and all…"

She sighed, "I'll be glad when I can see my feet again."

"You could see them last week." Danny reminded her,

"I can't paint my nails anymore," she sighed dramatically, "the nail polish is chipped…and…."

"I'll paint your piggies when we get home…" Danny promised. "Anything to keep the boss lady happy…"

She smiled brightly and turned the radio up, "This is the song I've been obsessed with." She informed him.

"I know. I'm well aware of that… It's been on repeat for the past week. Don't get me wrong; Carrie Underwood's got a lot going for her… But if she tells me where it is one more time, Linds… Please… change the song…"

She sighed dramatically and flipped the radio station, "This is a sad one," she told him, as _"I want you to live,"_ by George Canyon entered it's second verse.

"I know," he said as he changed lanes. "It's weird, I think I had a dream to a song like this…"

"Your dreams have songs as backing tracks? Wow Danny. You're and extra kind of special."

"Wiseass." Danny muttered, "What I meant was that it was like a dream based off this song…"

"I died?" Lindsay asked.

"No, I did actually. It's a bit vague… I can't really remember what happened. I just remember Amanda being devastated. And you were trying to hold it together. And something about sleeping on my pillow. And well… yeah, I'm trying to forget about it, actually. Kinda broke my heart. Was one of them 'thank god that was a dream' moments."

"Wow," Lindsay said as she tried to cross her legs, "You have some seriously morbid dreams, cowboy… this song is just… it makes me cry."

"Change it then," he laughed, "You put it on this station."

She stuck her tongue out, and switched the station. She sat for mere seconds before sighing, "I don't know this one…"

"Leave it!!" Danny demanded as he swatted her hand away from the radio, "You drive me crazy with you changing the songs and stations… I actually like this one…"

"Why? "

He shrugged, "Why do you like all your country songs?"

She giggled, "Cause I'm the definition of country."

"It's a good job I love you and your countryness," Danny laughed

"Countryness? Is that even a word?"

"Wisebutt wasn't until I made it one…"

"Touché," Lindsay giggled, "So seriously, why'd you like this song?"

"I didn't realise I needed a reason to like a song… I just think it would be a good song for a crime show drama's opening credits or something…It's got a good rhythm and lyrics."

Lindsay snorted, "You know I love that you actually spend time thinking about that. What song is it anyway?"

He shrugged, "It's got a weird name, Baba O'something or other."

She shook her head, "Are we there yet?" she asked as she changed the radio station again.

Danny turned to look at her, "Are you for real? Our daughter sits quiet. Our seventeen month old daughter sits quiet, however my thirty two year old wife asks me if we're there yet?"

She shrugged, "I'm hungry."

"You had breakfast thirty five minutes ago."

"Pregnant with your baby girl." She smirked in response.

"Touché," he laughed, "You know it's weird Linds, you haven't bloated up in your face like you did when you were having Amanda…"

She shrugged, "Maybe cause it's not my first pregnancy my body's acting different…"

He nodded, "yeah that's probably it… Cause we're not having a boy… and that's the only explanation, cause usually you can tell with people having girls…"

"Wow," Lindsay laughed, "You been hanging out with Adam, Danny? You're rambling."

Danny shrugged, "Making conversation. Is all."

She laughed and rubbed his arm affectionately. "It's appreciated… By the way, did I tell you how sexy you look with your baseball cap turned backwards and them ray bans?"

He nodded, "I think you mentioned it as I was getting redressed."

"Good," she smiled, "Just checking."

A comfortable silence between the two as Amanda happily babbled away to her teddy bear in her car seat from the back seat, allowing them time with their thoughts. Danny took a deep breath and inhaled the scent of Lindsay' Nina Ricci perfume that lingered around her person. Lindsay's smell had been a constant thing since they had been together, with her always using the same perfume. Usually, once a person had gotten used to a smell, they'd purchase another kind of perfume, but no… Not Lindsay. She smelt the same every time she made a trip to the make-up counter at Bloomingdales. And despite the small significance in the grand scheme of things…

He loved her for that.

Danny smiled as he glanced across the front seat to his wife sat next to him, "Hey, baby girl…"

"Yeah?" Lindsay smiled as she peered into the mirror to touch up on her mascara

"I love you."

She smiled took the hand that rested on the console and placed it on her stomach, and placed her hand on top of his.

"We love you too, daddy."

* * *

Stella Bonasera sighed as she carefully balanced on a ladder, tying a banner across two trees, "Samantha! Hold onto the damn ladder! I'm gonna fall."

"Tie the damn banner, Bonasera!" Sam giggled. "I'm not standing here all day."

"Stop shaking the damn ladder then!"

"Ladies…" Flack smirked. "Please, let's not start swinging the baseballs bats at each other's heads just yet,"

"Impeccable timing, Flack," Stella smirked down at the couple below her. "Is the banner straight?"

"Sure," Flack nodded, "if I turn my head sideways… and like lay on the floor, and squint my eyes."

"Enough!" Stella warned, "If I'm so crappy at hanging this banner, you do it wiseass."

"Donnie… Do DIY? Are you shitting me, Stella? I have to beg him to get off his ass to pass me the remote when it's sat on the arm of the chair or like when…"

"I get the picture," Stella snorted as she started down the ladder and turned and looked over her shoulder, "Brandon Walsh."

"Stella Bonasera… what is this?"

"I thought it would be obvious, but I'm hanging NYPD/FDNY baseball banners, seen as I have no big burly men to help me, and Sam was so damn short…"

"HEY!" Sam protested, "I resent that."

Stella cocked her eyebrow as she accepted the hand Stella was offering her. "Does Flack call you Tinkerbell for shits and giggles then?"

"Purely shits and giggles," Sam insisted. "That and the awesome Tinkerbell outfit I have…"

"Really… don't… wanna… know…" Stella snorted. "Ever heard of the term, too much information, Samantha?"

"She's the queen of…" Flack quipped. "Allow me to introduce me and my fiancée," Flack smirked in Brandon's direction, "Seen as your girlfriend Stella sucks at it…"

"Now, I resent that…" Stella protested, "Nobody said anything about…"

Sam smirked and coughed to cover her laugh, "Stella," she sighed, as if you say 'who are you trying to fool?'.

"I give up… Sam, Don, this is Brandon. Brandon, this is Samantha Ross, soon to be Flack, and this is Don Flack."

"Shall I walk away, and we can start this again… cause wow, we're really bad at introductions." Brandon smirked.

"Sure," Sam smiled, "You walk away, I missed looking at that nice-"

"Finish that sentence, Samantha." Flack warned. "I dare you."

Samantha coughed noisly and swiftly changed the subject. "What did you two get Danny for his birthday?"

"Danny?" Brandon asked.

"Danny Messer." Stella said, "Real cute if you're into that kinda thing, looks wise… he's got a Daughter and wife, most adorable family you would ever hope to meet."

"The one with glasses and a seriously beautiful wife?" Brandon asked. "Like girl next door, take home to your mother…"

"Stood. right. here," Stella sing-songed. "Yes, Lindsay is beautiful… We established that."

Brandon blushed, "Just checking."

Stella smiled and turned to face Sam. "He said he wanted something practical, so we got him gift certificates for baby stuff. Well, I say we… I…"

"She wouldn't let me…" Brandon explained, "Something about, well… Something."

Flack laughed, "Go on, Sam… tell her what we got him."

"Yankees tickets for today's game." Sam grinned. "He wanted tickets for today's game but was too late for the cut…"

"How did you manage to snag the tickets then?" Brandon snorted.

Sam wiggled her eyebrows. "We were the ones before him in the line… He thinks we're going… Him and Linds are going, and we're taking Amanda for the afternoon, after the party here gets wrapped up."

"Ohh, he's gonna kick your asses. Actually no…" Stella laughed, "Strike that… Lindsay's gonna kick your asses… Do you have any idea how much he must have bitched and moaned to Lindsay about them tickets. Or the lack thereof."

Sam shrugged, "Shit happens."

"Speaking of the happy family," Flack smirked, "I see a pregnant Montana girl, a proud daddy and a beautiful goddaughter of mine."

"You getting all emotional on us, Flack?" Stella teased.

"It happens on rare occasions," Flack shrugged as he pulled Samantha into his side, "She brings out the sap in me."

Stella smiled at the smaller, younger woman, with fondness in her eyes, as Sam gazed up at Flack with a certain twinkle in her eyes.

As Brandon pressed a kiss to Stella's cheek and put a hand on the small of her back, she sighed happily.

It had taken her a while to find her place. But now, with both her's and Samantha's pasts disputes put behind them, and a strong friendship on the horizon, she took a deep breath and inhaled the fresh air around her.

Life, for once, was good.

More than good; infact…

Life was great.

* * *

As the warm, bright April sun shone down on Central Park, Lindsay opened her eyes and sat up for a second, "Hey Stel…"

"Hmm?"

"Was this supposed to be a mixed softball game? Like with us actually participating?"

Stella shrugged in her position next to Lindsay. "We're here, and willing to donate money, who cares if we play… And you play, come on Linds. Be real now... Anyway, I think Sam has that covered. She's single-handedly whooping Flack in terms of runs."

"Shame she can't say the same about Danny. He's unstoppable."

Stella smiled, "You can take him off the field, but you can't take the game out of his heart, Linds… Baseball's always gonna be a major part of who he is."

Lindsay nodded in response as she glanced over to where Amanda sat with Mac and Nick Stokes on the grass, "Honestly, I know it sounds mean, but I thank God everyday for Danny crushing his hand in that pile up all them years ago. I don't think our paths would have crossed if he hadn't have…"

Stella shook her head, "Destiny has a funny way, Lindsay."

She shrugged and yawned.

"Tired?"

Lindsay nodded, a smiled brightly. "A little, baby girl number two is taking a lot out of me."

"A girl?" Stella asked humouring Lindsay. From days previous, she knew the baby Lindsay was carrying was in fact a boy. "Did he tell you?" she asked excitedly.

Lindsay nodded, with a child like enthusiasm "he couldn't help it."

"How do you feel?"

She shrugged, "I'm happy as long as our baby is healthy."

"Which is code for secretly, you wouldn't have minded a boy, right?"

Lindsay sighed, "Is that a bad thing, Stel?"

Stella shook her head and smoothed down Lindsay's straight hair, "Not at all, Kiddo."

Lindsay smiled and laid back down on the blanket her and Danny had brought from home.

"How are you feeling, Linds?"

She shrugged. "I'm okay. Still have the constant nausea and I'm slowly growing out of my damn maternity clothes as the days pass it seems, but other than that…"

Stella nodded. "You knew I meant how are you feeling about what went down with Rikki, right?"

Lindsay nodded, "I'm that see through?"

"Unfortunately, yes…" Stella smiled warmly, "I know you too well, and you can't lie for the love of wheatfields. You know Linds, how you two got over that, I have to say, I'm impressed. I never thought I would see the day where you two… well… Honestly, I was worried about how it was going to affect you both."

Lindsay shrugged, "I think we're finally at the place where we have a love so strong that no person can come between it."

Stella shook her head and turned on her side so that she faced Lindsay who was laying on her back, "I think you know as well as I do that you've always had that kind of love with him, Lindsay…"

"Not in the beginning." Lindsay argued, "We were up and down, hot and cold…"

"Stop quoting Katy Perry, Lindsay. Once in your life do not refer real life to movie, TV or song quotes. Please."

Lindsay giggled heartily, before changing her demeanour slightly. "I know it's only been a week, but god, it feels like a lifetime since she died Stel."

"How did Danny cope with it behind closed doors?"

"Better than me," Lindsay admitted, "When we got home that night, I just clung onto him and sobbed. I think I sobbed for a good three hours, Stel. I was just… It broke me. I tried to imagine what it would be like not having my daughter around, and I couldn't… I couldn't comprehend what she must have gone through, and alone… I could have been a better friend to her Stella. I could have been there. Me of all people, I know what grief does. I saw that first hand."

"Lindsay, you were fourteen-years-old when your friends died. Rikki was a grown woman. She could have sought help. It wasn't your place to help her. You've got to stop blaming yourself, kiddo. You cant save the world all by yourself."

"I can try though," Lindsay sighed. "At least try and make the world a better place for my baby girls."

Stella smiled, "You know… at the risk of sounding a little patronizing here, Linds, I'm so damn proud of you… Of who you are… the kind of mother you are. And honestly, you're someone I look up to. The strength you show… You're a damn trooper."

Lindsay smiled.

"It's true. The way you haul ass around that lab helping everyone and anyone to do whatever it is they need help with… That lab would be a dark place without you. I'm dreading the day you start Maternity leave."

Lindsay chuckled, "You act like the place would fall apart without me."

"It would." Stella admitted. "You know, as much as I loved Aiden… And don't get me wrong I miss her every day… But, had she not broken protocol, Mac wouldn't have brought one of the best friends I've ever known into my life…"

Lindsay sat up, "You're making me cry, Bonasera, you wanna knock it off? I'm overly emotional as it is…"

Stella laughed as she drew Lindsay into a hug, "I know I haven't always been there for you, kiddo… But there was never a time when I wasn't thinking about you, wishing I could be there for you."

Lindsay smiled softly, "Well, I mean, you had a just reason. Cause I mean have you seen the guy you call Mr boyfriend. Holy crap Stella! Where did you find him?"

"I don't know… Mrs Messer." Stella laughed, "Wanna reign it in, pregnant lady… Your baby daddy might not be overly impressed you gushing about how hot his arch enemy in terms of baseball is."

"Sorry," Lindsay smiled, "Danny who?"

Stella shook her head, "You're terrible, you know that?"

Lindsay smiled as she looked over to Mac and Nick with her daughter, before laying a hand on her stomach and lying down on the blanket, "You wouldn't change me for the world, Stella."

Stella smiled as she lay down next to her friend.

Thinking that no truer words had ever been spoken.

* * *

"Give it your best shot, Walsh," Danny teased. "Go on cupcake… You can do it… Hit that ball. I believe in you."

"I'm gonna kick your ass, Messer." Brandon warned, "Knock it off."

"You afraid you're gonna lose to a geeky scientist and his geeky scientist friends?"

"No, I just fear for your pride when your wife sees me kicking your ass at the game…" Brandon smirked as he tapped his bat on the ground, waiting for Danny's pitch.

"Really?" Danny mused as he turned and glanced over his shoulder at Lindsay and Stella, giggling on the blanket, with Stella's hand resting on Lindsay's stomach as they laid back and gazed at the clouds above them. "You sure?"

Brandon nodded, his eyes never leaving the ball.

Danny smirked as he wound up the ball, and quickly pitched it.

"Aw damn." Danny sighed, "Look at that, Brandon… You missed."

"I got two more strikes." He reminded Danny. "Only takes one."

Danny smiled as he wound up the next pitch. "Hey Brandon…"

"Hmm?"

"Promise me something…" Danny said as he continued preparing his throw.

"Depends," Brandon said as he tapped the earth with his bat.

"Look after Stella for me," Danny said, "Don't break her heart, okay? Just…"

Brandon straightened up and looked at Danny and nodded. A silent agreement and promise flowing through the eye contact between the two; that Brandon was in fact, here to stay.

"You've got my word, Danny."

And that's all Danny needed.

* * *

"So, I guess that's basically the difference between DNA and RNA. How 'bout that?"

Amanda gazed contently at Mac, "Grandpa?"

"What sweetheart?"

"Nicky sweep."

Mac turned from where he sat on the blanket, and chuckled softly. Before him was a snoring Nick Stokes.

"Do you think we made him go to sleep?" Mac asked the toddler. "Shall we wake him up?"

Amanda giggled, "Shush!"

Mac put a finger to his lips, "On the count of three, jump, M&M, okay?"

Amanda nodded and held three fingers up. "Three?"

Mac nodded, "One," he said as he held up one finger, "Two…"

"THREE!" Amanda shrieked as she leapt from Mac's arms and landed on Nick's torso. "'Prise!"

"Holy… M&M! You scared the jelly beans out of me!" Nick gasped.

Amanda giggled as she sat cross-legged on Nick's chest. " Me bored, Nicky."

"Are you bored, honey?" Nick asked as he moved Amanda to the blanket and sat up, "What's your daddy doing? Shall we go steal him and go to the swings?"

Amanda nodded adamantly, "SWINGS! ME WUB SWINGS!"

Nick's eyes widened. "Wow, fan of the swings are we?"

Amanda nodded and grinned.

"God she looks like Lindsay when she does that," Nick commented as he slipped his feet into his flip-flop styled sandals. "Thank god she got Lindsay's looks."

Mac laughed, "We'd still love her if she looked like Danny. She'd still be our M&M…"

Nick nodded as he stood up and balanced the little girl on his hip. "She has way too many people wrapped around that little baby pinky finger of her's."

As Mac watched Nick and Amanda head off towards Danny, he silently mused to himself as he watched the different members of his team go about their business, enjoying the day in the park.

It suddenly dawned on him that despite the anguish and pain they witnessed through the cases day in, day out, the odd day where they could spend it together, spread out across a section of central park on a warm April day was the days he lived for.

With the family he loved.

* * *

**_To clarify, the Brandon in WYHTG world is the same Brandon as TPTB's Brandon. (Think I could have managed to get the name Brandon in that sentence anymore? jeez.) _**

**_Cookie for the person that can get the "Left Behind" mention. - If you haven't read it yet - go do it! You know you want to!! What can I say? I'm proud of it :P _**

**_Special thankies to... _**

Twinkeyrocks.

Brown eyed Girl 75

afrozenheart412

IluvPeterPetrelli

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iheartcsinewyork

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Hope06

Bulletgirl1723

Simplelove3663

ambercsiny

SkyblueSw

jordinajamaica

Baby Jefer

dantanaforev

saderia

edward-and-bella-forever

MeredithandDerekfanforever


	156. Fun and Games, part 2

**_A/N: I can't really think of anything I need to say in this chapter's author's note, but felt it was required. So there we go. Most random Author's note ever. _**

**_Oh wait. Who else nearly died when the site was down? Show of hands...._**

* * *

Amanda Messer sniffed and fiercely wiped her eyes as she scanned the room, filled with other teenagers. She jumped out of fright when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Why'd you leave? I thought you were up for us tonight, Amanda!"

Amanda turned and glared at the eighteen-year-old currently gripping onto her arm. "I told you to get the hell off me and leave me alone!"

"It's the alcohol." He informed her. "I know you don't mean that!"

"Believe me," She snorted "I do." She shook her head as she turned and desperately searched the room with her watery eyes. She fought back the tears begging to fall by blinking rapidly, as she scanned the room looking for the person she so desperately needed to see.

She ducked quickly, avoiding her 'boyfriend' by manoeuvring around a group of people from her senior class, or former senior class, as it was. She scanned the new section of the room she had entered, and her eyes fell on him.

She wiped her eyes feverishly as she made her way over to him. She took a deep breath and tapped him on his shoulder. He turned instantly, and greeted her with a bright smile, which soon disappeared and concern rose in his eyes, "S'the matter M&M?"

"Kieran, take me home," she sniffed, tears cascading down her face, "I want to go home."

Kieran Flack turned and pulled Amanda into his side. "Don't go anywhere, okay. Wait right here. I'll be two minutes. Just going to tell Allie where I'm going."

She nodded as Kieran walked away from where she stood. Her chocolate brown eyes followed him and she felt her heart sink as she watched him press a kiss to his girlfriend's cheek and shrug.

Amanda cast her eyes down as she heard Kieran's voice rise from where she stood in the corner of the room. Her heart dropped as Kieran began to argue his case and inform his girlfriend that she could bitch and moan all she wanted, but he was taking Amanda home, whether she liked it or not.

Amanda turned and glanced towards the front door, desperately wishing she could just walk out and leave without him.

"Don't you dare walk away from me, Kieran!!" Allie bellowed above the music. "You walk away and we're through."

Amanda closed her eyes, waiting for Kieran to throw back a tirade of profanities in response, until she felt a warm hand on the small of her back, "Ready to go, M&M?"

Amanda reached for his hand and squeezed it, letting him lead the way through the crowded room. He pulled her close, so that she was holding onto his shoulder with her spare hand with barely and inch between them, in order to reduce the risk of them being separated by a wasted kid in her class.

He pushed their way through the front door and shut it after Amanda had successfully made her way out after him. He silently led her to a porch swing on the deserted porch before patting the seat next to him, indicating for her to sit down.

Without a word, he pulled out his cell phone and held down the speed dial for his mother and quickly told her that he and Amanda needed picking up if it was okay. He craned his neck so that he could see the number on the front door, and relayed the address to her before adding in a few 'Mhmm's' and nodding down the line.

Once he had hung up, they sat in silence for a few minutes, despite the blaring music being emitted from the house party taking place behind them. After listening to Amanda's hiccups and sniffs Kieran sighed as he pulled Amanda into his side, "What the hell happened?"

Amanda rested her head on his shoulder and let out a sob, "You don't wanna know."

"Andy?" Kieran asked.

"He somehow…" Amanda took a deep breath, "He got it into his mind that because he was hosting the party and his room was free…"

"Please tell me you didn't sleep with that douche, Amanda."

"I'm smarter than that." Amanda said with a raised eyebrow. "I may be naïve with my feelings for him and stuff, but I'm not stupid K. I wouldn't sleep with a tool like him."

"You're dating the tool." Kieran smirked.

She sighed heavily as she wrapped her arms around Kieran's waist, "I'm sorry I ruined your night, K… I mean…"

"You kidding me? I shouldn't even be here anyway," he laughed as he pulled away, "What was it that I said to you as we were getting out of your mom's SUV?"

"To come find you if I wanted to go home." Amanda replied. "No matter what time it was or what you were doing."

"Exactly." Kieran nodded. "And I meant it. I promised your dad I would look after you."

Amanda shivered slightly, due to the cold goosepimpling her bare skin in her aqua blue halter-top she had 'borrowed' from her mother's wardrobe. "I hate it when he does that…"

Kieran rolled his eyes as he pulled away from her and unzipped his letterman jacket and placed it around her shoulders, "He only does it cause he cares, hon… you know that."

She sighed as Kieran pulled her back into his arms and she rested her head on his shoulder. "I didn't mean for you to break up with Allie though, K."

"Allie?" Kieran snorted, "She pisses me off. She has this 'I'm totally awesome' thing going on 'cause she's dating someone younger. Usually it's the other way round, is it not?"

"You're Kieran Flack." Amanda reminded him. "Every girl wants a bit of you K. Captain of the hockey team… and football team… Along with all the_ other_ sports you're into…"

Kieran shrugged, "Which is why none of those girls matter to me," he said as he wiped a tear from Amanda's cheek. "There's more to me than Kieran Flack, the jock."

"I bet Allie hates me." Amanda sighed.

"Makes you say that?"

"You don't take your jersey off for anyone. She's been hinting at you to give her your jacket for the past two weeks. Then in the quad yesterday you just handed it to me without even saying a word cause you knew I was cold. You just don't catch onto her hints."

Kieran smirked. "Remember my dad's selective deafness?"

"She's your girlfriend," Amanda scolded as she swatted him on his arm.

"And what?" Kieran asked as he tucked a loose curl behind Amanda's ear.

"She's your girlfriend," Amanda repeated… "There shouldn't be a 'and what'."

Kieran rolled his eyes as he wiped the last remaining tear from Amanda's cheek. "Has it ever occurred to you that I don't really care about all those girls? Hell hon, don't you get it?"

"K…" Amanda sighed, "What is there _to_ get?"

He shook his head as he draped an arm over her shoulder, "Does Uncle Sid need to actually spell it out for you like he did for your mom?"

"What? You're not making sense, Kieran."

Kieran shook his head again, and tilted her chin up with his finger to face him, wherein he met her in a soft kiss. "Does that make sense?" he whispered as he rubbed his nose affectionately against Amanda's.

Amanda blinked. "But K… You're… You're Kieran."

"Yeah," he laughed, "And you're Amanda. Look…" he sighed as he took her hands, "How many people do you see me being myself with?"

"Me, Josh and your sister."

"Who's always there for me no matter what?"

"Me," Amanda blushed.

"Who would do anything for me, and who would I do anything for?"

"Me…"

"Who's always been my best girl, M?"

"Holy crap!" Amanda snorted, "You sound like my dad and how he is with my mom."

"Because of how much you love them, I'm taking that as a compliment." He smirked as he pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. "

Amanda moved her head back slightly and met his lips in a kiss and she giggled softly, "My daddy will kill you."

"Hell, MY dad would kill me if I hurt you."

Amanda smirked, "I bet the next words out of your mouth are 'but I'm never gonna hurt you or let you down like your douche of an ex has, so it doesn't matter."

"Good job I didn't have any money riding on that."

* * *

"DANNY!" Nick bellowed. "Look alive!"

Danny blinked and focused on where Nick stood near the bottom of the children's slide. "Huh?"

"You zoned out there for a minute." Nick laughed as he caught Amanda at the bottom of the slide. "Thinking about anything good?"

He smiled as he watched Nick place Amanda at the top of the slide. Danny moved towards the slide and bent down and held his arms out in front of him to catch Amanda who was carefully toddling her way towards him. He pressed a kiss to her temple and picked her up. "It was different."

"What was?" Nick asked as he handed Amanda her sippy cup.

"What I was thinking about… it was… different. I think I need to speak to Flack."

"I don't even want to know." Nick snorted, "What did the girls get you for your birthday?" Nick asked. "I meant to ask you earlier."

Danny smiled as he set Amanda down on the top of the slide, "Linds got me two new dog tags. One has Amanda's name and date of birth, and the other one's blank for when my boy comes..."

Nick smiled warmly, "that is damn cute." He gushed. "A perfect little present for you."

Danny nodded. "And my princess over here drew me a picture all by herself, didn't you angel?"

Amanda shrieked happily and nodded adamantly. "Mommy daddy and ME!" She giggled as she launched herself down the slide.

"It was a picture of you guys?" Nick asked as he caught the toddler.

Danny nodded, "I think she had a little help from mommy. Although mommy insists she has nothing to do with it… but basically Linds drew it, and Amanda coloured it in. It's on the fridge."

Nick chuckled, "Where else would it be?"

Danny nodded, "Point taken. Nick… Thanks for the vouchers for baby stuff… you really didn't have to…"

Nick waved it off, "Please… it was nothing."

"Nick, it was a hundred dollars worth of vouchers for Babies 'R' us… You're crazy."

Nick rolled his eyes, "Didn't you read the card? It was from me and Megan."

"Megan? As in my daughter's day care co-ordinator, Megan?"

Nick smirked, dimples forming in his cheeks. "Yup, that Megan."

"You and… Megan?" Danny gasped, "Since when?"

"Um… Two months." Nick admitted, "we've been going slow and steady, just enjoying each other's company," he said as he bent down to pick Amanda up and placed her at the top of the slide again. "But… we figured now we're getting more serious-ish…"

"Serious-ish...?" Danny snorted.

"Oh_, you_ can make up words but when I do it you…"

"Carry on," Danny laughed.

"Anyway… she insisted we went halves on it… I did write this on your card. From Nick and Megan, but whatever."

"Linds will have seen it." Danny shrugged. "I suck at birthday's. Even my own." He admitted, "She loves everything. Christmas. Birthdays. She's like the energizer bunny on like speed and chocolate. She's one of them that counts down the days to Christmas when it's the day after Christmas..."

Nick laughed. "She's somethin' else. Linds and Amanda… You gotta love them."

Danny nodded as he watched his little girl carefully climb the stairs on the slide.

Wishing he could keep her little for as long as he could.

* * *

Lindsay removed her sunglasses and set them next to her as Samantha Ross handed her a hot dog on a plate. "Here you go… A plain hotdog, you weird pregnant lady."

Lindsay smiled sarcastically and patted the blanket next to her, "Oh yeah… says you ketchup and relish girl."

Sam shrugged as she bit into her hot dog before sitting next to Lindsay. "What time are you and Dan taking off for the Yankees game?" She asked.

"He said two thirty. But knowing him I'll still be sat here at a five to three. You sure it's okay to take Amanda?"

Samantha nodded adamantly. "Of course it is, hon. We love having her."

Lindsay smiled, "I haven't told her yet. There will be shrieks of excitement when she finds out she's having dinner with Sammie and Donnie."

Sam smiled and set her plate down by the side of her, "Linds, can I ask you something?"

Lindsay nodded as she peered at Stella smashing the ball with her bat as Brandon chucked the ball at her.

"Lindsay…"

"I nodded." Lindsay said as she turned to face Sam who had tears in her eyes, "Is everything okay?"

Sam nodded. "I was wondering… could you do me a favour?"

Lindsay set her plate down, "Sam…"

She took a deep breath; "On your way over to ours could you by any chance…"

"MONTANA!" Danny bellowed from across the grass, "YOU SEEN FLACK?!"

Lindsay turned to look at him, before pointing where Flack stood in shorts and a short-sleeved Henley's t-shirt ten yards behind him. "Open your eyes, Dan!"

Danny stuck his tongue out, and she turned to face Sam, "Sorry Sam, what's up?"

Sam took a deep breath. "I need you to…"

* * *

"Flack, you got a minute…?"

Don Flack turned and nodded with a hot dog in his hand, "I got two for you, Danno. S'up?"

Danny tugged him away from Scagnetti. "Can I ask you something? Can you do me a favour?"

Flack laughed, "Whatever it is, no."

"Funny, wiseass." Danny muttered. "No seriously… When you and Sam have a son …"

"If…"

"When…" Danny carried on, "When you two have a boy, can you do me a favour?"

Flack shifted his weight from one foot to the other, "it depends."

"Promise me something… Promise me your son will look after Amanda… Please?"

"Have you had one of them weird ass day dreams again, Danny? That show was on last night wasn't it? The one Lindsay loves… Were you two watching it again? What happened? The powers that be overload your brain with fluff? Was it one kiss on the belly too many?"

He sighed, "Flack… It's not as funny when you watch the same show. And I know you do. So it's all well and good you saying that but..."

Flack smirked and smacked a hand to Danny's back, "You didn't need to ask. My kids are gonna see yours as family, Dan."

Danny smiled. "Have you ever considered the name, Kieran, Flack?"

"You've said this to me before, Danny." Flack snorted, "And yes, I've added it to my list… The more I think about the name the more I like it…"

Danny nodded and grabbed a hot dog from the stand where Mac had been cooking the BBQ food, but was currently taking a break. "Pass me the relish?" he asked Flack.

"Do it yourself." He snorted as he turned away and headed back to Scagnetti.

"Would it kill you to be nice, Flack?" Danny called to him.

Flack turned and smirked at Danny. "Yes. Why yes it would."

* * *

"So wait," Lindsay snorted as she played with Amanda's hair as she sat in-between Lindsay's legs, playing with her teddy. "Mailbox baseball?"

Nick nodded, "Seriously, you hang out a window of a moving car and smash the mailbox with a baseball bat."

"You know this… how?"

"When you're a bored teenager and in a destructive mood, it's an effective game. Why what did you do in Montana to pass the time?"

"I used to shoot pebbles at boys." Lindsay grinned, "Did I ever tell you about the time I made a makeshift slingshot out of some first aid kit equipment."

"You never cease to amaze me, Lindsay." Nick laughed as he shifted on the blanket. "I bet you were pretty fun growing up."

She shrugged. "I was pretty awesome. My friends and I used to go down to this river and just sit there for hours with this huge pitcher of lemonade that usually got spilt. It was my daddy's speciality. We'd stay there all day and just splash around. It was a tradition to go down there before we all went to summer camp."

Nick smiled. "I bet you had a good time growing up in the country."

Lindsay considered it. "Yeah, it was nothing short of amazing… But, I don't know whether I would want to move the kids somewhere like Montana."

"Why?" Nick asked.

She shrugged, "Both me and Danny love New York. Where we live now, the kids will have a fantastic yard to play in when they're bigger. We have plenty of space in the house, and good schools in the surrounding area where we live. We have everything we need in New York."

"But don't you just wonder what it would be like?"

"Me and Danny at the Bozeman PD?" She snorted, "No, I don't… He would moan and whine constantly. There would literally be nothing for him to do. He'd hate it."

"Why?" Nick laughed.

"I don't know your perception of crime in Bozeman but it's not that eventful. Murders are kinda rare up there. Then again you get the crazed lunatics brandishing shotguns in diners every now and then."

Nick laughed nervously. "I bet it has given you a new burst of life these past few years knowing he's where he should be."

Lindsay nodded adamantly as she kissed the top of Amanda's baseball capped head before applying sun block to the toddler's arms. "For a long time I put my life on hold." She admitted. "I had a bunch of barriers up."

"And Danny broke through them?" Nick asked.

"With his pinky finger." She giggled as Amanda plonked herself down on Lindsay's lap and faced her so that Lindsay could reapply the sun block to the little girl's cheeks and nose. "I hear you and Megan are telling people now…"

Nick smiled, "Thank you for not saying anything before…"

Lindsay shrugged it off. "What can I say? My baby girl's a good spy in day care…"

"I only gave Megs a kiss on the cheek as I dropped her coffee off."

"It's all Amanda needed. She saw her uncle Nicky kissing Megan, and she needed to tell her mommy ninety million times on the way home from the lab."

"Sorry about that," Nick grinned. "How did you get her not to tell Danny?"

Lindsay shifted her attention down to Amanda's teddy bear. "Notice anything different about Lickle bear?"

Nick snorted, "She got an outfit out of you."

Lindsay nodded sadly, "my child blackmails me. I'm a terrible mother."

Nick rolled his eyes, "You and I both know that's a load of Jello."

Lindsay shook her head. "I don't know whether to love you, or worry about you when you use phrases like that…"

Nick smiled as he patted the blanket to get Amanda's attention, "hey M&M, you wanna go get a hot dog?"

Amanda's eyes widened and she turned to look and Lindsay. "Pwease mommy?"

Lindsay smiled, "No ketchup or mustard. I've had to change her three times already, I don't have anymore shirts left, Nick."

Nick nodded as he scooped Amanda up in his arms and headed towards the BBQ. "We won't tell mommy about putting ketchup on it." He whispered to the toddler. "And if worse comes to the worse, uncle Nicky will run across the road and buy you a new shirt, kapish?"

Amanda giggled and nodded in response. "'Pish!"

* * *

"A-Rod was having an off day." Danny declared as he threw his soda in the trash just outside of the Yankees Stadium.

"Shouldn't have bet against the rays," Lindsay sing-songed as she fluttered the fifty dollars in front of Danny's face. "And don't bet against a country girl. You know this, Danny. When will you learn?"

He sighed as he pulled her into his side, "I know… I know… I just… I can't believe you made me pay up on my birthday." He complained.

"I'm taking you for dinner," she shrugged, "So really just think of it as you paying for dinner."

Danny smiled and pressed a kiss to her temple, "I don't care to be honest. I'd give you my last penny if you wanted it."

She smiled and placed her hand on her stomach. "You know… Babies 'R' us is still open… You want to stop by?"

Danny smiled brightly, but then realised that maybe it wasn't a good idea. "Not really… I'm a… I'm hungry."

"You seemed excited about it three seconds ago," Lindsay said as she took his hand, "Something you not telling me, Danny?"

He cleared his throat, "What are you wanting to go and get?"

She shrugged, "Some baby toys… Clothes… Look at the strollers maybe?"

"We have all the stuff that Amanda grew out of saved." He said.

"Yeah, but…" Lindsay whined, "I want our new baby to have some of her own clothes…"

"She doesn't need any new clothes, Linds… Anyway, I can go by and get everything. You don't gotta worry about it."

She furrowed her brow and looked up at him. "Are you not telling me something, Danny?"

He shook his head adamantly. "What you talking about?"

"You're willing to go into Babies 'R' us all by yourself? All them crazy mothers running around? On your own?"

Danny nodded unconvincingly.

Lindsay chuckled as she let go of his hand and routed in her bag for the SUV keys. "You know Dan, I wouldn't be surprised if you were lying to me and we're really having a boy… I mean you want to do all of that on your own?" she asked as she handed him the keys.

He coughed as he unlocked the SUV and moved to the driver's side, "I just want to make it easy on you, Montana."

"I know," she said as she shut the door, "Just forget it, I know you wouldn't say that anyway… I mean, unless you wanted to surprise me in the delivery room."

Danny cleared his throat and instantly turned on the air-conditioning to try and cool his red face.

"You okay?" she laughed as she placed her bag by her feet, "You're red… you warm honey? She asked as she touched his face gently.

He nodded. "Where you wanna go to eat?"

She sniffed and sighed dramatically. "I want to go to babies 'R' us… Please Danny. Please?"

He sighed and turned to face her. "Linds…"

"Please?" she begged with her bottom lip quivering. "Pretty please?"

He closed his eyes and sighed, "Fine…"

Lindsay giggled happily and leant across the console and kissed his cheek. "I love you!"

He rolled his eyes and switched on the radio.

"It's your dream song that makes me cry! Twice in one day?" Lindsay sighed, "Switch it over! Switch it over now! Right now!"

"You do it," he said as he placed a hand on her headrest and reversed out of the parking space, "I'm kinda busy right now Linds, you know driving and reversing and trying not to run anyone over and all."

She stuck her tongue out at him, and turned the radio off. "I don't feel like listening to music… talk to me."

He chuckled as he headed for the exit of the car park. "What you wanna talk about…"

"What the doctor said… at my appointment about our the baby girl… Now that I know you can tell me what she said, can't you?"

Danny swallowed. "Why? Why you wanna know that?"

"Cause you heard it, and I want to hear it too." She reasoned

"Call the doctor then…" Danny suggested but instantly regretted it.

"I want you to tell me Danny. Will you point out the baby's features?"

"Right now?" he asked incredulously. "I'm a little busy Linds, concentrating on the road and everything… can it wait till we get there?"

She nodded and sat back in her seat. "Where do you want to go for dinner?" she asked.

He shrugged, "I don't mind… You're the one that has all these no-go foods. You pick. Wherever we go is good for me so long as I'm with you, baby."

She smiled brightly ran a finger down his freshly shaven cheek. "You're sappy." She giggled.

He stuck his tongue out at her. "You love it really."

She couldn't argue with him on that one.

* * *

As Danny killed the engine he took a deep breath. "Well, here we are…"

She smiled and grabbed her purse and passed him the ultrasound picture from her last appointment. "Please baby, please show me…"

He sighed and took the picture from her and leaned close, while pointing to the various different features. "I…" he turned to look at her, eyes glazing over with happy tears. He sat back in his seat and sighed as he held the crinkled ultrasound picture in his hand. "Lindsay…"

"Did you forget where she pointed?" She asked sadly.

He cleared his throat, "Not exactly honey… here, just let me get out… I'll come round to you…"

He opened his door, and shut it after he stepped out. He quickly manoeuvred his way around the SUV and opened her door and leant in towards her with the picture in his hand. "Okay… You know when I said that we were having a girl…"

She nodded excitedly.

"I might have lied."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

He cleared his throat. "I didn't really think about the repercussions of telling you we were having a girl." He started. "I just figured I could pick everything up and decorate the room, except well…"

Lindsay stared down at the picture with tears threatening to fall. "We're having a little boy?"

Danny nodded sadly and hung his head as he moved away from the door. "I didn't mean to let you down Linds, I know how you didn't want to know…"

Lindsay reached out and with her index finger; she pulled his chin up so that he faced her, "Danny…"

He looked up at her, disappointment displayed across his face, "Linds, I'm sorry."

She shook her head and placed her index finger against his lips. "We're having a boy?"

He nodded again.

Tears threatened to fall from her eyes as she looked into his blue orbs. She stepped out of the SUV and flung her arms around his neck, "Seriously?"

He nodded as he wrapped his arms around her waist so that his hands were just barely touching because of her swollen tummy filling the space between them. "Seriously."

She pulled him towards her and met his lips in a soft and loving kiss, before resting her forehead against his chest. "Thank you."

"Thank me?" he laughed as he moved stepped back at her and lifted her chin up to face him, "For what?"

"Telling me before I bought hundreds of dollars of baby girl things," She giggled before pressing a kiss to his jaw, "I'm kidding." She told him. "I just… I…"

Danny smiled. "You knew didn't you? You knew I was bullshitting you."

Lindsay bit her lip.

"Linds…" Danny smirked with a warning tone.

"I totally knew." She said before bursting into a fit of giggles. "I lost the bet I had with Nick. I thought you wouldn't last as long as you did. He had faith in you. He believed in you."

Danny raised his eyebrows.

"The money was going on the baby whoever won," she smiled before grabbing her purse and shutting the door. "Really. Honestly." She insisted. "True Story."

"I know," Danny laughed as he wrapped an arm around her. "I believe you. Shame you didn't believe in me." He scoffed

"So, can we buy some things? Just little things." Lindsay asked as they headed towards the store. "Please?"

"We can look," he sighed, "But I'm not buying anything yet Linds, okay?"

She nodded and smiled brightly.

* * *

"That'll be four-hundred and seventy eight dollars then please." The young college student smiled brightly at Danny and Lindsay.

"I swear to god, Montana." Danny glared at her as she stood in front of him loading the smaller things into the shopping cart. "I said we would look. Five hundred dollars nearly?"

Lindsay turned and smiled at him over her shoulder. "You married me and got me knocked up… It's the least you can do."

He sighed and rolled his eyes as he handed the gift vouchers he had received from Stella and Nick earlier that morning, along with cash to cover the rest.

"I'm surprised I didn't get robbed running over from the ATM," he muttered as he thrust his wallet back into his back pocket. "Running target for junkies. Like target practice."

"Speaking of Target…" Lindsay smiled sweetly

"Hell no." Danny deadpanned. "We're going out to eat first. No more stores. No more shopping. I can't deal with it. I'm going to die of starvation." Danny declared. "Seriously, you don't want to kill me on my birthday, do you? That would just be a sad day for all involved."

The cashier laughed heartily. "I think you two are the cutest couple I've ever seen. Is this your first baby?"

Lindsay patted her stomach, "No, we have a baby girl. Well I say baby, she's a toddler now. Seventeen months."

"And now a baby boy." The cashier smiled down at the huge collection of blue accessories. "Have you thought of a name yet?"

Lindsay shook her head, "Not yet…"

The cashier nodded and smiled before reaching over to the display to the side of her till and passed Danny _'The big book of names'_. "Call it a congratulations present." She smiled.

Danny smiled and reached for his wallet in his pocket as the girl reached for his arm and shook her head. "You just paid nearly five hundred dollars…" she said to him, "I'll take it from my pay check tonight."

Danny raised his eyebrows and snorted. "You sure?"

"For the bantering session you just gave me a few laughs over? Hell yes!" she smiled, "Need any help with getting the stroller and other bags to your car?" the girl asked.

Lindsay shook her head, "My husband has it down… Don't you honey?"

Danny glared at her before nodding and whispering "Under her thumb."

Lindsay turned and patted his arm teasingly before smiling at the cashier, "We let him think he wears the pants. When really he's the low man on the totem pole."

The girl smiled, "best way if you ask me…"

"I'm hungry," Danny reminded Lindsay… "You done spending my life savings?"

She considered it for a second before nodding, "I'll come back tonight, late opening, right?"

The girl laughed, "Open till ten."

Lindsay wiggled her eyebrows. "Who knows what I'll get up to after you head to bed."

Danny shook his head as he leant down and picked up the box containing the double stroller. "Guess I'm locking her in the bedroom closet tonight…"

The girl laughed and shook her head. "I hope you're joking."

Lindsay nodding reassuringly at her as she took hold of the shopping cart, "Usually its me that locks him in there."

"Wow." The girl laughed, "Well, I'll see you tonight…" she smirked at Lindsay, clearly teasing Danny.

Lindsay nodded adamantly, "You gonna open the back door, right? Free reign of the store?"

The girl nodded. "It will be open for you. Fire up the card machine?"

"This is the longest I've ever spent in a store… Let's. Go." Danny glared at the two women winding him up.

Lindsay smirked as she caught up to him with the shopping cart and playfully smacked his ass. "Hurry up with that cowboy, I'm starving."

He shook his head as she giggled and headed out of the automatic doors leaving him a few paces behind her.

As much as she drove him insane, he wouldn't change her for the world.

* * *

_**So I may have 'borrowed' a few scenes from last night's episode. Sue me. And, as much as I wish I could, I can't take credit for that mailbox baseball scene. Thank Vegas' PTB for that one. **_

**_Special thanks to..._**

Twinkeyrocks

Brown Eyed Girl 75

Muchmadness

KTmac09 - **_welcome back :)_**

Afrozenheart412

iheartcsinewyork

JavaJunkie4evr

gwen24

Hope06

.queso

ambercsiny

edward-and-bella-forever


	157. Family of three

_**To clarify... this first section is a flashback. Not a flashforward... seen as I love to do them. :P I think you will all be able to guess what episode the flashback (would have been) based on/ from. If you don't then... well. Where the heck have you been? Haul ass to youtube! **_

* * *

_Lindsay sighed happily as she slipped Danny's wifebeater he had discarded in haste an hour previous, over her head._

_She quietly and carefully pushed his bedroom door open and stood, resting in the doorframe, gazing at him. He was stood with his back to her fixing them both some coffee. _

"_Need any help?" she asked softly, making her presence known._

"_I'm good." He answered with his back still turned towards her, "How's your head?"  
_

"_Fine," she smiled as she made her way across the living room. "Just as fine as it was when you asked me seven minutes ago. And the ten minutes before that, and the eleven minutes before that."_

_He smiled as he turned and handed her a mug. "Just checkin'."_

_She smiled as she took a sip, "Where's your head at?" she asked. "You okay? You're really quiet." _

"_Just thinkin'." He shrugged as he took a seat on his barstool. "Flack. Aiden. Louie."_

_Lindsay nodded as she sat next to him and placed a small hand on his bicep. "It's been a tough few months." _

_Danny sighed as he placed his cup down in front of him. "He's gonna be alright, ain't he? Flack I mean."_

_Lindsay nodded adamantly. "He's through the worst, Danny. He's going to have some serious therapy and rehabilitation to get him back to normal, but Flack's strong. He's going to be okay. Probably use the war wound to his advantage when he's back to his normal self." She smiled.  
_

"_He just… I hope so. Cause things come in threes. And I wouldn't be able to deal with losing him. He's a good friend, you know?"_

_Lindsay bit her lip, unsure of what to say, "There's room for cautious optimism, remember? Any prognosis with optimism in it sounds good to me."_

_Danny smiled as he turned to face her, and chuckled softly at what she was wearing, "That didn't take you long, Montana. I didn't even sleep with you and you're stealing my damn clothes." _

_She shrugged as she looked down at her attire. "The opportunity was there, and I took it."_

_Danny sighed and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I wish you'd let me put something on that," _

"_I told you." she smiled as she took a sip of her coffee, "Back home…"_

"_But here in your new home, we put something on it." Danny cut her off, "Just let me clean it up, Linds… Please?" _

_She sighed and turned in her seat to face him in his wifebeater and boy shorts. "Fine."_

"_Atta girl," he grinned as he jumped off the bar stool and hurried off to grab his first aid kit. _

_She rolled her eyes and shifted round so that she faced the direction where he had headed off, "You always this persistent?" she called. _

"_Yeah." He said honestly as he disappeared into his bedroom._

_She laughed as she gazed around his apartment, feeling overly aware of the little amount of clothing she was sat there in. _

_This was Danny Messer after all. Danny Messer shirtless. Hell, even wifebeater-less._

_And she was sat there, in next to nothing. With said wifebeater on._

"_Hey Danny? Um… Did you… Where did…?"_

_He appeared from the bedroom with her pants in his hands, "You want these?"_

_She smiled and caught them as he chucked them to her. "Yeah… I… I'm just."  
_

_He held his free hand up, "You don't gotta explain." He said as he set the first-aid kit on the counter and opened it up. He reached for the antiseptic and dabbed some on a cotton wool bud. "This might hurt okay… So…"_

"_I can suck it up," she laughed as she pushed back her wispy hair and curls, letting him gain access to the gash on her head._

"_I'm sorry if I do hurt you…" he said as he softly dabbed it against her skin. _

_She gasped and jumped slightly at the burning sensation on her forehead, "Danny. Ow… Ow… Ow… Ow…"_

"_I told you it would hurt," he laughed. _

_She glanced around the room, eyes shifting from side to side, "Who, me?" _

_He laughed and dropped the cotton wool on the work surface. "Yes, you. Wiseass."_

"_Am I all better, nurse Messer?" she teased. _

_He placed his hands on either side of her face and softly pressed a kiss to her wound. "All better now."_

_Lindsay glanced into his eyes and the feeling in the pit of her stomach overtook her and her actions and she leaned forward, like she did in the hospital and pressed a kiss to his now swollen lips. He quickly returned the kiss and threaded his rough hands through her hair delicately and expertly. She edged off the tall barstool and as she made her way to the floor, he caught her, and held her around her waist as she locked her legs just above his groin. _

_As he made his way through the apartment, not once did he break contact with her. Kissing her. Exploring every new inch of Lindsay Monroe. _

_He kicked the bedroom door open and lowered them both to the bed, which was when they finally broke contact. _

_He lay next to her and moved the hair that was tickling her face out of the way before pressing an eager kiss to her lips. _

_She quickly shed the slacks she had dressed in just minutes previous, and flung them to the floor before edging closer towards him. She drew him close by lacing her fingers through his short dirty blonde hair, desperately wanting to feel and experience everything and anything about the man next to her. _

_

* * *

_

"I did not have the intention of sleeping with you, thank you very much." Lindsay glared. "I have self control. The fact that I didn't sleep with you, proves that."

Danny snorted.

"Okay, before we got married and you got me pregnant I had self control." She sighed.

"I'm sorry, you _so_ wanted to sleep with me." Danny snorted across their desks. "Admit it. You wanted me."

"Actually, if my memory serves me correctly. You wanted me. There was evidence to vouch for that and everything."

"I've always wanted you," Danny smiled as he popped an M&M in his mouth. "You know that."

"Oh so what they say is true. You were pulling on my pigtails when I first started…"

Danny smirked, "How else would I have got you to notice me? You were all mighty Montana tackling perps on your first day. I had to do something to knock you down a peg or two."

Lindsay shook her head as she chomped on the M&M she had been sucking. "You're impossible. You know that right?"

He nodded and chucked an M&M at her. "You love me for it." He told her.

"Maybe." She smirked as she threw the M&M back. "You need to finish that report, Danny. Mac already warned us at the vending machine when he saw us getting M&M's that he didn't want a repeat of that M&M fight we had that one time."

"That was one time!" Danny exclaimed. "We didn't make a regular occurrence out of it."

"I'm just warning you. Don't start anything. Seriously. Cause I don't want to have to whoop your ass again."

He saluted. "Sure thing, boss."

Lindsay rolled her eyes. "Just get on with it. Please? I want to go home sometime today."

"Well, It's not my fault I'm not letting you take the subway home."

Lindsay laughed, "You do realise that doesn't even make sense, right?"

"Fully aware," he nodded as his fingers typed furiously and his eyes gazed at the screen in front of him. "I can't talk, breathe and type at the same time." He explained, "Therefore something has to suffer."

"Well, you concentrate on breathing and typing then, cowboy and I'll sit here minding my own business."

"Is it Sam and Flack's engagement thing tomorrow?" Danny asked.

Lindsay groaned, "Danny."

"What?"

"Do. Your. Work."

"Jesus. I'm just making conversation… Chill your beans, Montana."

"You _just_ said…"

"A'right. Breathe. It's okay. Relax."

"I'm going to hurt you." She threatened. "I. Want. To. Go. Home."

"What kind of hurt? Good hurt or bad hurt."

"I swear to god, Danny. Do you want me to start crying? Is that what you want? You trying to push me?"

Danny swallowed. "I…"

"Cause that's the way you're pushing me. I want to go home, Danny. I'm really tired and the baby has been kicking really hard all afternoon and I just don't feel good, okay? Now stop being so fucking mean to me and do that fucking case report before I start fucking crying."

Danny cleared his throat and nodded as he turned his full attention to the task at hand. "I'm sorry baby girl. I…"

"I'm going to sit in the break room. Come get me when you're done." She told him. "Turn the lights off and shut the computer down. Okay?"

He nodded as she flung her desk chair out from where she had been sat and grabbed her purse.

Leaving Danny to wonder where the hell just happened.

* * *

Around thirty-five minutes after her explosion and a good cry on Stella's shoulder, Lindsay was feeling a lot better. She wasn't really sure why she had snapped how she did... But well, in Flack's way of putting it. Shit happened. Danny was gonna have to suck it up.

Stella however was a little more tactful as she whispered reassurances into her hair and rubbed her arm affectionately, which had effectively calmed Lindsay down after a short time. But, she was still somewhat pissed at Danny.

She just couldn't put her finger on why she was so mad with him. He was just his usual charming and cheeky self, and she loved him with all her heart. She did.

But something he had done had just pissed her off royally.

She glanced up from the magazine she had been reading, and smiled curtly at Danny who was stood with his shoulder bag draped over one shoulder, and jacket over his other arm, and a folded piece of yellow legal paper in his hand. "You okay now, sweetie?"

She shrugged and threw the magazine on the table. "You finally done fucking around?"

He nodded and took a seat next to her and pressed a kiss to her temple. "I got something for you."

"Oh yeah?" she asked as she folded her arms. "What?"

He smiled nervously and handed her the folded piece of legal paper. She glanced at him, and her eyebrows rose. "You wrote me a letter?"

"Just open it up." He smiled as he sat on the sofa next to her.

She tentatively opened the piece of folded paper and tears pricked her eyes. It was done completely in wax crayons.

_**Mommy, **_

_**I'm sorry.**_

_**Love Daddy. xox**_

But, that wasn't what had pricked her eyes with tears. The child like drawing of her, Danny, Amanda and a little boy stood outside a house that strongly resembled their own house.

"Did you draw this?" She giggled.

He nodded proudly. "I had Amanda's crayons in my shoulder bag from when we went to McDonalds the other week. I thought I would be creative in my apology. I'm sorry baby girl. I didn't mean to make you that upset. I was just playing with you."

She sighed as she ran a finger over the drawing and let out a warming and musical giggle. "I didn't mean to be so mean to you." She admitted. "I'm sorry. I really love this."

Danny smiled and pulled her into a side hug, "I thought that I hadn't drawn you a picture in a while."

"Have you drawn me a picture ever?"

Danny thought about it for a second and then shook his head, "So really, it's a perfect time to give you my first ever drawing. Can it go on the fridge? Can it?"

She laughed and narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes. Husband that is acting like he's three... Yes it can."

He laughed. "Want to go out to dinner?" he asked.

"We went out for dinner like yesterday, remember me and you. A proper grown up meal… No fries or chicken nuggets?"

"Yeah, but I missed her. It didn't feel right going out to eat without the chicken nugget girl."

"She has grilled cheese sometimes, Danny. We've been through this. She gets upset when you call her a chicken nugget."

"Lindsay…" Danny said as he stood up and offered a hand to Lindsay to help her up. "She eats one more chicken nugget, she's gonna look like one."

"She'd be the cutest nugget walking around though." Lindsay reasoned as she grabbed her purse from the table. "Where would you wanna go?"

He shrugged, "Is pizza on the 'okay foods to eat today' list?"

She thought about it for a second and then nodded, "I could go for a pizza. Where?"

Danny shrugged, "She loves the ice cream factory at Pizza Hut, and we love that Cookie dough desert… We could go there."

"Danny we live in the city with arguably the best pizza in the world, and you want to go to pizza hut?"

"Amanda loves Pizza Hut though," he sighed, "I'm willing to make the sacrifice for her."

She rolled her eyes and hooked her arm through his as the exited the break room and headed down the hallway to collect Amanda from day – care. "You're such a martyr."

"I gotta take one for the team," he sighed dramatically as he pushed the elevator button before pulling Lindsay into his side and placing a kiss to her temple. "I love you."

She smiled cheekily as rested her head against his shoulder. "I sometimes love you too."

"No cookie dough for you." Danny deadpanned as he flicked her in the arm. "You love me all the time. Admit it."

She sighed and nodded her head, "I love you every minute of every day."

* * *

"Not too many M&M's, Amanda." Danny instructed as he held Amanda and her bowl near the candy section of the ice cream factory in Pizza hut. "Hey. Hey. That's enough pretty girl."

Amanda giggled and shook her head as she went for another scoop of the candy. "NO! More!"

"Don't say no to me." Danny glared at her. "I said that's enough. Do as I say."

She shook her head as she dropped the spoon back into the container. "Mean daddy. You mean."

"If you eat all your ice-cream, I might ask mommy if I can bring you back. Okay? Only if you eat every single last drop of that Ice-cream." He instructed as he placed the bowl on the counter and shifted Amanda further up his hip. "You understand me, little girl? I want that bowl all but licked clean, then we can come back."

She nodded and prodded her finger into the ice cream bowl that Danny was now holding in his spare hand. She shrieked with laughter as she poked Danny's nose with her ice-cream covered finger. "Ice-cream on daddy! Silly daddy!"

"You're a little rascal, kiddo." Danny grumbled as he approached the table and placed Amanda's ice cream on the table before sitting her back in her booster chair. "Ours still not come?" he asked Lindsay as he wiped his nose with a napkin she was handing him.

"Oh no it did." She said as she took a sip of her milk, "I just ate it all."

"Funny," he snorted as he dropped a kiss to the top of Lindsay's head before taking his seat opposite her.

"You sure you got enough M&M's there, Amanda?" Lindsay laughed. "Scared they were gonna run out, baby girl?"

Amanda nodded adamantly as she scooped the ice cream into her mouth "Daddy mean. Me wanted more, mommy."

"How terrible!" Lindsay gasped. "How about you eat up all of that and Mommy can take you back."

Amanda's eyes widened and she dropped her spoon and clasped her hands together and nodded. "YAY!"

Lindsay smirked at Danny and tipped her head slightly, "You were saying about you being her favourite, honey?"

Danny smirked and rolled his eyes as he peered around for their waitress to grab her attention so that he could enquire where their desert was. "How long does it take to thrown something in he microwave for 30 seconds and scoop some ice cream on it? Think if I flash my badge they'll let me back there and I can do it myself?"

"Try it!" Lindsay laughed, "See how far you get."

Danny glared at her as he took a sip of his beer, "Won't be able to do this for much longer."

"Drink beer?" Lindsay laughed.

"No, go out just the three of us." Danny said as he looked to Lindsay's swollen belly. "We're gonna be a family of four then."

"Well done, Dan!" Lindsay gushed. "I never realised you could count."

"You're extra sarcastic today." Danny observed. "I don't like it."

Lindsay smiled as she moved the empty glasses from the middle of the table to make room for the desert the waitress was carrying. "You're just extra sensitive today." Lindsay laughed as she quickly grabbed a spoon and dug it into the gooey cookie.

"Hey!" Danny bellowed as he beat her hand with his clean spoon. "Share with me! You gotta share, Montana. That's not fair!" he whined, "You cant just eat the middle Montana. You stick to the half by you… Montana!"

"Daddy!" Amanda scolded. "Nice!"

"Talk about an emphasis on Montana, then." Lindsay smirked as she licked her chocolate covered spoon. "You snooze you lose, Dan. You gotta be quick…"

"You're like a damn vulture." He glared as he scraped his half of the cookie and ice cream towards him. "Keep your mitts off my share."

Lindsay smiled as Danny's spoon left the plate and moved to his mouth. She quickly scooped a huge section of his cookie onto her spoon and shoved it in her mouth. "Oops."

Danny's eyes widened. "We're going to have a serious argument in a minute." He informed her. "I am going to kill you. Get. Off. My. Share." He said as he whacked her hand with the spoon with every word he spoke.

"Buy another one." She smiled as she scraped her side of the bowl clean.

"NO!" Danny glared at her. "It's in the menu as a _sharing _desert. Any clues as to what you do with a_ sharing_ desert?"

Lindsay shrugged dramatically as she dropped her spoon to the plate. "Beats me."

"You know, I can understand why Amanda sucks so much at sharing."

"HEY!" the little girl glared from where she sat. "Daddy!"

Danny's eyes narrowed at Lindsay as he pulled the desert towards him and put an arm around it protecting it from her. "Remind me to never, ever, ever, ever share anything with you ever again."

"Share anything? Never, ever again? Define anything."

"Anything and everything."

Lindsay nodded as she teasingly ran her foot up and down Danny's calf. "You sure you mean everything and anything? Like even including…" she trailed off.

"Wait no… I didn't mean it!" He assured her. "Honestly! I want to share lots of things with you. Every night and day!"

"I thought so." She snorted as she faced Amanda and looked at the little girl's upside down bowl. "I take it you're ready for a top up on that ice cream, huh princess?"

Amanda nodded. "Me no share with daddy either mommy."

Danny glared at his daughter jokingly. "You wanna walk home with Mommy, Amanda?"

She shook her head vigorously. "NO!"

"Well then," Danny huffed. "The women in this family need to be nicer to me. At least until my boy gets here. Then we can take you two on with no problem."

"Boy?" Amanda asked with her nose scrunched up. "Ewww."

Lindsay laughed loudly. "Oh my god!"

Danny blinked. "What's wrong with boys, M&M?"

"Smell!" She declared. "Mean boys."

"Daddy's a boy." Lindsay smiled at her little girl.

"Daddy's, daddy. Daddy not boy."

"Daddy is a boy." Danny insisted. "I promise."

"Maybe this isn't the best time to tell her she's gonna get a baby brother." Lindsay mouthed across the table.

"Ya think, DiNozzo?"

Lindsay smiled sarcastically at him, "Wisebutt."

"Hey M&M," Danny smiled, "How about Mommy goes and gets you some more ice-cream?"

Amanda's eyes widened. "Lots of M&M's?"

Lindsay sighed as she scooted away from the table with Amanda's bowl in her hand, "Yes, fine. Lots of M&M's. Heck do you just want a bowl of M&M's you M&M fiend!"

"YES!" the toddler shrieked.

"No!" Lindsay shook her head as she pressed a kiss to the top of Amanda's head. "I was kidding. But nice try,"

Amanda sighed and gazed over at Danny who was finishing up his share of the desert.

Danny reached out and ruffled Amanda's hair and sighed himself. "I know kid… your mom runs a tight ship."

* * *

"You listening, Kids?" Danny asked as he shifted on his stomach and sprawled across the king sized bed.

Amanda nodded as she balanced herself on Lindsay's legs and propped herself up on Lindsay's thighs with her elbows as she gazed at Danny. "Baby!" she giggled as she gazed at Lindsay's stomach.

"That's right." Danny nodded as he laid out a wide array of books that he had grabbed from Amanda's toy box at the foot of their bed. "So… we gonna read a story M&M?"

Amanda nodded and pointed at the story closest to Danny.

"Again?" Danny sighed dramatically, "But M&M… Linds help me out here."

Lindsay turned the magazine she was reading down and shook her head, "You opted for bedtime story Danny. I bathed her. You read to her."

Danny sighed as he sat up and picked Amanda up with one arm from where she lay balanced on Lindsay's legs. He set her on the bed and she wiggled and laid her head on his chest. He smiled as he lowered his head onto Lindsay's thigh.

"Must we lay like this?" Lindsay inquired.

"YES!" Amanda giggled as she placed her thumb in her mouth. "Comfy!"

"Hey… Hey… get that outta your mouth." Danny scolded. "Don't go doin' that… do you want teethies like Mommy?"

"Hey! My teeth are straight." Lindsay glared down at Danny.

"After you had braces." He smirked.

"Read her the book." Lindsay deadpanned.

Danny shifted and wrapped his arm around Amanda, "So from the top…"

Lindsay listened contently to her husband and daughter interact together while he read the story where the princess had to kiss all the toads in the land to find her prince. It had been a story her own father had read to her as a little girl. And just like how Lindsay hadn't liked her own mother to read it to her, Amanda refused to have the book read to her unless it was Danny.

Like mother like daughter, apparently.

"What was that for sweetie?" Danny asked as Amanda pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Me wanted to see if you turned into a Prince, daddy."

Lindsay erupted with a fit of giggles.

"And did I?" Danny asked. "Did I turn into a prince?"

Amanda shook her head and snuggled up to him, "You just daddy."

"Its cause when mommy kissed him, he turned into her prince, Amanda." Lindsay explained.

"Mommy. You princess?"

Lindsay smiled and shook her head, "No honey."

"Am I?" Amanda asked hopefully.

Danny nodded and prodded Amanda's button nose with his finger, "You're mommy and daddy's princess."

She smiled brightly before a yawn wracked her little body.

"You tired, angel?"

She shook her head as her eyes threatened to close. "Me not tired."

"You are tired." Danny laughed as he sat up and picked her up from the bed where she lay. He held her across his chest one arm supporting her head and her legs draped over his other arm. "It's been a while since I carried her like this," he said to Lindsay.

She smiled as she leaned up and pressed a kiss to Amanda's forehead, "Night pretty girl."

Amanda's nose crinkled and she let out a sigh as her eyes fluttered shut.

"The sugar rush finally ran out and she KO'ed" Danny snorted as he carefully backed his way off the bed. "I'll be back."

"I should hope so." Lindsay laughed as she turned on her bedside lamp. "Would you mind…"

She was cut off by the flick of the light switch. "Would I mind what?" he asked

"Never mind," she smiled, "You read my mind."

"It's the EPSN we got going on."

"EPSN." Lindsay snorted as he closed the door and headed to their daughter's bedroom.

* * *

Danny opened his mouth to start gushing to Lindsay how beautiful their daughter was when she was asleep until he noticed Lindsay snoring, ever so slightly, still sat up with the book he had been reading Amanda in her hand.

"If you wanted me to read to you, you should have just said." He laughed softly to himself.

He moved to her side of the bed and nudged her so that she was laid down in the position she had found was most comfy in her pregnant state.

"Did she go to sleep okay?"

"I thought you were a-fucking-sleep. Don't do that to me!" He swatted her arm as she grinned up at him. "Seriously. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

Lindsay laughed and pulled down the covers on his side as he moved around the bed. "Well, excuse me for waking up when someone moves you when you're extremely comfy."

"Comfy?!" Danny snorted in jest. "You were sat up with a book in your hand, that is comfy?"

"Don't question the logic." Lindsay laughed "So…"

Danny knelt on the bed facing Lindsay in his sweats and NYPD gym shirt. He placed a his index finger under her chin and turned her head so that she was looking at him.

"Can I help you?"

"Did I ever tell you back home they said it was better to let it breathe?"

She smiled brightly, and opened her mouth to say something, but before she could his lips crashed down onto hers as he laced his fingers through her hair. She melted into the kiss and eagerly responded until he reluctantly pulled away.

"What was that for?" she asked breathlessly.

He shrugged. "It was a 'cause I can' kiss."

"That's new." Lindsay smiled as she stole his glasses and slipped them onto her face.

"What you doin' Montana?"

"Just seeing how blind you are…" she smiled as she handed them back. "And I was watching the Sex and the City Movie with Stella and Sam yesterday when they came round and you and Flack headed to the gym for an hour. Carrie Bradshaw did it."

"So Lindsay Messer had to do it?"

Lindsay nodded. "You're really blind." She informed him.

"Thanks for that." Danny laughed as he folded them up and put them on his bedside table, "I never realised."

"Good job you got me to tell you little things like that then." She chirped as she snuggled next to him and rested her head on his chest. "I had a nice family day today despite me working a crappy eight hour shift."

"Did I not work that shift with you?" Danny laughed.

She flicked his chin, "I didn't mean it like that." She sighed. "What I meant was…"

"I got it…" he smiled. "It's nice of Mac to co-ordinate our schedules this month."

She nodded with stifling a yawn. "It's worked really well."

"You tired?"

She shook her head as her eyes threatened to flutter shut, "I feel wide awake."

Danny snorted as she blinked. "Really?"

She yawned, "Yeah… really. Wide awake."

"Ever heard of the term like mother like daughter, Lindsay? I had this exact same conversation with Amanda."

He glanced around the room anticipating a response until he glanced down at her and realised she had fallen asleep.

"Wide awake?" he laughed to himself as he switched his bedside light off and wrapped his arms around her swollen tummy and kissed her cheek.

She sighed happily and shifted closer towards him as he placed and hand to her stomach and rubbed it softly. "'Night Little bear."

He felt a small kick against his hand and he smiled. "I love you too."

* * *

**_Huge thankyou to all of you reading and reviewing!!! I really, really, really appreciate it! :D_**

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	158. Surprise!

Kieran Flack drew a deep breath as he took the first step up onto the Messer's front porch, Corsage in his hand. His hand rose to the white front door ready to knock when he shook his head and took another deep breath.

He listened intently to the voices inside. The woman he had known as his Auntie was gushing over her daughter, who he could see through the paned glass, gazing and fixing her hair in the hall mirror.

He took another deep breath as he looked through the panel of glass on the other side of the door at his uncle. He was stood with a foot propped up against the staircase with his arms folded and a Kleenex in clutched in his hand.

Kieran glanced and saw his best friend stood next to his father, mirroring his position, just without the tissue.

He took a deep breath and let his finger hover above the doorbell button, and he etched forwards and pressed the button, instantly wishing he had given himself a few more minutes to just get the confidence he needed.

The door opened within seconds and a smiling Danny, Lindsay and Joshua Messer met him. "Hey K." Josh smiled.

"Aw Kieran," Lindsay gushed, "You… You look very handsome."

"You look like Flack!" Danny snorted, despite the obvious tears in his eyes.

Kieran smiled and cleared his throat, "Is Amanda ready? I know I'm a little early, but my dad let me have the car and…"

Lindsay and Danny looked at each other before parting, revealing Amanda who was stood not far behind them. Her hair was in loose curls and the majority of it was tied up, leaving loose tendrils to shape her tanned face. Kieran's eyes travelled down from her face, to the dress she had picked out months previous, and had been gushing about it ever since. It was a light baby blue above the knee dress. Simple in terms of it's design but looked stunning on her.

He smiled and winked at her before glancing at both Danny and Lindsay before moving inside the house. He moved straight towards her and kissed her on the cheek before presenting her with the matching blue corsage he had bought her. "You look beautiful, kiddo."

She smiled brightly as he slipped it on her wrist. "You don't look so bad yourself, Sparky." She giggled. "Your mom managed to find a tie to match then?"

Kieran sighed and looked down at his baby blue tie. "Yeah. I think we searched every store in Manhattan. Thanks for getting her such a rare colour of dress Aunt Linds… You made my life hell this past week."

Lindsay laughed as she grabbed the camera that Joshua was offering her, "Don't be such a baby, K… You said it would be cute to match."

"I was joking!" He sighed as he pulled Amanda into his side and placed a hand on the small of her back, posing for the camera. "My mom was wondering…"

"She doesn't even need to ask for copies." Lindsay said as she snapped another picture. "Danny get in there."

Danny rolled his eyes and took his position next to Amanda. "Linds, you promised you'd…"

Lindsay lowered the camera and glared at her husband, "And you'd promised you'd…"

Danny sighed a discarded of the tissue in the trashcan next to him in the hallway before wrapping an arm around his little girl. Kieran moved out of the shot slightly, but before he could, Danny grabbed his arm, "Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"Don't you want a picture of just you and Amanda?"

"I have more pictures of me and her than I wish to count." Danny said, "From today alone." He quickly added, "Get in… Josh… you get over here too, buddy"

Joshua rolled his eyes as he made his way over to the three stood in the brightly lit hallway. "At least we know the douche taking M&M to prom…" he joked as he clasped a hand to Kieran's back. "Look after her. I don't want to have to kill my best friend. Okay?"

Kieran nodded and smiled as he wrapped his arm around Joshua and Amanda. "I should have brought Kaley. The awesome foursome."

Lindsay sniffed from where she stood with the camera. "Remember the summer you came up with that nick name? Who was it?"

"Kaley and Amanda." Kieran and Joshua sighed together. "When we started High School, the name somehow got leaked. It took me and K years to get rid of it." Joshua sighed. "Remind me to hate you for that, sis."

Amanda smiled sarcastically at her brother.

"Aunt Linds, can I take a picture of you four? Least then you'll have one together…" Kieran trailed off.

Lindsay smiled as she stepped forward and offered Kieran the camera. "Remind me to hug your parents for raising such an amazing young man."

Amanda snorted.

"Want me to make sure your eyes are closed when I take this?" Kieran teased. "Cause I can…"

Amanda stuck her tongue out before glancing down at the watch on her petite wrist. "Doors opened fifteen minutes ago, can we wrap this shindig up please? I don't want to arrive so late to my senior prom that they forget who I am…"

Lindsay wiggled her way in between her two children and wrapped her arms around the both of them. "You love us." She declared as she kissed her daughter's cheek.

"Not when you make me late with your sappiness. K take the picture and let's haul…"

"Finish that sentence baby girl." Danny smiled through gritted teeth.

"Butt." She smiled brightly at the camera as Kieran snapped the picture. "Can we go..." she said in a hurry as she darted forward and reached for Kieran's arm as he placed the digital camera on the window-sill.

"Hold up!" Danny called to them as they stumbled out of the door. He slowly walked towards them, and he pulled Amanda into a hug and proceeded to press a kiss to her forehead then the tip of her nose before giving his daughter an Eskimo kiss. "Have fun baby girl."

He turned to Kieran as Lindsay moved towards Amanda and copied what Danny had done by kissing her forehead. Danny rubbed Kieran's shoulder and nodded, "You look after her tonight, K."

He nodded, "I will, Mr. Messer."

Danny laughed as he pulled Kieran into a hug, "Your mom would have your neck if she knew you called me that. And your dad would be laughing his ass off."

"But you're Amanda's dad." He shrugged, "I gotta show a little respect, whether you're my uncle or not."

Danny smiled and nodded. "Okay, with an answer like that your mom would be sobbing. Just make sure you look after her, okay… Use your heads. And call if you need to. I'm not stupid. I know there's gonna be alcohol. We were young once," he said, gesturing between himself and Lindsay, "If you're drinking. Don't drive. Lindsay and I will come and get you both, no matter what time. Don't think twice about calling. Am I understood?"

"Yes Daddy." Amanda sighed heavily. "No drink driving. Be sensible. Don't get ourselves into situations we are uncomfortable with. And I won't go into the last thing I have on my list that you usually give me. Can we go?"

Danny sighed and nodded, "Have a good time, baby girl." He whispered into her hair. "Get outta here before I change my mind."

Kieran held out a hand and Amanda took it as they quickly made their way down the pathway of the Messer's house in Queens. They heard the door shut behind them, and they both turned to see Danny, Lindsay and Joshua, peering out of the panel glass by the door. When the three realised that they were being watched, they quickly darted into the kitchen and living room, giving the two teenagers the chance to greet each other properly.

"You look beautiful," Kieran gushed as he kissed her softly.

She blushed slightly before stepping away from him and twirling in her dress, "Didn't I tell you it was a pretty dress."

"You'd make anything pretty." Kieran smiled before he took her hand and led her down the path. "My dad gave me the keys to the SUV as I was leaving… Said something about not wanting me to have to go through the embarrassment of making out with you in the back of his caddy or something. I stopped listening when he put the keys in my hand."

"He gave you them just like that?" Amanda gushed, "Did Auntie Sammie drug him before you left?"

"I think he had been on some type of alcoholic beverage. My mom said to give you a kiss." Kieran smiled as he pressed a lingering and scorching kiss to Amanda's lips.

"K… That was…"

"Oh no… that was me," he laughed as he kissed her cheek. "That's from my mom."

She nodded with her eyebrows raised as he unlocked the SUV. He opened the passenger door and offered her his hand to help her in, before shutting it and heading round to the driver's side. "You ready, hon?"

She glanced back at the house to see her Dad's arm wrapped around her mom's waist staring out the window at her. She blew them a discreet kiss before turning and facing Kieran and leaning over the console of the front seat and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I love you for taking me to prom."

He smirked as he inserted the key into the ignition and started up the engine. "That's the first time you've told me you love me."

She smiled as she sat forward in her seat. Before he pulled off, she reached out and used a finger to move his head so that he faced her. "Can I help you?" he smiled.

She returned the smile, and etched forward and pressed a soft and lingering kiss to his lips, "I love you."

He licked his lips and looked in the wing mirror before he pulled off and made his way down the street. His free hand went for hers and he entwined his fingers in hers. He brought their hands to his lips and he kissed her knuckles. "I love you too."

* * *

Samantha Ross was brought out of her reverie to a persistent and loud knocking on the bathroom door. "Don't make me kick it down, Sam! I need to use the bathroom. What the hell are you doing in there?"

Samantha looked down at the item in her hand. "I'll be right out," she assured him in a shaky voice. "I'm just finishing up."

"You said that fifteen minutes ago. I'm dying here, Sam."

"Two minutes!" She bellowed as she placed what she had been holding on the counter surface, and stood up from where she had been sat on the closed toilet lid.

"Holy shit woman, hurry up!"

"Do you want me to start wailing on your face when I open the door?" she threatened. "Carry on, Donnie. Carry on."

"You've been hanging around Monroe too much lately. You're catching her daily hormonal breakdown phase she's got going on!"

"She's pregnant!!!" Sam bellowed from the other side of the door, "She deserves to be hormonal, she's havin' after a baby. Danny's baby. The least he can fucking do is accept that she might get a little emotional now and again. And stop cryin' like a little boy… And, before you go into Lindsay overreacting…"

"Alright… Alright…" Flack said from the other side of the closed door, "Just makin' an observation, babe. I wasn't sayin' anything bad about Linds."

"Yeah well." Sam said as she washed her hands, "I'm just saying too. Don't start shit about Lindsay, Don."

"Please can you open the door, Sam? Please? If you're just washing your hands…"

He waited for a second as he heard the lock on the other side of the door twist, and click, allowing him access. He quickly and eagerly pushed through the door and rushed to the toilet, as Sam manoeuvred around him and headed out the bathroom door, leaving it open.

"What you got in your hand?" he inquired over his shoulder.

She didn't answer. Instead he could hear her moving things around in the kitchen and the sounds of her cup of coffee being swilled out in the sink. "Sammie?" he called as he turned and washed his hands. "You suddenly gone deaf?"

"Hmm?" She said as she appeared in the doorway. "What did you say?"

"What's that in your hand?" he asked as he dried his hands.

She took a deep breath. "I…"

He narrowed his eyes. "Sammie. What is that?"

Tears filled her eyes as she glanced down at the small stick in her hand, with the words positive staring up at her. "I…" Her hands began trembling and she dropped the stick.

Instantly they both shot down to the floor of the hallway to pick up the object, but Flack was quicker. As they both slowly rose, he gazed down at the object staring up at him. "Is this yours?" he asked.

She nodded.

He nodded and stared down at the stick, no emotion in his voice or eyes.

"Donnie?"

He turned up to look at her with a huge smile on his face, "What mommy?"

She let out a sigh and a small laugh. "I… I'm pregnant."

"Give me some credit." He snorted. "I may be a lowly high school graduate, but I can put a positive pregnancy test and a girlfriend stood in front of me, in pieces and near breakdown together. How long have you known?"

"I've thought it for a few weeks." She admitted. "I just… I…"

He shook his head and moved towards her, and burrowed his head in her dark brown hair and kissed the top of her head as she clutched onto his white wifebeater. "Why didn't you say anything?" he asked.

She shrugged and let out a breath, "What could I say?"

"Hmm," he considered it for a minute, "How about, 'Hey Donnie… I think I'm pregnant; will you come with me to the pharmacy and pick up a pregnancy test?' That would usually get my attention."

"If I had known it was so easy…" she smiled weakly. "You're okay about this?"

"Sammie…" Flack sighed as he moved her away from his chest and took both the sides of her face in his hands. "Of course I'm fine with this. Why wouldn't I be fine with this? You're having our baby." he pressed a soft kiss to her lips, "Yes I'm okay about this. More than okay, actually. More importantly, are you okay about this."

She considered it for a second before a hand went to her flat stomach. She smiled and nodded. "I'm definitely okay about this."

* * *

Flack killed the engine and unclipped his seat belt outside the parking lot of the sports' bar Lindsay has asked them to meet her and Danny at. "Where's your head, Sam?" He asked his fiancée who was sat staring out the Avalanche window.

She shrugged and unclipped her seatbelt, "I'm just wondering how ready we are for all of this... I mean…"

Flack smiled and took her hand and entwined his fingers with hers. "Remember months ago when we were sat in opposite seats and you told me you thought you were pregnant. We were no-where near the place we are now, and we knew we would be okay, Sammie. We both knew that we would be able to deal with the shit that was thrown at us. And I think deep down you know fine well we're in a perfect place to deal with a baby."

"But…" She took a deep breath, "is it wrong of me to be a little afraid that maybe it isn't the best time, I mean we're just getting married. We're going into our married life as parents to be. We've got a hell of a thing to worry and think about Donnie… And not just the wedding now. We wont be able to just enjoy each other…"

Flack nodded and kissed her knuckles. "No, we can enjoy our son or daughter at the same time. Now get your ass outta this SUV and lets go see what our knucklehead friends want? Sound good? Maybe we could even let them in on it…"

Sam smiled and nodded as she watched Flack pull the keys from the ignition and jump out of the driver's side. She copied him, and shut her door with force after grabbing her purse. She turned and Flack was stood next to her in his Henley's shirt, dark jeans and sneakers. Outfit complete with a set of sunglasses. He outstretched his hand and she took it, and gave it a little squeeze as he pointed his free hand, with the keys in said hand at the Avalanche. "We good?" he asked as the truck flashed it's lights, indicating it was locked.

She nodded and smiled. "We're more than good."

* * *

Lindsay squealed excitedly as she stood in the doorway, with Danny's arms wrapped around her protruding belly as she looked into the car park. "They're here!" She giggled, "Turn the music off!"

Nick smiled as he nodded at the bartender and signalled for him to turn the music down. "Are we hiding?" he asked.

"YES!" Peyton Driscoll exclaimed as she and Mac ducked in the booth they were sitting at.

Brandon Walsh turned to look at Stella, who shrugged and then pulled him, and headed off and balanced behind a wide beam in the middle of the bar that easily accommodated the both of them, when snuggled together.

Sid ducked behind a table in the back, and Hawkes sat with his back facing the door at the same table where Sid sat, quite comfortably underneath the table.

Danny and Lindsay moved quickly to the first table and sat down next to each other, making it so that Flack and Sam would slide into the booth facing the rest of the team.

The bell chimed indicating their arrival, and Lindsay smiled and waved at them while Danny nodded at his best friend.

"Quiet in here," Sam commented, "I thought it would be a little busier for a Friday afternoon."

Lindsay shrugged, "Who knows."

"So how goes it?" Flack asked as he slid in after Sam, and sat opposite Danny. "To what do we earn the pleasure?"

Danny shrugged, "We just figured we'd celebrate your engagement."

Sam smiled brightly, "Aw! It's good that we all got it off. I just… It would have been nice to get to see the rest of the team. Feels like we're cheating on Stella, Linds without her here."

Lindsay nodded, "I know…" she sighed. "I should call her, put her on speakerphone."

A cough emitted from behind the beam.

"Maybe not." Lindsay said as she pocketed her cell phone, realising that calling Stella when she was hiding in the same room wasn't exactly one of her best ideas. "I think it might be on loud… And she might be on a case… And Mac might be there."

Sam snorted. "Have you taken your crazy pills today, Linds? What's going on?"

"You so suck at this," Danny whispered into Lindsay's ear as he pressed a kiss to her temple and wrapped an arm around her.

She turned and smiled sarcastically at him.

"Want a beer?" Flack asked Danny. "I mean you two girls can't drink anything… But the daddies can."

Lindsay's eyes widened and Danny coughed.

Suddenly, the team slowly appeared from their hiding places with huge grins spread across their faces.

"Surprise!" Danny and Lindsay smiled, slightly embarrassed. "We uh… Happy surprise engagement party!" Danny laughed.

Sam licked her lips and closed her eyes before bursting out into a fit of giggles while shaking her head.

"Not one for making an entrance are you, Flack?" Brandon asked from his position of leaning against the beam in the middle of the room with a hand around Stella's waist. "I mean… wow."

Flack smirked and shrugged. "I'm thinking of it as killing…" he peered up and began counting the people in the room. "Nine birds with one stone."

Sam shook her head and smiled, "Surprise!"

* * *

After the initial shock of Sam and Flack's impromptu announcement, the party was quickly in full swing and underway. The men of the team had naturally drifted to the pool table situated in the back of the bar around the TV's currently showing the latest football game on ESPN. The girls of the team however had taken it upon themselves to spread out across the vast majority of the room. Somehow, between them discussing babies and weddings, they had got onto the topic of the kiss Danny and Lindsay had shared during the aftermath of the bombing that had put Flack into months of extensive rehabilitation.

"And you didn't sleep with him? After a kiss like that?" Sam gasped. "Why?"

Lindsay giggled as she took a sip of her orange juice, "Believe me, it took all of my strength not to. Do you have any idea how amazing he is at kissing? I mean we did… stuff. But it wasn't the right time to have sex. It wouldn't have… it wouldn't have been right. With Flack in the hospital. And I was already light-headed from banging my head when I fell from the impact of the building exploding… Sleeping with him would have been like… And anyway, how many of you can say that the first time you had sex with your husband it was on a pool table?"

Stella laughed heartily as she sipped her water. "But seriously, Linds... Making out and doing 'stuff' like teenagers was totally okay? You waited like a whole year, didn't you?" Stella asked in attempts to clarify the story of Danny and Lindsay.

"With all the things that went on you going back to Montana and everything... From that kiss to you sleeping with him… A whole year… Nothing?" Peyton added.

"You think we didn't kiss from the bombing to the hostage situation?" Lindsay laughed. "Guys, please."

Sam laughed, "What?! DL is a complicated thing. I mean, it's safe to say we all have Masters' degrees, yes? And we can't understand it…"

"I can't believe you call us DL." Lindsay glared at her friend. "What are we, Haley and Brooke on that CW show? What is it? Four Forest Mountain?"

"One Tree Hill." Peyton smiled.

"In my defence," Sam said, "I made it up with Stella so it was a joint effort... It's so much easier than saying Danny and Lindsay all the time."

"Laziness." Lindsay glared at both Sam and Stella. "Pure laziness. What? You scared of going over your world limit for the day?"

Both women nodded adamantly and childlike before breaking into a fit of giggles.

* * *

"You two are way to fertile for my liking," Nick smirked as he missed a ball. "Seriously, me and Megan are going to be like Fort Knox with protection."

"So…" Danny smirked as he leaned up to the table and lined up his shot. "Either that means that they haven't done it yet, or he's now shitting himself and thinking about having 'the conversation'. Where they get every single type of protection known to man and use it at the same time."

"It's the former, actually." Nick smiled as he took a sip of his beer. "There is such thing as a relationship that is formed around anything but sex. I don't know if you two morons know of anything like that…"

"So that means she's not putting out?" Brandon asked.

"Actually, we're waiting." Nick smiled sarcastically. "Using our educated heads and getting to know each other before we learn how to undo each other's buttons. You should try it sometime."

"Hey!" Danny glared, "In my defence I knew Montana inside and out before I slept with her. I knew what made her hurt. I knew what made her smile... What calmed her nerves… What made her curse... What made her cry... I knew her favourite colour... I knew her favourite song... I knew her Daddy was her hero... "

"We don't need that song being relayed to us, Danny." Mac smiled, "I've heard it playing on Lindsay's iTunes as I'm walking past the office when she's in there. And when I'm walking back it's still on. You get an A+ for trying though. Had I not heard it, I would have thought that was very romantic."

Danny blushed slightly, before shrugging, "It's true. The song sums us up."

"I haven't slept with Stella yet… I'll admit it." Brandon shrugged, "Apparently me and Nick are on the same wave length."

The four men turned to Mac and anticipated some sort of contribution to the conversation before all their eyes widened in horror.

"No! Wait!" Danny shuddered, "I don't wanna know! Don't say anything Mac! No! Don't! Don't do it!!!"

Mac laughed at the young CSI furiously shaking his head. "You weren't getting anything, Danny… Don't worry." Mac said as he finished off his beer. "However, I will tell you that my cheeseburger skills have proven effective with Peyton on more occasions than I'm sure you wish to hear about."

"I hope that's some kind of sick code." Flack deadpanned. "And you don't genuinely mean cheeseburgers."

Mac smiled as he picked up his glasses and headed towards the bar. "I meant cheeseburgers. As in cheeseburgers."

The four men stood and shuddered at the thought of what it was Mac Taylor actually meant.

* * *

"What are Sheldon and Sid talking about?" Peyton asked as she gazed over to the two sat at a small table on their own.

"Do you actually want to know?" Lindsay asked as she sipped her orange juice. "I'm pretty sure Sheldon is trying to conduct a conversation about something, and Sid is way to enthralled with his creepy place and Hawkes is either shuddering and reminding him that he's going to that place again, or he's humouring him, in the hopes of being able to bring the conversation back to life…"

"You know you've worked at the NYPD crime lab for too long when you can give an in-depth answer about what people would be talking about." Stella laughed. "Go on, Linds… What are the guys talking about?"

The four women turned and looked at their men for a few seconds before turning back to face each other.

"Sex" they answered unanimously before erupting into a fit of giggles.

Danny standing up on one of the tables with the help of Nick and Brandon with a beer glass in his hand and a plastic knife in the other interrupted them, "Could I have your attention, guys?"

The women turned and Lindsay shook her head, "You better get your ass off of that." She warned him. "And put that knife down."

Danny shook his head.

"Get down, before you fall down." Lindsay glared. "And impale someone with that knife. Be it plastic or not."

Danny shook his head, "I got a speech to make. So, as many of you know… Well actually many of you don't… Flack made a speech at our wedding – our being Lindsay and myself to clarify - in Montana… And well, let's say it was memorable to say the very least. There's one little snippet I remember with great ease, actually." Danny said as he pulled out a small piece of paper from his Jeans pocket and read from it.

"So, I thought I'd write out a meaningful speech about my best friend on a beautiful piece of paper, but he cancelled his wedding last week. So that went to pot. Instead I gotta stand here and talk about this jackass."

Flack snorted from where he stood with a bottle of beer in his hand, looking towards Sam.

"So, I kept the piece of paper he had chucked on the table in haste after they brought the food out, and thought I would save it for when he got married. I've saved him the shame of me passing around baby pictures like he did when he made his speech…"

"You've got time," Nick smirked.

Danny wiggled his eyebrows at Flack, "You're not safe yet." He teased. "Now I may not be as witty as Flack, and I may not have the best one-liners, but, let me assure you… The rare times when Flack was being serious in his speech, well, I'm just gonna warn you all now I'm gonna burn his ass and make my speech ten times better." Danny smirked. "To the happy couple!" He sing-songed as he raised his glass in Flack's direction and then Sam's before jumping off the table.

"Did you know he was doing that?" Sam inquired as she turned to face Lindsay.

"Does this shocked face look like a wife that knew her husband was gonna pull a coyote ugly up on the table tops?"

"He was hardly dancing in next to nothing, Lindsay." Stella laughed.

Lindsay glared at her.

"But, you're right." Stella quickly concluded, "Whatever point you were making is the right point."

"Don't argue." Peyton nodded adamantly. "Learn quick and the job's a good one."

* * *

The party had lasted a few more hours with the close-knit group breaking their moulds and going to mingle with the other half of the team. After Sid, Hawkes and Nick had been called into work along with Stella, the party had taken a sharp turn, and people started making their way home.

Which was the reasoning behind why Lindsay, Danny, Samantha and Flack had decided to take Amanda to a children's play gym in lower Manhattan to relax on their joint days off.

Danny and Flack had instantly shed their shoes and made for the empty play gym with Amanda, running around and chasing after her, while she was emitting squeals of excitement and joy, while both Lindsay and Samantha nursed fruit teas.

"Do you manage to find lemon tea everywhere you go, Linds?" Sam laughed.

Lindsay nodded, "there's nothing better in the whole wide world than Lemon tea," she declared. "So, we have some serious baby talk to get on with… When are you booking your doctors appointment to get it confirmed?"

"I'll call tomorrow. I need to look around, find a good OB."

"Use mine!" Lindsay gushed, "She's fantastic. Really friendly. I'll give you her number you if you like."

"I hoped you were going to say that." She laughed.

"So predictable." Lindsay shook her head as she grabbed her iPhone with a piece of paper and a pen from her purse.

* * *

"Aren't you the shitting yourself in the slightest?" Don Flack questioned as he and his best friend chuckled a yellow plastic ball between the two of them as Amanda sat in the ball pit of the play gym, chucking balls at Danny's back at regular intervals.

"Not really," Danny shrugged, "I managed with my little girl… We're going to have had nine months to adjust to this change, so we'll be okay. Why are you scared?"

"Shitless." Flack admitted. "I'm not saying anything to Sammie about it cause well, I think she's close to breakdown anyway… But, I dunno. I see you with Amanda, Danno and I freak. How the hell am I supposed to be like that?"

Danny snorted as he turned and softly threw a red ball at a shrieking Amanda. "You mind, M&M?"

She giggled as she flumped down in the ball pit and proceeded to bury herself with the balls in the ball pit. Danny sighed and turned so that he could keep an eye on her as she piled the balls on top of her. "Flack, did you ever picture me taking my baby girl to a children's play gym, with my pregnant wife sipping tea?"

Flack laughed. "Well, not exactly."

"Trust me," Danny said, as he looked his friend straight in the eye, "When you hold that baby, you'll know what to do. It'll come to you. Just give it time."

Flack sighed and set the yellow ball by his side. "I just… I'm not sure about it all."

"About being a dad?" Danny asked as he chuckled a red ball on top of Amanda's giggling body, covered by the plastic balls.

"Honestly?" Flack said, "Yeah… I mean we haven't had it confirmed yet, but how often are those tests wrong…"

Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Okay. For conversations sake… If I am… I… I don't know whether I could possibly deal with the… With how… I don't know how I can give a baby all that it needs."

"You're more than capable of loving someone, Flack. Look at how you are with Amanda. Do you doubt yourself when you're taking care of her?"

"Yeah but Danny, I give her back at the end of the day. My baby, my son or daughter, is there twenty-four hours, seven days a week for eighteen years."

"Your point?" Danny asked as he chucked the balls back in the ball pit on top of Amanda who was still giggling and being hidden by the balls she had piled on top of herself.

"My point is that it's a hell of a lot of hard work. I mean don't get me wrong, I'm gonna love my kid to the ends of the earth, but emotionally, it's hard work, as well as physically and mentally. I don't know whether me and Sam are cut out for that."

"Millions of other people have done it Flack, since before we had all the shit we do. Day care. Nannies. Travel systems. Baby proofing things. They managed. What makes you think you're gonna be any different?"

There was a sudden movement in the ball pit, and Amanda jumped up from her hiding place and squealed at the top of her lungs.

"Wow." Danny laughed as he reached over into the ball pool and grabbed the toddler with one arm and scooped her out of the pit, "I'm deaf!"

She giggled musically and wiggled her little legs so that Danny put her down. As soon as she did, she took off out of the play gym and headed towards Lindsay and Samantha sat at the table.

Danny turned to Flack and cleared his throat, "You were saying?"

Flack sighed. "You don't forget a thing, do you?"

Danny shook his head, "Look Flack, if you're looking for me telling you you're gonna be an awesome father, and that I have faith in you, then you have it, okay? I know you're gonna be the best dad."

"After you." Flack quipped.

"Goes without saying," Danny smirked as he chucked a green ball at his friend's head. "You're gonna be fine. You're worrying about shit that doesn't need to be worried about. Understand?"

Flack nodded as he heard Amanda bellowing 'Uncle Donnie' from where Sam was sat handing the toddler a five-dollar bill. "Honey?" Sam called to him.

"Yes dear," Flack called.

"Could you go grab M&M a juice pouch?"

Danny and Flack looked at each other, "She's not done anything other than scream!" Danny argued.

"She's red in the face!" Lindsay responded. "Come and get your daughter a drink, Daniel. Don't be a nasty daddy."

"Daddeee!" Amanda sniffed as she flopped on the floor with her bottom lip quivering and the five-dollar bill clutched in her hand, "Uncle Donnie! Pwease! 'Firsty!""

Danny sighed as he pushed himself up off the soft play area and ducked to accommodate for the lack of headroom. "What you want, sweetie?"

"Uncle Donnie!" She sniffed from where she sat. "Donnie!"

"What you want hon?" Flack asked. "Want me to get it for you?"

She nodded and stood up from where she had plonked herself on the floor. She padded across the carpeted floor in her pink and white socks and placed the five-dollar bill in his hand, "Cherwy!"

"What?" Flack laughed as he looked at Danny.

"Cherry." Danny translated. "She wants the cherry kool aid. It's a'right. You'll get used to it, papa Flack."

Flack smirked as he offered the little girl his hand and padded over the to the refreshments where a college student sat with a book leant against the counter.

"Which one?" Flack asked as be bent down to Amanda's level and peered in the glass section, "Tell Uncle Donnie…"

"Cherwy!" Amanda nodded as she pointed at the kool aid pouch.

"Can you say Cherry Amanda? Cher-ry."

Amanda furrowed her brow and looked at Flack.

"Cher-ry." Flack repeated. "Come on… Don't look at me like you don't know what I'm asking you to do. Cherry. Come on, you can say it. I believe in you, Amanda."

Amanda sighed. "Cherwy."

"I didn't say Cherwy, did I? Say Cherry Amanda."

She sighed again, "Cherwy." She sniffed, becoming frustrated with him, "Cherwy! Uncle Donnie!"

"Say it, you can do it sweetie. Come on."

Amanda blinked and licked her lips, "Cher-ry." She said cautiously, "Cher-ry. Cherry." She giggled. "Cherry!"

"That's my favourite niece!" Flack gushed as he picked the toddler up and showered her with kisses. "Give the lady the money, M&M." Flack said as he sat Amanda on the counter and stabbed the pouch with the straw. "You gonna get the change and give it to Auntie Sammie?"

She nodded and held out her tiny hand, waiting for the change from the college student.

Amanda kicked her legs and dropped the change on the counter and held her arms out in front of her indicating that she wanted to get down and for Flack to hand her the juice.

"What do you say?" Flack encouraged.

"Pwease?" she asked sweetly.

Flack smiled and handed her the juice before helping her off the counter, "What now?"

"T'anks." She grinned cheekily before running off into the play gym with her juice gripped tightly in her hand.

"Don't spill that!" Lindsay called to her, "Get back here you little knucklehead! You're not supposed to go in there with them! You know that… Amanda, don't make me ask you twice."

Amanda sighed heavily as she stomped towards the table where Danny, Lindsay and Samantha sat. She slowly and carefully climbed up on the free chair and set her juice pouch on the table before trying to scoot herself in, "'elp!"

"Now you're just getting lazy." Lindsay sighed as she stood up and tucked Amanda in, "You can say help."

Amanda grinned and greedily sipped her drink before offering some to Lindsay, who took a sip. "That's yummy, honey." Lindsay smiled as she rubbed Amanda's belly. "You gonna go and play with daddy?"

"Gee, thanks Linds…" Danny sighed as he sipped his Cherry coke Lindsay had bought him, "leave it to Daddy to follow her around."

"So you should," Lindsay nodded adamantly as she placed a hand to her belly and rubbed it soothingly, "Your boy wants to play too. He's not impressed you're playing without him."

"I got eighteen years to make it up to him." Danny reasoned before he stood up and looked at Amanda who was stood on the second floor of the play gym, staring down at them, "Come on Daddeee! 'urry!"

"I'm hurrying." Danny laughed as he kicked off his shoes and raced into the play gym and bounded up the cushioned stairs. "I'm gonna get you…" he threatened.

She shrieked and raced for the other side of the play gym.

Flack smiled after his best friend and his niece for a second, before taking off and running into the empty play gym after them.

Lindsay laughed as she set her mug on the table and shook her head, "I think they are officially the worst two people in the whole world for whispering."

"I think Danny was humouring him." Sam laughed softly, "I think Donnie just needed that push in the right direction and reassuring that everything would be okay…"

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Lindsay asked.

Sam shrugged. "Time will tell."

Lindsay nodded as she peered up onto the second layer of the play gym and smiled warmly at her daughter hiding behind a huge soft play toy. Flack was slowly creeping up by the side of her, and Danny was creeping up behind her. She turned, saw Flack, screeched, turned around, and ran straight into Danny with a shriek. Danny picked her up in his arms, and ran off in the completely opposite direction and headed towards the slide. Flack chased after them, and followed in pursuit after Danny and Amanda who had tumbled down the slide into the ball pit. After the first crash of balls, and the sounds of Amanda and Danny scrambling out of the way, Lindsay and Samantha then heard another crash and laughed as they heard a loud, yet muttered profanity slip from Flack's mouth.

Both women giggled musically, and even the college student had closed her book and leant against the counter watching the three in the play gym.

"You know what you asked me before?" Sam asked "About Donnie being okay about it?"

Lindsay nodded, "Yeah, what about it?"

"I think he's gonna be more than okay." Sam smiled as she looked at Flack who was being covered with the plastic balls by both Danny and Amanda.

It wasn't going to be a miracle over night. Neither Sam nor Flack would gain the knowledge and confidence it took to be solely responsible for a child easily. But it was something that could be worked on. It was definitely a work – in – progress that could only get better.

Just like them.

* * *

**_Thankies to all of you who are still reading and reviewing! And to those of you jumping on board now... Or those who have dropped me a review recently... I really appreciate every single one of you!! :) I'm thrilled you're all still enjoying it!!_**

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	159. Paging Nurse Danny

**_A/N: Cyber cookie goes to the person that can find the reference to the 5x17 promo. TWO DAYS, GIRLS AND BOYS!!! Excited? Me... Don't be silly. i'm counting down the seconds! _**

* * *

Mac Taylor let out another sigh as he shifted in his position against Danny Messer's locker. _This is getting ridiculous,_ the thought to himself with his BlackBerry in his hand. Mac had lost count on how long it was that he had been stood in front of Danny's locker anticipating his arrival. With every sound, Mac's heart jolted slightly, only for it to be a lab technician finding a reason to skive or check their personal phone. Each time, the shocked look on their face to see their superior, stood in the locker room, was classic. And Mac made a mental note to spend more time monitoring his troops in the locker room.

The locker room door opened, and he heard someone mutter profanities as they made there way into the room.

Mac however was genuinely shocked at the sight in front of him. Danny was a mess. He had the NYPD issued gym sweatpants on, with his running shoes and his infamous green top that he had worn to work on many occasions. He looked rugged and as if he hadn't slept all night, despite him having the night off.

Danny glanced over at Mac and cleared his throat, "Hey… Um…"

"Hey? You're two hours late Danny, and you greet me with hey? What the hell's going on!?"

"I'm sorry Mac. I am. It's just Linds and Amanda, they… Lindsay's been up and down all night with a temperature and throwing up, and Amanda was burning up so I was going back and forth from Amanda's room to our room, checking on Linds… then I had to make sure neither of them was dehydrated. Then I re-took Amanda's temperature and it was like 102 so I called the doctor and he was telling me what to do, then I had to make sure Lindsay was okay. Then I brought Amanda into our room, and had the fan on them both, to keep them cool. Then I was up and down every time Linds got up to throw up cause I didn't want her to be alone. And that kept waking Amanda up… So then this morning neither of them were any better, and Amanda started complaining that she didn't feel good. And her tummy hurt, and… and… and…"

"You didn't think to call?" Mac asked.

"My mind was all over the place Mac. Linds hasn't been sick in years, and Amanda… she's never been sick before. I was freaking out. I didn't know what to do, was I supposed to take them to the ER… was I supposed to let them sleep? What liquids was I supposed to give them? Lindsay's the one that thinks straight, when Amanda hurts her pinky finger, I freak out. And with Montana sick, I didn't know what the hell to do… And plus I had to think about the baby, and whether he was okay, especially with Lindsay being sick."

"Like I said…" Mac said calmly. "You didn't think to call?"

"It was going on from like eleven PM till about 4AM when Lindsay finally fell asleep. I was worried Mac, I didn't know whether the baby was in danger with her throwing up and having a temperature or what…"

"Danny. Peyton had a stint in Paediatrics." Mac told him calmly, "She would have been more than happy heading over to your place."

Danny sighed and ran a hand down his face. "I'm sorry I'm so late, Mac."

"I'm lenient Danny. I mean, I give you and Lindsay a hell of a lot of time off together so that you can enjoy your daughter together, but recently it's feeling like I give and you take, take, take. You need to give me a little back, two hours and no phone call? Danny… you know better."

"I know Mac... I know. I meant to call it's just every time I picked my cell up, one of the girls needed me. And when my baby girl was calling daddy and crying, I just… I was freaking out. She's never been sick before, and I was worried."

"What's going on now?"

"Well, I'm going to get changed into the clothes I have in my locker, and my mom's at the house, making sure things are okay. She thinks they both were cuddling and kissing each other when we got home from the play gym we took Amanda to, and Amanda passed something onto Lindsay, and it took them both down. I'm just…" Danny took a breath, "I'm a worried daddy. And I'm freaking out, and I wanted to make them both better, and I couldn't Mac… And…"

"Take a breath, Danny." Mac said calmly. "Get dressed. Get some coffee and take a deep breath. Your mom knows what to do. You have a shift to get on with, okay? She has your emergency contact numbers, and if their conditions worsen then I will see about getting cover in so you can take off. Until then I want your attention. Your full attention at that. I understand where you're coming from, Danny. Believe me, I do… I just… You can't possibly think that being two hours late to work with no phone call is acceptable."

"It isn't… At all." Danny nodded. "I wasn't thinking, Mac. It won't happen again."

"Make sure it doesn't." Mac glared at Danny sternly. "You're lucky we've had no calls, as of yet."

Danny nodded as he moved towards his locker. "Paperwork?"

Mac nodded. "Yes. Paperwork." He said coolly as he walked out of the locker room.

Mac shut the door behind him and headed up the stairs into the crime lab, looking at the lab techs that he had seen in the locker room throughout the hour he had been stood there. The glare he gave them made them fully aware that he had seen what had happened and that he wasn't to catch wind of it again.

He pushed through the door of his office and sat down at his desk before he reached for his cell phone and picked up his office phone.

He quickly dialled a number and held the phone to his ear, waiting for the call to connect.

"Hello?" he said down the line when the caller at the other end of the line finally answered. "Hello Mrs. Messer. It's Mac Taylor, from the crime lab… How's Lindsay and Amanda… I see. Well, can you manage for another hour alone? I need to find some cover for Danny so that I can send him home. I don't feel his in a place to be working, when he's worried about them at home. I see… No, I insist. I understand… But I think it's best they have Danny around them right now." Mac laughed heartily. "No, I can't say I've ever been called the knower of all things, Mrs. Messer. Yes. It will be around an hour or so. Okay, well, let Lindsay know I hope she gets better soon. Have Danny keep me updated once he gets home."

Mac bid Mrs. Messer goodbye and once again reached for his cell phone and picked up his desk phone and peered at the number in the address book of his cell phone. "Nick… Hi… I know it's your day off, but I was wondering…"

* * *

Danny looked up from his paperwork to Nick Stokes stood in the doorway of his office, "I thought it was your day off," Danny commented.

"Change of plan." Nick shrugged. "Mac wants to see you, Danno."

Danny sighed and ran a hand over his face, "Fuck sake."

"What happened?" Nick asked slightly concerned by the tone and use of profanities Danny had used.

"I was late this morning. Linds and Amanda got really sick last night and I didn't think to call. He's probably gonna burn my ass again." Danny sighed.

Nick shrugged as Danny moved past him in the doorway. "Well, good luck to ya Danno. Let Linds know I hope she gets better soon and to take it easy… And give Amanda a cuddle from her favourite uncle."

Danny laughed and nodded as he headed down the hallway to Mac's office. He tapped once on the door before entering, "You wanted to see me, boss?"

"Sit down," Mac gestured.

Danny complied and folded his hands in his lap before taking a breath, "Mac if this is about me being late then I'm really…"

"Danny, I'm giving you today and tomorrow off, okay? I want you in on Wednesday afternoon for your shift. Go home and look after Lindsay and Amanda. I understand that your stressed and worried, and Nick has agreed to taking over some of your hours for you. So I suggest you thank him on your way out."

Danny nodded adamantly. "Thank you, Mac. I really appreciate it… I'll make it up to you both… Do some extra hours. Do some shifts for Nick… let him have some time off."

"Just go home and look after your family, Danny. Okay?"

Danny nodded and quickly excused himself and hurried down the hallway in search of Nick Stokes.

And, despite Mac being slightly pissed about Danny's newfound hotheadedness that he had been convinced Danny had lost over the years; the older man was slightly proud of the young man that had been sat before him. Danny had effectively turned his life around in the time that Lindsay had come into his life, and consequentially had become a better CSI, a better detective and more importantly a better person.

To which Mac was elated about.

* * *

As Danny dumped his keys on the kitchen table, he let out a sigh at the state of the kitchen. There were dishes from dinner the night before in and around the sink area. On the counter top, the first aid kit was scattered across the surface, from Danny rushing last night to get the medicine he required and hightail it back upstairs to his wife and daughter. He sighed as he took a deep breath. "Mom, did you not even clean up in here? What the hell have you been doing?"

Isabelle Messer stood in the doorway of her son's kitchen with both hands on her hips. "_Excuse_ me?"

"Look at this place," Danny spat as he chucked the brown paper bag containing three blueberry muffins on the cluttered and littered kitchen table. "As if I don't have enough to fucking do."

His mother stood with one hand on her hip and licked her lips before raising her eyebrows. "Sorry I was under the impression you were the one that lived here, Daniel. I came to look after Lindsay and Amanda, and that's exactly what I've been doing. I haven't had time to pick up after you."

Danny groaned and threw the pile of mail onto the table, "Whatever." He glared before turning to the fridge.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" his mother glared at her son's back as he picked out the Orange juice from the fridge, "You better watch yourself, I may be your mother, and you may be twice the size of me, but so help me god Daniel, you're not gonna talk to me like that. It is not my fault you were late this morning to work. Nor is it my fault the house has fallen apart in the what, twelve hours Lindsay has been sick for. This is your shit!" She bellowed. "You pick it up! I'm going to say goodbye to Lindsay and my beautiful granddaughter and I'm going because you know what, you don't deserve my help if you're going to speak to me like that. Not even a hello. Not anything? I was upstairs with your wife, Daniel."

"I get it…" Danny said as he shut the fridge and turned to face his mother, "You're pissed, you don't have to keep saying Daniel, mom."

"You're damn right I'm pissed. I'm that pissed I'm ready to kick your ass into next week like I used to do with you and your brother. What would you do if your boy spoke to Lindsay like that?"

Danny considered it for a moment.

"That's what I thought." Isabelle glared at her son. "Now, I realise you had a shitty day so far, and you feel helpless, but do not, under any circumstances take that out on me."

Danny sighed as he removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I'm sorry mom."

"So you should be," she nodded as she turned on her heel, "I will be waiting on the other end of the phone line waiting for your heartfelt apology when you've pulled your head out of your ass and stopped freaking out."

"Mom!" Danny sighed as he followed her into the hallway, "Please mom, I… I just… What do I do? What can I do to help them? I don't know what to do. I just want to make them better."

Isabelle laid both of her small tired hands on both of Danny's shoulders. The small woman stood up on her tiptoes pressed a kiss to her son's forehead. "You know what to do, Danny. You know you do. Just take a deep breath and keep doing what you have been doing. They're upstairs watching Beauty and the Beast in your bed. Go up and make sure they're okay."

Danny nodded and took a breath, "Mommy, please. I'm struggling here."

Isabelle smiled and pressed a kiss to her son's nose. "I'll tidy up down here and let myself out. Just go up, and make sure they're drinking enough fluids. Give them dry toast initially."

Danny nodded taking the information in, "And then what?"

"You'll figure it out, Danny." Isabelle smiled. "You always do. You freaked out about fatherhood, when it got closer to the time when little Amanda was ready to make her entrance to the world, but look what happened there. You're a wonderful father, and a fantastic husband. It's the first time either of them have been sick in a long time. Take a breath and go upstairs. Okay? Go and watch Beauty and the Beast with your girls."

Danny nodded and pulled his mother into a hug, "I'm sorry mom."

She laughed softly and returned the hug before pulling away and ushering him up the stairs. And as she watched him climb over the baby gate and rush upstairs, she felt her heart swell with pride.

"That's my boy." She smiled.

* * *

Danny stood in the doorway of his darkened bedroom and sighed at the sight of his girls. "Hey princesses."

Lindsay turned in his direction and put her index finger to her mouth and shushed him before pointing down at Amanda.

"How long she been asleep for?"

Lindsay paused the DVD and sighed. "Since your mom hit play on the DVD player."

Danny laughed softly, "How you feeling?"

"I feel sick. And M&M over here has a fever."

"Still?" Danny sighed as he moved across the room and knelt on the bed next to Amanda that was snuggled into Danny's pillow with her thumb in her mouth. He slowly and carefully removed the thumb from her mouth and pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. "She's cooler than what she was when I left for work…"

Lindsay reached over weakly and place the back of her hand to Amanda's forehead and nodded. "Yeah. She feels a little cooler, I guess."

Danny stood up and moved round to Lindsay's side of the bed and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

Lindsay shrugged, "A body without a baby inside of me to worry about? So I can feel like shit and not worry about my son and whether me being sick is gonna affect him."

He pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose, and knelt by the side of the bed "I'll get working on that… In the meantime?"

"A lemon tea." Lindsay smiled.

Danny rolled his eyes as he stood up. "Anything to eat?"

She shook her head, "Not yet… maybe later."

"You gotta eat, Linds." Danny said.

Lindsay sighed, "I know… I'm not hungry right now… Don't worry I will eat a proper meal before the day is up. I think I'm okay now… I just have the usual nausea I've been having."

Danny nodded. "Do you think I should M&M some dry toast?"

"She was asking for a blueberry muffin earlier, but I haven't had time to go food shopping. But, to be honest I don't think her having a blueberry muffin right now is the best idea."

Danny smiled. "What would you say if I went by the bakery that she loves and got three blueberry muffins?"

"I would say you're a mind reader and you were a daddy that loves his little baby girl a lot."

Danny winked at her as he made his way round the bed and bent down in front of Amanda and pressed a kiss to her clammy forehead. "I just wish there was something I could do." He sighed out loud.

"I know." Lindsay said as she hit play on the DVD player and snuggled under the blanket. "Just give her time for her little body to fight off whatever it is she's got."

Danny sighed as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head and stood up. Amanda's eyes fluttered open and she looked up sleepily and disorientated at Danny. "Daddy?"

Danny bent back down and smoothed down her hair, "It's alright baby girl, go back to sleep."

Amanda shook her head and sat up and reached up for Danny, "Up!"

He sighed and picked the toddler up along with her blanket and wrapped her in his arms. "How you feelin' princess?"

She sighed. "'ick!"

"Still?" Danny sighed, "You still don't feel good?"

She shook her head, "Where daddy goin'?"

"Downstairs," he replied. "You hungry, sweetie?"

She shook her head as she rested her head on Danny's shoulder. "Me come."

Danny sighed as he tightened her blanket around her. He looked to Lindsay who was inches from sleep as she snuggled into her pillow.

"I suppose two minutes wouldn't hurt."

* * *

By the time Danny and Amanda had successfully made their way downstairs, Danny's mother had tidied the kitchen and living room up, left a note and had disappeared.

Danny padded into the kitchen in his socked feet, and Amanda wrapped and held securely in his arms. He made his way over to the kitchen counter and set her on the counter carefully, and stood in front of her, and looked into her eyes.

"You're really hurting, aren't you, honey?"

Amanda sniffed and nodded. "Me don't feel good, daddy. Tummy hurts!" she sniffed as she pointed to her stomach.

"I know, baby girl… I know." He said as he rubbed it softly, "As soon as Daddy's finished down here, how's about I take you upstairs and we can lay in mommy and daddy's bed and I rub your tummy until it gets better. You know how I have that magic touch, right?"

Amanda smiled weakly and nodded. "Daddy magic!"

Danny laughed as he give her a Eskimo kiss before placing a hand on her knees and reached across to the other side of the counter and switched the kettle on.

Amanda let out a sigh as Danny picked her up again and placed her on his hip.

"You don't like being sick, do you baby?" Danny asked her, "You want to just be happy and play, don't you?"

She nodded. "Mommy 'ick too." She informed her father. "Mommy play."

"Mommy wants to play too." Danny smiled, "But she's not feeling good either. And between you, and me princess, I think she's a little worried about your baby brother. With her being sick and all…"

"Baby?" Amanda asked inquisitively.

"Yeah, a baby…. Remember mommy and daddy told you that you were going to be a big sister in…" Danny held four fingers up, "In four months."

"Four?"

Danny nodded and helped Amanda hold up four fingers on her little hand, "One… Two… Three… Four…" Danny smiled as he wiggled each finger as he said the next number. "Exciting, huh?"

Amanda giggled softly and nodded. "Me big sister."

Danny glanced at the kettle that was rumbling away on the kitchen surface. He considered turning it off and turned on his heel. When he had left the bedroom, Lindsay was more or less completely asleep, and he was basically wasting his time by making her the drink. He figured that it would be more logical to make it once she had woken up.

He turned on his heel and headed out of the kitchen, after grabbing a cup of juice for Amanda and headed upstairs. "How about we go rub that chubby belly of yours." Danny smiled down at his daughter in his arms.

* * *

"Here…" Amanda said as she pointed to the middle of her belly as she lay, head propped up with a pillow as she watched Beauty and the Beast on Danny and Lindsay's TV. "And here…." She added as she pointed to her forehead. "And here" she finished as she pointed to her tummy again.

"Emphasising on how your tummy hurts?" Danny laughed softly as he placed a warm hand to his daughter's belly as he lay next to her.

It had been a trick and method Lindsay's father had mentioned to him in passing months and months ago when they had been speaking over the phone about their favourite thing in common.

Lindsay.

Jack Monroe had been telling Danny of the winter when Lindsay was barely four-years-old, and she had a horrible tummy bug that had taken her down for the best part of Christmas that year. She had been devastated, and on Christmas morning, as she lay in her bed, while her brother, Chris, unwrapped his presents without her downstairs. Jack had padded upstairs and shifted a sleeping Lindsay over in her bed and carefully lay next to her while prodding her nose and cheeks to wake her up. He had proceeded to ask her where she hurt, and she had pointed to the exact places.

Jack had then spent the best part of two hours, soothingly rubbing her belly, trying to take some of the pain away, while talking to her about anything and everything.

It had worked, miraculously. The stomach bug that had been troubling his little daughter for well over two weeks had gone within the two hours after he had laid with her, taking her mind off it.

Lindsay had then rushed downstairs, spent a good thirty minutes ripping the presents Santa had left her, before helping her mother in the kitchen for the rest of the day, preparing for their relatives to come over for the Christmas meal.

Danny had made a mental note of the story. Not only because it had warmed his heart, hearing of his wife when she was a little girl and what she was like back then, but because of how much his own daughter reminded him of Lindsay. And he thought that maybe, just maybe, the first time Amanda got a tummy ache, he could try out Jack's trick and see what would happen. See if it worked on his daughter like it had with Jack's.

"Did you see-ed 'dat, Daddy?" Amanda gushed as she pointed excitedly at the screen, "'id you see?"

"See what, princess?"

"'Da beast, daddy! He wub Belle! He wubs her!"

Danny laughed, "You're such a little romantic, do you know that?"

"'mantic?" Amanda asked, clearly puzzled.

"Ro-mantic." Danny said. "Romantic… It means you're all fluffy and… You don't understand what I'm saying." Danny laughed as he soothingly rubbed her tummy, "How you feeling now? Did daddy take all that mean pain away?"

Amanda narrowed her eyes and thought about it before nodding and throwing her arms around his head, "Wub daddy!"

"Now if only I could do that for your mommy." Danny sighed as he pressed a kiss to Amanda's forehead.

* * *

Danny laughed softly as Amanda held a finger to her lips and shushed him. "Daddeee! Mommy sweep!"

"Sorry." Danny nodded solemnly as he took a sip from his cup. "This is very nice tea, Amanda."

She giggled. "Siwwy daddy! Not tea!"

"I'm playing pretend, M&M. You silly goose." Danny sighed dramatically as he swiped an Oreo from the plate that he and Amanda had put together downstairs. "Uh oh!" Danny exclaimed as he pointed at the screen while munching on the Oreo, "Look! Swiper!"

"Swiper no swiping!" Amanda gasped at the television screen. "Swiper no swiping!"

"Swiper no swiping!" Danny smiled as he joined in with his daughter as he sat at the mini wooden table he had brought from Amanda's room. It had been Amanda's idea to have a tea party after Mrs. Pots and Chip had inspired her when the ending credits for Beauty and the Beast had been rolling.

And now, two hours later, Danny was still sat munching Oreos and sipping water from a pink plastic Disney princess cup watching Dora the Explorer.

He had been monitoring Lindsay, who was still fast asleep, by every now and again he would sit up and peer over the bed and make sure she was okay. As it was, she was snuggled into his pillow, looking like an angel, he thought, with her long eyelashes softly resting on her cheeks, that were now flushed with pink as opposed to being pale, like they had been for the majority of the past twenty hours, or so.

"OH MAN!" Amanda giggled along with Swiper.

"Hey! Hey! Pretty girl, keep it down." Danny ushered. "Mommy's still sleeping, remember."

Amanda nodded and held a finger to her lips before taking a bite of the half eaten blueberry muffin that sat on her tiny pink princess plate. "Want some, daddy?"

"I'm good." He smiled as he carefully took the muffin that she was holding in her tiny hand and placed it back on to the plate. "You eat it… it's yours."

"Me full." She sighed. "Daddy eat it."

"Daddy's full too." Danny assured her. "It's okay, you can leave it… maybe you'll want it later?"

Amanda considered it for a second before nodding. "Maybeee. Me go play in my woom, daddy."

Danny laughed softly, "Oh, okay then. Have you had enough of Daddy, now?"

She smiled and nodded as she gathered up her tea party set, "daddy move?"

"Daddy will put the stuff up…" Danny sighed, "You go play, little one. Okay…"

Amanda smiled and padded off out of the bedroom and down the hallway to her room.

Danny glanced at the messy wooden table and sighed. There was no way he was going to face moving up and down the stairs with the ominous amounts of pink tea-set accessories that were scattered across the table and on the floor. He stood up and moved into the hallway and peered into Amanda's bedroom and saw her sat on her pink love heart rug brushing 'lickle bear's' fur with a Barbie brush.

_That girl never ceases to amaze me_. He smiled to himself as he turned back into the bedroom, before carefully climbing on the bed, and lying next to Lindsay. He sighed heavily as he lay next to her and brushed the hair out of her face, "What can I do to make you feel better?" he whispered as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Keep playing with Amanda." She smiled with her eyes closed.

"Sweet Jesus, Lindsay! You…"

"You thought I was asleep." She grinned as she opened her eyes. "I well and truly punked you."

"You're a witch sometimes!" Danny chuckled as he wrapped his arm behind her and stretched out on the bed, "How long were you awake for?"

"Um, about forty five minutes, wondering where the hell my tea was." She glared at him, "Did you get lost on your way to make it?"

"I thought you were asleep." He shrugged, "I'm sorry. Do you want it now? I can…"

"No." Lindsay said as she grabbed his arm and pulled him back down onto the bed. "Don't leave me."

Danny laughed and laid back on the fluffed up pillow, "You're acting as if you're dying." He laughed, "How you feeling?"

"Better." She admitted. "I think just laying with my eyes closed did the world of good."

Danny smiled and kissed her forehead. "Your fever's gone."

"That went last night. I think I was just too warm under the blankets."

Danny shrugged, "You were going hot and cold. I didn't…"

"I was just commenting." She said, cutting him off, "I wasn't accusing you of anything."

"I know." He smiled as he closed his eyes. "At least you're feeling better. My whole entire world might not fall apart now."

"Do I even want to leave this room? Is the house a complete mess?"

"No." Danny assured her. "My mom went all hurricane Isabelle and blitzed the downstairs."

"I love your mommy." Lindsay giggled as she snuggled into Danny's chest. "Is the baby gate closed at the top of the stairs?"

"As always." Danny sing-songed. "I'm a freaking out father, Montana, not completely stupid."

"Just checking." She smiled sweetly.

"Did you have a nice sleep then?" he inquired, "Cause I haven't…"

"I distinctly told you that you didn't have to get up every time I went to the bathroom. Did I say 'Danny, go back to bed, you don't have to get up with me every time I get up?' Did I or did I not?"

"You did." Danny sighed, "But I didn't want to leave you on your own."

"Quit your crying like a girl then." She grinned. "You made your choice, live with it."

"You're so nice to me." Danny gushed sarcastically, "I look after the both of you like a doting daddy and husband when you're sick, run here there and everywhere getting shit for you, and you're mean to me. How does that work?"

"Oh you know I'm only playing. You know I love you with all my heart really."

He sighed, "Would be nice to be reminded of that every now and again."

She rolled her eyes and giggled softly. "You're everything I've always wanted. I want to be with you. Forever and ever."

"That's better." He grinned. "Hey… 'You're everything I've always wanted' sounds like a wedding vow or something."

"Could be," Lindsay nodded. "Tell you what, if we ever renew our vows, I'll make sure I use that… How does that sound?"

Danny rolled his eyes and kissed her temple, "You're somethin' else, you know that?"

She grinned, "I'm hungry. Go make me some food nurse Danny."

"Do I get a nurses outfit?" he asked before his eyes widened. "Wait. Ew… no. Ew. Can I take that back?"

Lindsay snorted. "I'm going to hold that against you for the rest of your life," she informed him. "Wouldn't you prefer me less pregnant in a nurses outfit?"

"Can I have you pregnant with no outfit on?" Danny asked as he nuzzled her neck.

"MOMMMMMMEEEEE!" Amanda giggled from the doorway, making Danny jump.

"We need a lock on that door." He grumbled as he reached down and scooped Amanda up in his arms and lifted her onto the bed. "Can we help you, pretty girl?"

She smiled, "Me bored daddy."

"You're bored?" Danny laughed, "What would you like me to do about that?"

"Me hungry."

"You just ate that blueberry muffin." Danny laughed, "I thought you were full."

"She changed her mind." Lindsay giggled. "You could always take her to the store…" Lindsay suggested. "Pick up some groceries."

"I ain't taking her when she's hungry." Danny shook his head adamantly. "Not for all the M&M's in the world am I taking that baby girl out when she's hungry and tired."

"Me not tired!" Amanda glared at her daddy. "Me 'wake!"

Lindsay laughed, "Tell you what, Sparky, you take her to the store, and I'll make it up to you when you get home."

Danny sighed dramatically before rolling his eyes and leaning over to kiss Lindsay on the cheek and whispered; "You owe me some hot wild…."

"Finish that sentence," Lindsay grinned through gritted teeth. "You make sure he behaves, angel? No monkey business."

Amanda nodded adamantly, and pointed to the floor, "Daddy… 'wook!"

"What's that?" Danny asked as he placed Amanda on the bed, and peered down onto the carpet.

"Clobes!" Amanda smiled. "Me wear!"

"You picked out an outfit?" Lindsay giggled, "I am so proud of you!" She smiled as she pressed a kiss to the top of Amanda's. Amanda moved to kiss Lindsay on the lips but Lindsay turned her head, "Mommy's sick sweetie. She can't kiss you right now."

Amanda sniffed and reached for Lindsay's head. "But… Mommeeee!"

"Sweetie. You don't wanna be sick. Daddy made you all better, somehow… And mommy doesn't want you to get sick… Give me two days." Lindsay said as she held up two fingers and wiggled them. "Two days and you'll be all kissed out. Okay?"

Amanda sighed. "Me wub mommy 'isses!"

"I love Amanda kisses!" Lindsay smiled. "Know what I also love…"

Amanda shook her head.

"Daddy kisses." Lindsay whispered in the little girls' ear. "Daddy looks a little left out. How about you go and love all over him?"

Amanda grinned as she rubbed her tiny hands together and carefully jumped across the bed and landed on Danny's lap. "Dadddeeeeee! Hi!" She chirped.

"Hi." He smiled as he laid out her clothes on the bed. "You know Linds," he said over the shoulder, "she actually honest to god picked out an outfit that goes."

"She's a genius!" Lindsay giggled. "Good job she got my brains."

"I resent that!" Danny glared as he stood up off the bed and moved to the dresser where a packet of Amanda's potty training pants sat unwrapped. He moved back to the bed and began to pull off her pyjamas. "I'm just as intelligent as you."

Lindsay rolled her eyes and sat up in bed. "Do you think the training pants are working?"

He shrugged as he pulled Amanda's baby pink hello kitty t-shirt over her head and threaded her arms through the sleeves. "So far so good." He said, "I mean we've had no accidents, and she's pretty good at telling me when she needs to go. What about you?"

Lindsay nodded, "No accidents here. Knock on wood."

"I say we're well on our way to potty training." Danny smiled as snapped the buttons on Amanda's baby denim skirt. "We good to go?"

Amanda nodded as she reached for Danny's arms as he pulled her up off the bed and onto her feet.

"Say bye to Mommy, Amanda." Danny smiled. "Tell her we'll be back soon."

"BYE!" Amanda smiled before jumping on the bed, and falling on her butt and sliding across the rumpled comforter and sliding to the floor.

"Well, bye then." Lindsay huffed as she lay down. "Love you too baby girl. Try not to miss me too much."

"Won't!" Amanda giggled as she tugged on Danny's jeans. "Rweady?"

"Can I say bye to mommy, first?" Danny asked.

"No." Amanda giggled. "Now!"

Danny's eyes widened at his wife as he smiled, "I've been told, apparently."

She laughed as she kissed his cheek, "She's demanding. Like her mother."

Danny laughed and pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose, "Take it easy, mommy. Don't burn the house down."

She smirked and stuck her tongue out at him as he moved off the bed, "bring me back some M&M's."

"One M&M is enough." Danny sighed as he looked down at the toddler tugging at his jeans leg frantically. "More than enough."

* * *

"Shall we see what Mommy left in the CD player for us?" Danny said into the rear view mirror as he started up the CD player. "Do we bet on whether it's Carrie or shall we save our money and say it's a dead cert?"

"Red rert!"

"That's a new one." Danny laughed as the music started. "Oh snap, M&M, we were wrong. Mommy pulled a fast one on us, we're listening to Shania."

"YAY!" Amanda giggled as she kicked her feet against the seat in time to the music.

"Don't be stupid…" Danny smiled as he sung along to the lyrics, "You know I love you."

Amanda shrieked with laughter.

"Don't be ridiculous, you know I need you." Danny carried on as he indicated into the right lane. "Don't be absurd, you know I want you."

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Amanda shrieked from the back seat in her excitement.

"I need to speak to mommy about teaching you songs." Danny said as he turned the music down, "You and saving horses and being impossible. I know what she's doing. She's turning you into a country girl. She's trying to pull a fast one on daddy."

"Next!" Amanda giggled, clearly not listening to Danny's epiphany. He sighed as he pressed skip on the CD player and listened to the song's introduction.

"This must be her mix tape." He commented. "Shania and Faith. It's like a country reunion. All we need is Carrie and we have ourselves a party."

"Sing daddy!" Amanda giggled from the backseat in her car seat.

He sighed as he cleared his throat, "Do I have to?"

Amanda nodded.

He sighed as he tapped the steering wheel along with the lyrics. "It's the way you love me… It's a feeling like this… It's centrifugal motion… It's perpetual bliss; it's that pivotal moment... It's... Do I have to sing, baby girl?"

Amanda sighed. "Next!"

Danny pressed next on the CD player, "Aw, we like this song, don't we…"

Amanda smiled brightly, "Daddy, M&M song."

Danny laughed and reached into the back seat and squeezed her knee cap, "Yeah, it's our song, ain't it baby?"

She nodded. "Regraw!"

"You mean Tim McGraw, little one?"

She nodded. "Up daddy! Up!"

He turned the music up slightly, as he made his way through their neighbourhood residential area of Woodhaven, Queens.

He smiled as Amanda hummed and giggled along to Tim McGraw's 'My little girl' in the back seat.

He sighed as he peered in his rear view mirror into the back seat. She had definitely grown in the time he had first heard the song, and declared it his' and Amanda's song. But no matter how much she changed, and how quickly she grew, she would always be his little girl.

"Daddy?" Amanda grinned from the back seat.

"What princess?"

"I wub you."

Danny smiled. "I love you too, little girl."

* * *

**_Huge thank you to all those reading, reviewing and icon reviewing. You make writing this a heck of a lot more fun than what it already is! 3_**

**_Special thank you goes out to..._**

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	160. The Day I Spent My Life In Target

_**A/N: **__Okay, so some of you may have noticed I've been a little AWOL with this story over the past week or so… Aside from college work, stressing about deadlines, and what not… I've been majorly struggling with the chapter working out some kinks and stuff. Hence why it's been like eighteen years since I updated. _

_Hugs to Kerrie and Megs for the past few days. I heart them lots. _

_And, the vast majority of you got the cyber cookie from last chapter. Watch out for it in the mail. _

* * *

"See, the thing is M&M," Danny smiled as he threw a box of dryer sheets into the shopping cart, "Me and your mom… We make sense."

Amanda smiled brightly as she leaned forward to try and grab Danny's new dog tags he had connected to his chain and put around his neck, days previous.

"Knock it off before I give you a knuckle sandwich," he mock glared at her as he prodded her nose, and made a fist. "I mean it…"

Amanda stuck her tongue out.

Danny sighed as he moved around the cart and placed the washing detergent Lindsay used underneath it on the shelf below. "She's everything I've always wanted." He said to Amanda as she shifted in her seat, "Your mommy." He said as he moved to stand in front of her. "One in a million."

The toddler smiled as she prodded the Hello Kitty plush teddy Danny had handed to her while passing the toy section in the eyes while giggling excitedly.

"For a while you know…" Danny continued as he leant on shopping cart and pressed a kiss to the little girl's forehead, "I thought I wasn't good enough for her. I mean I wanted to be the guy she wanted me to be. And I knew that guy was somewhere down inside of me… But it was like he was playing peek a boo."

Amanda giggled. "Daddy, you're siwwy."

Danny winked as he pressed another kiss to Amanda's forehead. "How you hangin' there princess?"

She stared blankly at him and cranked her neck to the side of her so that she could see around Danny. Her chocolate brown eyes widened as she saw the person stood behind Danny with a huge smile on her face. Amanda kicked her feet against the bright red shopping cart, and dropped the teddy she had been clutching in her hands. "Auntie Stellie! Auntie Stellie!"

"Well hey there, kiddo," Stella grinned as she lifted a shrieking and frantic Amanda from the shopping cart, "You and Daddy doing the grocery shopping?"

Danny sighed. "Linds is still a bit sick. So it's daddy and Amanda holding down the forte down."

"How's that working out for you?" Brandon smirked as he took Amanda from Stella and tickled the toddler's belly.

Danny laughed, "Well, saying I called my mother, mommy today. I'd say it's all good."

Stella smiled amusedly. "Well, if you need some help…"

"Thanks Stell, I appreciate it."

"I wasn't finished. If you need some help, don't call Brandon or I. He's moving in and we're really busy."

Danny's eyes widened and he smiled. "You and Brandon? Moving in?"

Stella wiggled her eyebrows and pointed at the cart. "We're accessories shopping."

Danny shook his head in disbelief as he grinned at her, "You for real?" he asked as he pulled her into a hug. "Seriously?"

She smiled as she patted Danny's back. "Brandon broke through my walls and kicked my butt and made me let him sleep over. That was three months ago, he still hasn't left yet."

"So you figured to make it definite." Danny commented.

Stella nodded. "Pretty much. I called Lindsay earlier. Told her… She seemed happy. Screamed like a fangirl down the phone. My ears are still ringing."

"When did you call her?" Danny asked as he bent down to pick up the teddy that Amanda had dropped and threw it into the shopping cart, "Like earlier early or like twenty minutes ago?"

"I hung up with her and heard Amanda giggling on the next aisle, so we came looking for you guys."

"Why'd you ask me if she was sick then? You knew."

Brandon laughed. "Her reasoning was that if she had said that she had called Lindsay, you would expect there to be some kind of news, and she wanted to spring the news on you and surprise you."

"You could have just been calling to say hello." Danny reminded her. "Instead of making it a secret covert operation."

"But that takes the fun out of it!" Stella whined, childlike as she jiggled Amanda on her hip. "Are you being good for Daddy, Amanda?"

Amanda shrugged.

"You don't know?" Stella pressed.

"Me no care." Amanda grinned toothily. "Stellie, me come with you?"

"What about me?" Danny gasped. "You can't leave me, M&M."

"Stellie fun." Amanda smiled. "Stellie…" Amanda trailed off and rested her head on Stella's shoulder and stuck her tongue out at Danny.

"No, come on M&M…" Danny argued, "Aunt Stellie… I mean Aunt Stella and Brandon are shopping. They…"

"It's not a problem." Stella interrupted as she sat Amanda in the front of their cart. "You finish up doing what you're doing and do the shopping in peace, then you can call us and we can meet up and we can do the trade off."

Danny sighed, "She's hungry though, Stella."

"Good job we're in a food store then." Brandon piped in. "Let her doting Aunt and Uncle look after her for a while. You don't always have to have her twenty-four, seven, Danny."

"Clearly you haven't had kids." Danny huffed. "I gotta watch her twenty-four, seven, otherwise she'd wander off and be sat looking teddies or M&M's or princess stuff."

"At least you'd know where to find her." Brandon joked.

Stella whacked him in the shoulder, eliciting a shriek of laughter from Amanda. "Do 'dat again!"

Stella considered it but shook her head, "we gotta be nice to the men in our lives sometimes, sweetie."

Amanda sighed as she turned and gazed behind, taking in the items in Stella and Brandon's shopping cart. "Me bored." She announced.

"Shall we go see what we can get in the toy section?" Stella smiled excitedly at the toddler. "See whether there's a toy for your baby brother we could get for when he comes?"

Danny smiled as Amanda grinned and nodded excitedly, her pigtails that were tied with tiny pink elastics, bobbed furiously, whipping her in the face.

"Easy there," Brandon laughed. "You're gonna give yourself whiplash."

"Bye daddy!" Amanda giggled as Stella took the cart and motioned to her phone connected to her belt for Danny to call her. "Me wubs you."

* * *

Danny took a deep breath and released it as he placed the candle he had been sniffing back on the shelf. _This really isn't that hard_. He thought to himself. _Just pick one that smells like her. _

He had been leisurely walking up and down each aisle of the store enjoying the time in which he could just look at the things on offer as opposed to grabbing the usual items and heading back home with a whiny and bitchy toddler.

He picked up the mulled wine and cinnamon candle and inhaled it's aroma. "Smells like Christmas." He muttered as he placed it back on the shelf. He moved to pick the vanilla one up and smelt it again and sighed. "She always gets vanilla."

He glanced up and down the aisle before closing his eyes and extending his hand and pointing at the shelf. He opened his eyes and picked up the candle that he had been pointing at. "Water jasmine and sweet honeysuckle." He read out loud, before shrugging it and placing it in the cart.

He moved towards the end of the aisle and chucked a packet of M&M's into the cart, before grabbing two more and throwing them in.

"DADDEEEEEE!"

He turned and saw Amanda toddling towards him arms extended with Brandon chasing after her.

Danny chuckled and crouched down on the floor and extended his arms so that when she stumbled into him, he caught her. "Hey princess, how you doin'?"

"'tay." She smiled as she 'Eskimo kissed' Danny.

"Has she been driving you crazy?" Danny asked as he stood up and wrapped his arms around the toddler as he placed her on his hip.

Brandon took a deep breath, "Stella decided to let her walk. I got a better work out than my physical for the FDNY."

"Did I, or did I not tell you that you had to watch her. Why do you think I strap her into the cart? If she wants to walk, you can be for damn sure she's walking."

Brandon laughed and ruffled the little girl's hair, messing her bunches up. "She's a pip."

"Wub me." Amanda grinned as she snuggled into Danny's neck, before turning and peering into the cart. "M&M's!" she squeaked as she wiggled and tried to grab the packet of candy that sat on her seat.

"No." Danny said. "You gotta wait."

"No!" Amanda glared at him as she tried reaching for the candy. "Now."

"I said no." Danny said as he grabbed her hand and fixed her on his hip. "Daddy will give you them when you can have them."

"Now!" Amanda huffed.

"Say now again to me…" Danny challenged her. "I might let Brandon and Stella take you home forever."

Amanda's eyes widened and she wrapped her arms around Danny's neck. "No leave me, daddy."

"I won't." he chuckled. "But I think you should be nicer to daddy. He missed you."

Brandon smiled as he patted Amanda on the back, "I'm gonna go find Aunt Stellie, sweetie… how's about you and your daddy meet me and Stellie at the exit and we can give your daddy all the toys we bought."

"Brandon… You didn't…"

Brandon held his hand up, "Stella with spare money, and apartment shopping with her niece… Please Danny… like you had a chance in hell stopping her."

Danny smiled as he moved towards the cart and chucked the things he had placed in Amanda's seat into the cart and placed the toddler into the seat and strapped her in.

"Synchronize watches in that case." Danny smirked as he headed towards the check out. "Might take me a while here, I was buying stuff like money was running out of fashion."

Brandon peered into the cart and raised his eyebrows. "Gee Danny, your wife having a boy or something?"

Danny smirked at the wide array of soft plush toys, all blue, along with toy cars, blue blankets and blue baby wash. "I got sentimental, excited and… He's my baby boy." Danny shrugged. "I have to spoil him rotten like I spoil my baby girl."

Brandon rolled his eyes, and headed off in the general direction of the checkouts leaving Amanda staring at her father.

"Daddy?" the little girl smiled as she poked Danny's tummy with her index finger to gain his attention.

"What honey?" Danny asked as he moved the shopping cart to a checkout and began to load things onto the conveyor belt.

"Here…" she pointed in front of her.

Danny sighed, "Amanda honey, daddy's busy… one minute."

Amanda huffed and folded her arms dramatically across her chest before whimpering.

Danny turned and held back a laugh as he watched her bottom lip quiver and her hold her dramatic stance in the cart. "You okay there?" he asked as he carefully placed her plush hello kitty toy on the bar in front of her and wiggled it, making it do a little dance. "Why you so sad, M&M?" he asked in a high-pitched squeaky voice.

Amanda turned her head away from him and huffed again. He smiled amusedly before smiling at the cashier, silently asking for a minute. He tapped Amanda on her shoulder and she edged away from him as best as she could in her seat of the cart, still facing away.

"M&M?" He smirked in the squeaky voice and wiggled the teddy in front of her face. "What's the matter?"

She sniffed and pushed the teddy away from her and made it tumble to the floor. "Daddy mean." She wailed.

"What did daddy do?" Danny asked as he picked the teddy up and placed it with the other items currently being priced up by the cashier. "Amanda, look at me."

She turned sideways and looked at him over her shoulder with her bottom lip stuck out. "Me wanted to say I wub daddy." She cried tearfully. "Daddy busy."

Danny smiled and lifted the toddler from the shopping cart and placed her on his hip and showered her cheek with kisses. "Daddy's never busy for his little baby girl."

Amanda wiped her eyes with her little hands and proceeded to wipe the tears onto Danny's shirt and giggled. "Daddy wub me?"

"Daddy loves you lots and lots." He assured her as he sat her on the counter as he bagged up the mountain of things that had passed through the cashier's hand and began loading them into the cart.

He reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone and wallet before placing it on the metal counter next to his daughter before continuing loading the bags into the cart.

His ears peaked up at the sounds of 'Love Story' By Taylor Swift. He grimaced. Physically grimaced as the cashier raised her eyebrows amusedly at the chorus currently being blasted from his cell phone.

"My wife." He explained simply. "She's like a pre-teen in love with matching ringtones." He said as he reached for his phone, desperately wanting to stop the shrieking object. However, his ambitions to stop the shrieking phone faltered as he watched Amanda flip the phone open and hold it to her ear.

"MOMMMEEE?!"

Danny stood, eyes wide in amusement and arms folded as he watched Amanda swing her legs with the cell phone pressed to her ear.

"Hold old is she?" the cashier asked.

"Nearly eighteen months." Danny told her. "Although right now, I'm debating that."

The checkout girl laughed as she began packing items into plastic bags for Danny.

"Can I have my cell phone, sweetie?" Danny coaxed as he held his hand out.

Amanda shushed him.

He blinked, "Did you just shush me?"

Amanda ignored him and listened to Lindsay contently on the other end of the phone.

"'Tis okay, mommy." Amanda sniffed down the phone. "Daddy kiss better."

"Amanda, give daddy the phone." Danny said urgently as he heard the sounds of what seemed to be Lindsay wailing on the other end of the line. "Now honey."

Amanda sighed as she held the phone to her shoulder, "mommy sad." She explained

"Why don't you give daddy the phone then?" Danny pressed. "Please?"

She sighed and held the phone to her ear, "daddy here."

Danny smiled sarcastically at his toddler as he lifted her up, took the phone and placed her into the cart. "Montana, babe?"

"I HATE YOU! I FUCKING HATE YOU!"

Danny's eyes widened as he held the phone away from his ear, "Babe?"

"I hate you. Why did you do this to me? Why would you do this to me?!I thought you loved me. Why? Why do it?! "

"Do what sweetie?" Danny asked as he handed the amount of money that was displayed on the till to the check out girl. "What did I do?"

"My fucking maternity jeans don't even fit. What the hell is that? This is you. All you. I hate you for it. I hope you fall and hurt yourself. I hope you trip and fall. I do…"

Danny held back a laugh. "Baby, why are you even getting dressed?"

"Cause," she wailed down the phone. "Nick needs me in work… And my slacks… and my…. I HATE YOU!"

Danny cleared his throat as he balanced the phone to his ear with his shoulder as he accepted the change, and shoved it in his pocket before collecting his wallet and the remaining bags. "Well, do you want me to go and buy you a pair of…"

"A pair of jeans won't fix this, Danny! You don't understand. You never understand! I can't believe you! You just take, take, take! What do I get in return?"

Danny swallowed as he took hold of the shopping cart with one hand. "My unconditional love?"

"Who cares about that? You made me fat! So fat I can't even fit into maternity jeans. I have to get another pair!"

"It happens Linds, you're pregnant… you're having a baby… It's beautiful… I will buy you some jeans on my way home and…"

"JEANS WON'T FIX THIS!" She bellowed. "Everything is just… I look like a whale! Buying me new jeans won't fix it."

Danny bit his lip, "What will fix it then, sweetie, you tell me and I'll do it."

"I want to make you pregnant, see how long you last pregnant. Cause you wouldn't… You would bitch and moan and… I hate you."

"Your life would suck without me," he teased lightly as he stood at the end of the checkout area, waiting for Stella and Brandon.

"I don't care. I wouldn't be pregnant if it wasn't for you."

"Just think of the end result, a beautiful baby boy, that we created together," Danny reminded her as he reached into a bag and ripped open a bag of M&M's and handed them to Amanda. "I love you. You know that right?"

She let out a sob and an exasperated sigh. "I know."

"And you love me, right?"

"Sometimes." She sniffed. "Not when you make me fat."

"Lindsay, you're not fat." Danny sighed. "You're tiny when you're pregnant. You just have a…" he stalled, trying to pick the right word. "you made a comfortable and safe resting place for our baby to grow into a healthy baby in. There's nothing wrong with that."

He heard a sniff on the other end of the line. "So you don't think I'm fat?"

Danny smiled as he accepted an M&M that Amanda was feeding him. "No, I think you're my beautiful wife that's pregnant."

"So I am fat?"

"No." Danny told her firmly. "You're pregnant. Try and spell fat from pregnant, Lindsay."

There was silence on the other end as she thought about it. "I can't."

"Exactly. Pregnant and fat are two different things. Pregnant is what you are."

"I sometimes love you." He heard her squeak from the other end.

"I always love you. Always have; always will. No matter how many times you tell me you want me to hurt myself."

"I didn't mean that." She admitted. "I don't want you to fall."

"Thanks." Danny smirked down the phone, "that's fantastic to know, Linds."

She huffed as he heard the sounds of the coat hangers hanging in their closet scratch against the metal frame, "I found something to wear."

"Okay…" Danny smiled, "But are you well enough to go into work?"

"Fine" she told him as he heard the closet door shut and the faucet being turned on in their bathroom, "Nick needs help on that case we were working on a few days ago."

"Oh." Danny sighed as he waved at Stella. "Well you won't be home when we get back then?"

"Looks like it's gonna be that way." She sighed.

"Well, that doesn't work very well." Danny grumbled, "I got sent home to look after you… and…"

"And crazy hours and working through illnesses come with the job. Look after Amanda," Lindsay sighed down the phone. "Do something productive around the house."

"I will." Danny nodded. "I'll do all the stuff you've been bitching at me to do."

"I'm going before you make me cry." Lindsay huffed, "meanie."

"I'm not a meanie Lindsay, I'm just messin' with you. How are you getting to work?"

"Flack's coming to get me. Picking me up and dropping me off.."

"Door to door service." Danny laughed,

"Appears that way." Lindsay smiled. "So I found some jeans."

"Good to know." Danny smiled. "So is the world better now? No more breakdowns?"

Lindsay sighed down the phone, "You're a wiseass."

"I need to reintroduce the swear jar. You've lapsed, Lindsay Messer."

"Bite me."

"Where?" Danny smirked. "Wait there, I'm on my way home…"

"I meant that in a sarcastic pre-teen insult, not sexual innuendo you perv."

"You know you meant it seriously, Linds." Danny teased. "Don't lie to yourself."

"Stop while you're ahead." Lindsay warned. "Seriously."

"Maybe I pushed it a little then." He laughed as Stella approached both him and Amanda and picked the toddler out of the cart.

"No shit?" Lindsay snorted from the other end of the line.

"I shit you not." Danny sniggered.

"True story?" Lindsay laughed.

"It is a true story."

"What's a true story?" Stella laughed as she showered kisses to the toddler's cheek.

"Never mind," Danny laughed in response to Stella as he made towards the exit "Okay Linds, get off the phone and get dressed."

"Screw you." She sing-songed down the phone. "I heart you too."

"You heart me? Are you for real?"

"Bye Danny."

He rolled his eyes as he closed his cell and pocketed it, "Can we go? I swear; I feel like I've spent a week and a half in Target."

Amanda giggled as Stella hitched the toddler further on her hip, "Daddy is silly, isn't he, Amanda."

Danny shrugged as Amanda whipped round and grinned at her dad with her pigtails whipping her face. "Me wubs him a lot."

* * *

_I know it was a little shorter than usual, but I figured shorter was better than nothing. :)_

**_Huge thankies to.. _**

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	161. Battling old demons, part 1

_**A/N: **_

**_Sorry updates have been few and far between recently. Huge coursework assignments and exams here there and everywhere at college, and even the obsession has to take a back seat sometimes. I'm still working on WYHTG, just slower. Hopefully i will be able to get some more chapters out this next week. _**

**_And, the part that I'm sure you'll all recognise (kind of) from last night's episode - I had it written over a week ago :P Goes to show great minds think aline._**

**_Apologies on this chapter's jumpiness. My brain won't work out how to make it unjumpy..._**

**_Now, If you haven't seen the latest episode look away like right now..._**

**_--_**

**_AN EFFING BABY GIRL. THE WORDS 'BABY GIRL' CAME OUT OF DANNY MESSER'S MOUTH. HOLY MOTHER OF ALL THINGS DL. Excuse me while I go and squee to death somewhere. TPTB - I heart this show so effing much. _**

**_That is all. _**

* * *

_Nick watched Lindsay pull the teenage girl into her side as she sobbed and gripped to Lindsay as her whole world broke around her._

"_I don't understand… He… He was fine… The paramedics said… he was fine."_

_Lindsay pulled the teenager into her side and softly brushed the girls' hair. "Its gonna be okay honey." She whispered. _

_The girl shook her head. "He's all I had. My daddy was all I had." _

_Nick took a deep breath and bent down by the side of the sixteen-year-old girl and rubbed her arm softly, "We're gonna get this guy, Taylor. We will. We'll get him. For you."_

_She shook her head as she wiped her tears. "Just get him for my daddy."_

_

* * *

_

Nick blinked as he gazed down at the typed witness report currently stapled into the case file.

The conversation going around in his head had been a week ago, but it had been playing on his mind ever since. He couldn't get that teenage girl out of his head. He wanted justice. And he wanted it now.

She had been so calm and collected despite him telling her just minutes previous that there had been nothing they could do for her father in surgery.

She had taken the news. Cried on Lindsay's shoulder as she gripped and clung to Lindsay as if she was her own mother. All the while Lindsay had sat smoothing down the girl's hair ushering reassurances and promises.

While Nick stood pacing, close to tears.

It was always the kids that got to him. He stayed true to the view that children shouldn't bury their parents. It broke him. From her history, she had already been through so much in just sixteen short years. She had so much more to go through.

But with who? Who did she really have now?

He glanced up at his friend and colleague stood in the doorway and sighed. "Hey."

"We got a match?"

He nodded. "I'm sorry, Linds… I can't believe I had to call you. I know you're sick and…"

"We made a promise to Taylor that we would find the monster that did this. I'm not going to break a promise." She told him. "I could be sick as a dog, close to death and I would have hauled ass into work. What did we get from the DNA?"

Nick rubbed his tired eyes. "I've been trying to piece it all together." Nick started. "I got back her record."

"What did it say? Anything useful?" Lindsay asked as she took a seat opposite Nick at Hawkes' desk.

Nick nodded. "She was adopted."

"Think she knows?"

Nick shook his head. "I really don't think she does."

"Does it say when?"

"From birth. Birth mother didn't even want to hold her. Just gave her up."

"Say anything about a biological father?"

Again, Nick shook his head. "My best guess is the father didn't even know. Or didn't want anything to do with her."

Lindsay shook her head, "I can't see it. Why… Why do people do that?"

Nick shrugged, "I'm not one to judge, Lindsay."

"No… Neither am I… I mean, if you're not in a position to raise a child – then giving the baby up for adoption is an admirable thing if you think about it. Give another couple the chance to be parents – the fact that you can give them that. I think that's amazing. However, the fathers that don't want anything to do with a life they helped to create? I can't see and comprehend the logic behind it. That's like Danny not wanting anything to do with Amanda, or this little guy here." She said as she rubbed her stomach. "Do you see where I'm trying to come from?"

"I couldn't ever see Danny not want to be in his kid's lives. But Danny's a different type of person, Linds."

Lindsay nodded. "Anything back on DNA? You didn't answer my question."

Nick sighed. "It was a familial match."

"To Taylor's dad? A family member from his side killed him?"

"No." Nick said, "To Taylor. It was a familial match to Taylor."

"Male or Female?"

"Caucasian male." Nick said as he bit his lip. "Taylor's biological father killed her dad."

Lindsay stared blankly at him. "I don't understand."

"I have Sam currently chasing him down. He was in the system for priors." Nick said as he glanced down at the sheet in front of him.

"For…?"

Nick took a deep breath as he handed her the wrap sheet. Lindsay's eyes scanned the page.

_Numerous accounts of breaking a restraining order. _

_Stalking. _

_Breaking and entering. _

Lindsay's eyes snapped up. "All Taylor, wasn't it… He wanted to see her."

Nick nodded.

"Think he went from stalking to murder?" Lindsay asked.

"The first thing Danny said to me on our first solo case together was that anyone can do anything to anyone." Nick told Lindsay.

"Where do we go from here then? Waiting on Sam?"

"Waiting on Sam."

* * *

Danny smiled brightly as he wiped his brow with the back of his hand and stuck his head round the side of the door and gazed across into Amanda's bedroom, making sure she was still playing with the toys that they had brought home from Target.

The toddler glanced up and grinned toothily at Danny before turning her attention back to her Dora the Explorer book where she was slowly making her way through pointing at the toothbrushes Danny had told her to find.

Danny stepped back into the baby's bedroom and admired his work as he wiped his hands on his dirty jeans. He had decided that after he had gotten home and spoken to Lindsay on the phone again, to make a move on the baby's room.

He scratched his bare chest as he grabbed his bottle of water and glanced over at his discarded wife beater in the corner of the room. It had taken him a few profanities slipping from his mouth, ominous bottles of water, and about fifteen hundred position changes, but despite all that, he had successfully managed to assemble the crib in the time it had taken for the first coat of paint to dry before he applied the second.

Now… With the nearly paint dry and the crib ready, it was time to call in the cavalry.

"Hey, M&M, come here a minute."

"You here!"

"No, you come here." Danny replied. "Don't back talk me, just come see what I want."

He heard her sigh from across the hallway and pad into the bedroom. "Pwetty." She smiled from the doorway.

"You want to help daddy get your brother's room ready?"

She hesitated for a minute as she glanced back into her bedroom, but sighed and made her way into the bedroom. "tay."

He smiled as he turned and opened the closet, revealing the wide array of baby toys, blankets, clothes and accessories they had been collecting since they had found out Lindsay was pregnant. "So…"

He trailed off and turned as he felt a wet handprint on the small of his back, covering his tattoo with his daughter's name. He craned his neck round and attempted to see what Amanda had put on his back.

"What did you just do?" Danny asked as he turned fully.

Amanda jumped and shoved her right hand behind her back and stared wide eyed at him. "Nothin'…"

"What did you do?" Danny asked as he reached for her hand.

"Nothin'…" she giggled.

"What did you do?" Danny asked as he crouched down.

She bit her lip as she slowly revealed the hand covered in blue paint from behind her back. "'urprise!"

Danny bit his lip in attempts to stop himself from laughing but couldn't help it. "Why do you look so much like your mother when you're in trouble?"

She shrugged dramatically.

"You make it so hard to scold you."

She grinned and etched forward to place her paint covered hand on his toned stomach. He was able to grab her hand and stop her mid air. "Caught you blue handed, missy."

She sighed dramatically and whimpered as she tried to wiggle her hand out of his grasp, "Dadddeeee! Wet go!"

"No, I will not let go. You and me are taking a trip into your bathroom and washing your hand. Maybe you helping wasn't one of my best ideas."

She grinned as she held her other hand up indicated she wanted picking up.

"Sorry sweetie, you're gonna have to walk. Daddy's all sweaty and full of paint."

She sighed as she sulked off out the door slightly ahead of him. However, before she did so, she turned, grinned at Danny, and touched the wet wall with her left hand and wiggled it at him.

He closed his eyes and shook his head. "God help me when you're older."

* * *

Lindsay stared at the girl who was sat next to Nick, pulling on her sleeves with tears cascading down her cheek at regular intervals.

"He didn't want me and I get that…" she breathed as her tears subsided. "That's fine. Don't kill my daddy cause he wanted me. Who gave him the right to take away the guy that stepped up when he couldn't be the father I deserved? He gave me a home… And a life… And the guy that took him away from me didn't even want me to begin with? This is all my fault. I don't get it… Why? Why did it make a difference to that douche?"

Nick swallowed as he rubbed the girl's shoulder. "What happened hun was something that happened, or at least should have happened before you were born. None of this is your fault, okay? I want you to know that."

"Why did he kill him? Why my dad?"

"Sometimes…" Lindsay piped up. "Sometimes bad things happen to good people, and we don't get to know why."

"That isn't good enough!" Taylor sniffed as she wiped her tears with her hand, "I want to know why!"

"I know you do, honey. I know." Lindsay soothed.

"This is my fault. If my mom and dad…"

"None of this is your fault." Nick repeated. "Taylor. Look at me."

She glanced up at him with tears in her eyes, "What?"

"Your mom and dad loved you very much. Okay."

"My mom gave me up when she gave birth to me and my dad killed my father. I highly doubt they do."

"No." Nick interrupted her. "Your biological mother gave you up, and your biological father killed your dad. Not your mom and dad. Your mom and dad loved you with all they had. The pictures around your house, the love you guys had… They were your mom and dad. Not these people."

"Why'd they have to go? I don't understand."

"People sometimes leave physically." Nick started, "But your mom and dad will always be right there." he finished as he touched Taylor's heart. "Whenever you doubt how much they loved you. Remember that."

"What now?" she whispered, "what happens now?"

"We managed to put a rush on getting your father's will released. Because your mother died all them years ago, we expected him to have stipulated who it was he wanted you to live with if the worst happened."

Taylor nodded, "And?"

"He gave you a choice between your Aunt in Wyoming or your Uncle in New York." Nick told her as he handed her the paperwork. "When you hit eighteen, you inherit the house back in New York."

She nodded as she stared blankly at the paper. "Do I have to decide now?"

Lindsay shook her head, "Your aunt's already here? Right?"

Taylor nodded.

"You have all the time in the world kiddo. It's entirely up to you what you decide to do."

The teen nodded. "What's gonna happen to that man that killed my dad?"

Nick rubbed her back and handed her a tissue, "If me and Detective Messer have anything to do with it, he's going away for a hell of a long time. We don't break promises, and we promised you we would make whoever did this, pay."

Taylor nodded as she wrapped her arms round Nick. "Thank you."

* * *

Danny sighed as he lay on his tummy of his bedroom floor and faced Amanda.

They had been laid like that for around forty five minutes after he had bathed her and tried to keep her occupied in his and Lindsay's master bedroom while he jumped in the shower to rid himself of the soft blue paint from his son's room.

He had called Lindsay to see how she was, and she had told him that they had pretty much solved it – just dealing with the paperwork and tying up loose ends.

Leaving him and Amanda to their own devices for dinner.

Amanda giggled as she pointed to a word on the page. "Dat."

Danny furrowed his brow and shook his head. "Edmund?"

Amanda nodded feverishly and giggled. "Mhmm."

"Yeah so… Not letting you pick the baby's name. Why would you do that to your brother?"

She shrugged as her eyes searched the page and randomly thrusting her tiny finger down on the page. "Dat!"

Danny took a breath as he turned the book of baby names around and read the name she was pointing at.

"Fredrick?" Danny snorted. "Fred? Okay what the hell kind of baby book of names is this?

Amanda giggled and snatched the book and turned the pages before pointing to another name. "Dat."

"Annette?" Danny laughed. "No honey, mommy and daddy and Amanda are getting a boy… not a girl… And not a girl named Annette at that."

Amanda sighed and pointed again.

"Bob?" Danny laughed, "Seriously, do you know what names you are picking?"

She sighed as she sat up and shuffled towards Danny before snuggling into his side and resting her head on his arm, "Daddy pick."

"Ya think?" he laughed as he ruffled her soft curls. "If we don't want your brother getting beat up, think we better leave it to daddy."

"Mommy?"

"Mommy said to have some names ready for when she got home to give her something to look forward to. I told you that."

Amanda sighed. "Mommy?"

"Mommy's at work baby."

"Miss mommy."

"Mommy won't be long… you have daddy in the meantime, that's alright, right? Amanda and Daddy time. We love M&M and daddy time."

She sighed. "Hungwy."

"Yes, daddy. I love my time that I spend with you." Danny grumbled sarcastically as he sat up and pulled Amanda onto his knee. "What do you want to eat?"

"Ice cream." She grinned brightly.

"The amount of junk food I feed you, your mother would kill me if I took you for ice cream for dinner."

Amanda sighed as she rested her head on his shoulder and took some of the material from his clean wifebeater in the fist of her small hand. "Wub daddy."

"I'm not taking you for ice cream." He said as he pressed a kiss into her freshly washed hair. "No. I'm not doing it. Stop trying to wrap me so damn tight around that baby pinky finger."

Amanda huffed as she pushed up off of Danny's knee and toddled over to Lindsay's side of the bed. She stood up on her tiptoes and ran her hand across the bed and smiled brightly as she fell back with the item she had been searching for in her hand.

"Careful there, muffin." Danny laughed as he reached across the carpeted floor and helped her up, "What you doing?"

She shoved the book in Danny's face and grinned, "See."

"I see it, but what am I looking at?"

"Dora." Amanda said simply.

"Yes, I see that." Danny laughed as he read the title.

_Dora goes to the Dentist. _

"What's this baby?"

"Teethies." Amanda grinned as she used her finger and rubbed her teeth, "Like dat. Ice cream then…" she trailed off and 'brushed her teeth'.

"I like your argument, honey, but no. Daddy isn't going to take you out for ice cream. Not tonight. You're in your jammies, kiddo." He said as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I will get mommy to take you. How does that sound?"

Amanda sighed. "Hungwy!"

Danny sighed as he picked his daughter up as he stood and settled her on his hip. "Wanna see what Daddy can whip up?"

Amanda nodded as she pointed to her tummy and grumbled.

"Your belly talking to you?"

She nodded, "Hungwy! Hungwy! Daddy."

Danny sighed as he nudged the door open with his hip.

He figured it there would be no rest for daddy.

Ever.

* * *

Nick Stokes was exasperated as he let out a breath of frustration down the line. "I don't understand what is difficult about this?"

Lindsay Messer sat with her legs crossed slightly underneath the desk focusing on her paperwork, with her iPod in.

"This isn't testing what I'm asking you." Nick spat down the phone, "Yes, I moved… I did not stipulate for you to cancel the trust fund I had. I'm with the same bank. Just in a different state."

Lindsay furrowed her brow as her interest piqued up, despite the music streaming in her ears.

"I hear you, I do… I understand where it is you're coming from. However… Raising my voice?" Nick snorted. "Oh you would know if I was raising my voice, THIS is raising my voice. I want to speak to your…"

Lindsay sighed as she reached across the desk and grabbed the phone from Nick's hands.

"Hi, yes, I wanted to apologise for my boyfriend's behaviour." She started. "Now, let me try and explain what I think has happened here." She said calmly as she sat in her seat, with the cord of the phone stretching across the desks. "He recently moved to New York, and I think there was a mix up with the details of the trust fund account, and the money being taken from his regular account when he changed branches. Is there anyway in which we could set that account back up and make sure it stays set up?"

Nick let out a breath as he clenched his fist around the red stress ball that sat on his desk as he looked towards Lindsay who was nodding and scribbling details down on a piece of legal paper.

"I see," she continued, "And if he just goes in with that number, it will be all set up? Two forms of ID? Right. No, that's it… thank you for your help."

Lindsay smiled softly as she passed the phone back to Nick to let him hang up the phone on the receiver.

Nick sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Linds… I…"

Lindsay smiled and shook her head as she passed her legal pad across the desks and placed it in front of him, "She said that if you could make it down before they close tonight, the account would be back up tomorrow and payments going into it. You need to quote the reference number and have two forms of ID and, boom."

Nick smiled as he ripped the piece of paper and folded it up. "Lindsay…. Thank you."

She smiled as she took the pad and dropped it on the desk, "It's nothing." She informed him before turning back to her report in front of her and pressing play on her iPod. "Just make sure you get there before…" she glanced at her watch. "Seven."

"What time is it now?"

"Five to…" She giggled. "I'm sure they can do it tomorrow, Nicky."

Nick sighed as he ran a hand down his face, "I hope so."

She smiled softly and glanced down at her paperwork and picked up her pen, as silence, bar the soft country music flowing through her headphones, filled the office.

Nick glanced to the picture on his desk and picked up the frame and softly rubbed his thumb over the faces of the two smiling people.

"Who is that in your picture?" Lindsay asked after a few seconds. "I've always wondered."

"Warrick." Nick said simply.

"And the little boy?"

"His son."

Lindsay nodded. "Is Warrick the one that left?"

"No." Nick shook his head sadly, "Warrick died. Murdered."

Lindsay nodded. "Grissom left, right?"

Nick nodded as his eyes fell to the picture again and blinked back tears.

"Is that who the trust fund is for?" Lindsay asked softly.

Nick nodded and took a deep breath. "It's a college fund actually. I want to give him a chance in life. I want to be…"

Lindsay smiled and reached for Nick's hands across the desk and rubbed them softly, "you don't have to explain to me, Nicky."

He smiled at Lindsay as he heard the office door open, and a solemn Mac stood in the doorway.

"Everything okay?" Lindsay asked.

Mac shook his head, "The Jones case," he started, "The sixteen-year-old, Taylor, was it?"

Nick nodded. "Yeah, everything okay?"

"We just got a call. Two DOA's both female. Suspect was caught fleeing from the scene."

Lindsay swallowed. "Mac… Are you saying what I think you're saying? Taylor and her aunt?"

Mac sighed as he entered and shut the door. "I'm sending Stella and Hawkes."

"I want to go. I want this case." Nick interrupted his boss. "We want this case. Me and Lindsay."

Mac shook his head, "I saw how this affected you, Nick. No."

"Mac!" Nick pleaded. "Come on, please… Lindsay and I… – we know – we know what happened – we know… Mac."

"No." Mac answered. "I'm sorry Nick, but I'm afraid I can't. You're too emotionally involved."

"Passionate about justice. Not emotionally involved." Nick said. "Mac."

"No." he repeated. "No, Nick."

Nick bit his lip and flung his chair back before shaking his head and ripping the door open and storming down the hallway.

Mac sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a breath. He glanced up in the direction Nick had headed off in and turned. But before he could walk a step, he felt a small hand on his shoulder.

"I'll go." Lindsay said softly. "Let me…"

Mac held his hand out, hinting for her to head off after Nick. Lindsay smiled and rubbed Mac's arm affectionately before exiting the office and turning left, as opposed to right.

Mac was about to call out to her when he saw her press the down button on the elevator and just shrugged.

Even if she had gone the wrong way and was going to a different floor. She was Lindsay. Lindsay knew what she was doing.

He hoped.

* * *

**_Huge thankyou to all those reading and reviewing, you guys are the best! I really appreciate all your support! :D _**

**_Special thankyou to.. _**

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	162. Playin' On Broken Strings

**_A/N: So, hey guys! remember me? _**

**_Strap yourself in, it's gonna be an awesome ride!_**

* * *

Lindsay took a deep breath as she pushed open the door and waved softly to the flustered woman on the other side of the large, open plan room. Lindsay chuckled as she instantly moved towards the desks, littered with colouring pencils and markers, and began tidying as the kids crowded around the day care coordinator shrieking as they received their snack.

_I could so do this. _Lindsay thought to herself she piled away the various colouring books and markers back in their places that Amanda had shown her when she had picked her up from daycare the week previous.

"You know the mommies up in the lab are going crazy when their little girls aren't even at daycare, but they still come to pick them up."

"Ha-ha." Lindsay snorted sarcastically at as she turned to face Megan. "You're hilarious."

"I try." The tall brunette grinned, brightly. "This a social visit? Need I get the juice out of the fridge and the apples back out of the fruit bowl? Have ourselves a party?"

"Something like that," Lindsay smiled softly. "I'd kill a fruit punch right now."

"Let me see what I can do." Megan smiled as she headed off towards the small mini-fridge in the corner of the large playroom. "How's my latest recruit?" she called over her shoulder.

"He's fine." Lindsay smiled as she softly rubbed her stomach. "His new favourite past time is playing with my internal organs. I'm convinced we have the next Duncan Beckham in our hands."

"I think you mean David, sweetie." Megan teased as she handed her the juice box.

"I don't even want to supply an excuse for my epic fail." Lindsay scoffed as she stabbed the juice box with a straw.

"So…" Megan smiled, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I came to talk about Nick."

Megan sighed. "I thought so; you had that look in your eyes. Is everything okay?"

Lindsay bit her lip and shook her head, "Honestly… I don't think so, Megan. I really don't."

"Why? Is it to do with…?"

Lindsay nodded. "He could really use you right now."

Megan gestured her arms towards the nine toddlers and pre-schoolers sat on the carpet giggling and talking amongst themselves. "My hands are tied Linds. What can I do? Take them on a field trip up to the lab while Miss Megan goes to see Nicky?"

"I could stick around?" Lindsay offered. "It's just for five minutes."

Megan bit her lip, "I don't know Linds, and I can't leave the kids. Hell, I don't want to. I want to be there for him – don't get me wrong – but…"

Lindsay laid a soft hand on Megan's shoulder and looked into her brown eyes, "It's five minutes, Megan. You know him better than anyone. He really needs you right now."

Megan sighed, her resolve slipping, "Hypothetically, say I did go and find him? Where would he be?"

"Locker room." Lindsay answered instantly.

Megan glanced to her class and bit her lip. "Five minutes. Are you sure that's okay?"

Lindsay nodded. "I will read a book or something."

Megan furrowed her brow, "We haven't got the best kind of stories in here, Linds…"

"I meant to the kids, wisebutt."

Megan smirked. "Five minutes."

"I'll be here." Lindsay said, taking a seat while sipping her juice box.

* * *

Megan Anderson kept her head down as she quickly made her way out of the elevator and onto the 33rd floor.

The infamous NYPD Crime Lab.

While she wasn't prohibited from walking the halls – she didn't want to make a habit of being a constant figure in said halls. She revelled in the fact that she and Nick worked in separate areas of the building; on separate floors. It was a way in which they could keep their relationship from prying eyes, yet weren't on the other side of the city for the best part of the day.

She had instantly fallen for the Texan charm. The boyish smile and the good looks had caught her attention, but it was the man inside the smile that had captured her heart in a short space of time.

And all he had done was his usual devoted honorary godfather duties and dropping off Amanda's lunch for Lindsay who had been preoccupied with reacquainting herself with the locker room bathroom.

More specifically, the toilet.

Fate works in weird ways, she mused to herself as she stopped at the doors of the locker room.

She took a deep breath and pushed through and scanned the room with her chocolate brown eyes.

"Nick?"

She turned slightly and saw him sat on the bench, staring ahead at his locker with his hands folded and a defeated look on his face.

"She didn't have to die." He said, voice hoarse.

Megan blinked, "Who didn't have to die?"

"Taylor." He replied as he shook his head. "The girl from the case last week. She got murdered." He explained. "She didn't have to die."

"Are you beating yourself up about this?" Megan asked as she moved closer towards him.

He let out a heavy sigh as he stood up and paced the short distance between the two sets of lockers at the end of the room. "I should have known… I should have… Someone should have… If I could have figured out that her… Taylor would still be alive."

"You don't know that honey," Megan said as she moved towards him slowly. "You don't know…"

"I do!" He insisted, a desperate look on his face, "Megs, I do know. I could have made sure he… He got released… Somehow… He was apprehended a block from the scene – I could have stopped that."

"You couldn't." she insisted. "You can't save them all, Nicky. I know you want to. And I love you for that… But sometimes…"

"You know," he said cutting her off as he paced back and forth, tears forming in his eyes "I can hear her." He said as his voice broke and tears began to fall. "What happened, Nick? You promised me. You promised me you'd catch him. I broke my promise to her, Megan." He sobbed, tears falling down his rosy cheeks. "I failed her."

Megan blinked back her own tears and swallowed the lump in her throat as she moved forwards and pulled him into a tight hug, smoothing down his short hair as he sobbed into her shoulder. "I have you, let it all out."

"Why her?" He asked her, expecting a reasonable explanation. "Why Megs?"

"I don't know." Megan whispered as she kissed Nick's temple. "I don't know."

She could feel the hot tears spilling from his cheeks onto her white blouse. She glanced around the locker room, before she lowered them slowly to the floor and positioned them with their backs to Danny and Lindsay's lockers that sat side-by-side.

And, for the first time in their five-month relationship, Megan Anderson watched Nick Stokes break down.

* * *

Lindsay sighed as she glanced at her wrist watch as she sat colouring in the Disney Princess colouring book along with the three other girls that were sat watching her, eyes filled with awe.

"So you're like a police woman?!"

Lindsay smiled as she answered the same question for what seemed like the nine hundredth time. "I'm a detective. A CSI, actually."

"What's a CPI?" One little girl asked inquisitively.

"A CSI is someone that works out what happens when bad people do bad things to people. It's a lot of science. Do you know what science is?"

"Do you have a baby in your belly?" Another asked, completely disregarding her previous question.

Lindsay smiled and nodded. "I do."

"Are you having a girl, like M&M?" One of Amanda's friends asked Lindsay.

Lindsay smiled. "No, I'm having a little baby boy."

"Ewww!!" The little girls cried in unison, eliciting a giggle from Lindsay as she realised where it was Amanda had gotten the same reaction from.

Despite her initial hesitance, Lindsay was pleased with her's and Danny's decision to enrol Amanda in a daycare with other children. Amanda's speech had rocketed, with her forming near complete sentences as opposed to two or three words strung together like she had been doing previously.

Not only that, but Amanda was making herself a whole little group of friends, ranging from a little girl that was eleven months old, to another that was three weeks off being four. Amanda had effortlessly made the transition into daycare life. She had routine. Although Danny and her own lives were hectic as soon as they shut the door on their daughter on the other side of the daycare, Amanda stayed in the protective bubble playing with markers, colouring books, being read to, and most of all, developing into the happy baby girl that she was.

Lindsay felt a small tap on her shoulder and she turned. "Where's Amanda's daddy?"

"He's at home with Amanda." Lindsay smiled at the little boy. "Why sweetie?"

The little boy shrugged. "He brought us cookies last week."

"He did?" Lindsay laughed, "Really?"

The little boy nodded adamantly, "You can't tell Amanda's mommy though. It's a secret."

Lindsay smiled.

"Amanda's daddy said that Amanda's mommy would kick his BUTT!" The little boy exclaimed. "What's your name?"

"My name is Lindsay." She smiled. "What's your name?"

"Ben." He replied simply before turning and walking away from the table of girls.

"Ben smells." The little girl sat next to Lindsay declared. "Know why?"

"Why?" Lindsay asked tentatively.

"He's a boy." The four girls sat with Lindsay shrieked together. "Boys smell bad, right Amanda's mommy?"

"Well, the boy I spent most of my time with smells pretty." Lindsay smiled softly. "You know Amanda's daddy, right?"

"Is he a police woman too?" The little girl sat opposite Lindsay asked.

"He's a police man, honey." Lindsay told her with a giggle. "But you can call him a girl. He doesn't mind. He throws like a girl anyway."

The four little girls erupted with laughter and giggles.

Lindsay shifted in her position and glanced over to the boys sat on the carpet playing with some type of Monster Truck game.

"I'll be right back." She smiled as she stood up off the tiny seat and moved towards the group of boys and sat down carefully. "How's it going?"

"Fine." Ben assured her. "Do you want to play?"

Lindsay nodded. "Sure, you'll have to teach me, 'cause I don't think I know this game."

A little boy sat opposite her smiled brightly, "I'll show you."

Lindsay patted the carpet next to her. "What's your name, sweetie?"

"Josh." He answered. "Well, my mommy calls me, Joshua."

"That's a nice name." Lindsay smiled.

The little boy shrugged in response to the compliment, and began to explain the process of the game to Lindsay. "Usually we just ram the cars into each other, then whoever breaks the car first wins. It's really fun! See look!" Joshua demonstrated as he rammed his own car with the little boy's sat next to him. "See, like that."

Lindsay blinked and glanced at the wide array of toy cars sprawled in front of her. "You know honey, I think I might go back to colouring in Belle. Leave the good games for those who can kick butt at them, huh?" she smiled as the little boy stood up and offered her his hand to help her up off the carpet. "I just wanted to touch base with you guys and make sure you were all okay. Do you need a drink or anything?"

The boys sat on the carpet shook their heads and chorused "no thank you," together.

Lindsay softly padded back over to the table of girls when she saw Megan walk through the glass door and smile softly at Lindsay and nod.

_My work here is done. _Lindsay thought to herself.

* * *

Flack looked at Sam in shock, words failing him.

"Donnie… Say something."

"Why did you go without me?" Flack pressed, as he stood up from the bench in the shared locker room.

"I wanted to go alone."

Flack let out a breath as he paced back and forth. "I'm the baby's father, Sam. I deserve to be there. What did the doctor say?"

Sam let out a heavy sigh.

"Sam?" Flack pressed as he narrowed his brows. "What did the doctor say?"

"There is no baby, Don. It was a false reading, again."

"I don't think I'm understanding what you're saying." Flack started as he pinched the bridge of his nose before gesturing with his hands. "Again?"

Sam sighed. "It's my polycystic ovaries. That's why there's been so much trouble and what not."

"Poly what?"

"It can cause fertility problems." Sam explained. "I was diagnosed when I was twenty three…"

"Wait, hold the phone… Rewind. You're telling me this _now_…!? How have you not told me this before?! When you're engaged to someone you tend to share that kind of fuckin'…"

"Don't curse at me!" she bellowed.

"Don't curse at you?! Sam! You just fucking told me that I'm not gonna be a dad… AT WORK!"

"Keep your voice down! Let me explain, Donnie."

"Explain? What is there to explain?! I should have known this Sammie. How many late night conversations have we had telling each other about anything and everything? Yet you fail to mention this to me… Even after what happened last time? What the hell is a poly thing ovary anyway?"

"Polycystic." She repeated. "Instead of the egg travelling down the fallopian tube, it attaches itself to the outside of my ovary."

"So what? That's it. Time to adopt?"

She shook her head as she leant against a locker, "You're fucking unbelievable! Listen to me!"

"I'm unbelievable? Sammie… You can't just drop this on me and expect me to understand. I thought… You said you were pregnant."

"Yeah, and it's not impossible to get pregnant with polycystic ovaries, Donnie. It's just hard. I thought this was our chance."

"Last time… why didn't you say anything then?"

"If you remember correctly, babe, I came on before I took a test."

"I still don't get why you didn't tell me then. I mean you knew, right?"

"I find it hard to let people in, Donnie! You know that."

"This is me, Sam. Me. Flack. You can't let _me_ in?"

"You try having someone tell you it's gonna be hard to conceive a baby, Donnie! You have someone say those words to you. I don't go shouting it from the rooftops."

"I didn't ask you to scream it from the rooftops, what I asked you was to let me in… You know the guy you want forever with? Or do I not count? Do I not need to know?"

"I really need your support right now, Don." Sam sniffed as she moved towards him, and slowly, and gently stroked his arm as he sat with his head in his hands.

"I don't know if I can do that."

She blinked, "I don't understand."

"No," he snorted. "Neither do I. I'm failing to grasp the concept of you not being able to tell me about this… this… whatever it is; poly what?"

"Polycystic."

"Yeah…" he said. "I… Why didn't you tell me?"

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "When it said positive, I didn't think it mattered."

"How often do pregnancy tests give a false positive?"

"Does it matter?" Sam asked. "Really? Can't we get through this instead of pointing fingers? This is the life we got dealt with, Donnie. Lets get through and it move on together."

"I'm gonna need some time." Flack sighed.

Sam swallowed.

"Time to think. It's a lot to take in the time span of, what thirty seconds in the locker room."

"What did you want me to do?" she asked with her hands on her hip, "Lie?!"

"You shouldn't have had to go on your own! You should have let me in!" Flack bellowed before drawing in a deep breath, "I'm walking away before one of us says something we don't mean. I love you, but for the love of god Sam, right now…" Flack ceased to finish his sentence as he turned and walked out of the locker room.

Leaving Sam utterly astounded, hurt, and inches away from broken.

* * *

Danny sighed as he pulled into the parking garage of the New York Crime Lab, with a screaming toddler in the back seat.

"I know baby girl. I know. You want mommy."

The little girl whimpered as she thrust her thumb in her mouth and softly ran her index finger over her button nose in a soothing motion.

"I know baby. I know." Danny said as he pulled into a parking space and killed the engine, "Daddy's sorry."

"Mommeeee." The toddler whimpered. "Me want mommy, daddy."

"I know sweetie." Danny said as he grabbed the diaper bag from the seat next to him, flung it over his shoulder and hopped out of the front seat, before moving around the SUV and opening Amanda's door. "Daddy's sorry." He said as he unclipped Amanda out of her car seat. "He took you here, there and everywhere today, when you weren't feeling good. Daddy should have known to just leave you be until you were better."

Amanda whimpered as she reached out and wrapped her little arms around Danny's neck. "Mommeee."

"Two minutes baby, just two more minutes. Mommy's upstairs." Danny reassured his daughter. "You can be my big girl and just wait two more minutes as we go up in the elevator, mkay?"

"Daddeee." She sniffed as she removed the thumb from her mouth. "Me wittle."

"You are my little girl." Danny smiled as he jiggled the toddler on his hip, waiting impatiently for the elevator. "Are you warm enough? Do you need your blankie?"

Amanda shook her head as she settled into the crook of Danny's neck while she clutched 'Lickle bear' in her left hand; effectively making him dangle. Both the teddy and Amanda matched in their Belle nightdresses. Danny had tried, and failed epically, to explain to her that Lickle bear was in fact a boy, and boys tended not to like being dressed in Disney princess outfits. She had simply blinked in response and slipped on the slippers that matched the outfit.

_She's a pip._ Danny thought to himself. _But she's my pip, and I love her. _

* * *

Lindsay glanced up from the pile of results and DNA she was currently analysing as she sat in the break room nursing a lemon tea. "Sammie, please sit down."

"No." Sam said, as she paced back and forth, "Don't you get it, Linds?"

"Get what, honey? What am I supposed to get?"

"I fucked up."

"You didn't." Lindsay reassured her friend. "He might not understand it now, but he just needs time."

"He won't…" Sam said as she paced back and forth. "God, why didn't I just tell him?"

Lindsay raised her eyebrows and shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know why you didn't. Why didn't you tell him?"

Sam bit her lip, "I need a friend right now, Lindsay… Not a mother."

Lindsay held her hands up as she looked back down the to results from the current case Stella and Hawkes have been working on. Mac had eventually relented, and after sending Nick home, he had agreed to let Lindsay help with the case.

"And you have a friend." Lindsay said as she turned the page. "I'm just…" she sighed and turned the page before looking up at Sam. "I get not wanting to tell people, but seriously Sam, you didn't tell Flack? Really?"

"Lindsay, correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't you burying your head in the sand in regards to this pregnancy." Sam said nodding to Lindsay's baby bump.

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"That's what I did." Sam said. "Buried my head in the sand, wishing for it to go away."

Lindsay let out a breath and shook her head, "Really isn't the same thing, Samantha. I wasn't wishing for my baby to 'go away'. We wanted our baby so badly that I was scared of _not_ being pregnant."

"And I didn't want my baby?"

"I didn't say that." Lindsay said. "Look, Sammie, now's not the best time. I have to solve this case… I mean…" Lindsay trailed off and gazed at the person stood in the doorway. "Danny? Honey, what's the matter?"

He nodded down to the squirming and whimpering toddler in his arms, "I'm so sorry Linds. I tried calling the office extension but you weren't there."

"It's been like drama central." Lindsay said as she put her pen down and scooted back from the table and moved towards Danny and Amanda. "Is she okay?" Lindsay asked tentatively.

Danny shook his head 'no' as Amanda whimpered. "She's sick, Linds. I think I did too much with her today."

Lindsay ran her hand through Amanda's soft curls before carefully taking her from Danny and rubbing her nose against Amanda's. Amanda let out a small hiccup and buried her head in the crook of Lindsay's neck and inhaled her mother's scent. "Mommy me no feel good."

"I'm sorry baby." Lindsay whispered into the little girl's ear as she softly rocked her. "Mommy will make you all better."

Samantha cleared her throat.

"Oh sorry!" Danny apologised as he looked up from where he had been stood, softly rubbing Amanda's back, "I didn't see you there, Sam."

Sam smiled politely. "I get that M&M is sick, Danny. Believe me I do, but me and Linds were talking. It's important."

"Unless it's about your arm that's hanging off, I think you'll be okay." Danny chided. "She needs her mom, Sam. Surely you can appreciate that?"

Sam sighed as she took a seat. "When you're ready Linds."

Lindsay blinked and turned her attention back to Amanda before turning to Danny. "Think we should take her to the ER? What was her temperature last time you checked?"

"99.4." Danny replied. "I gave her some children's Tylenol which brought it down. She was fine until bedtime when she got really quiet, so I thought she was just tired, and I touched her cheek and I thought I had burnt my hand." Danny told Lindsay. "We decided she was like a little pancake. Sizzling in a pan, ain't that right sweetheart?"

Amanda nodded weakly as she gripped onto Lindsay's shirt and sucked on her thumb.

"Has she been doing that lately?" Lindsay whispered motioning towards the thumb in her daughter's mouth.

Danny nodded. "I think it's a comfort thing."

Lindsay sighed in response, and smoothed down Amanda's hair. "I'm sorry baby."

"Mac saw us on the way in." Danny started as he set the diaper bag on the couch in the break room. "I let him know that M&M wanted to come and see you, and he looked at me as if I was crazy for explaining to him."

Lindsay laughed softly as Amanda whimpered and reached for Danny. Lindsay carefully passed Amanda to Danny, and the little girl snuggled into his embrace and replaced the thumb in her mouth.

"Are you nearly done, Linds?" Danny asked. "Flack called and told me he'd left some money with Stella for her to put you in a cab? Did he get a call out?"

Lindsay glanced in the direction of Sam.

"Oh." Danny said simply. "Right. Bad timing?"

"Kinda." Sam admitted.

Danny sighed. "You know I would give you your girl time, but Amanda needs her mommy."

"Can't you just take her somewhere, Danny?" Sam sighed, exasperated. "Ten minutes?"

"She's not well, Sam." Danny said as he held the back of Amanda's head and held her close to his chest. "You know she's not usually like this."

Amanda sniffed as she turned with her thumb in her mouth and rested her head in the crook of Danny's neck and whimpered softly. "Mommy…."

"I'm coming baby." Lindsay assured her from where she stood collecting the case files from the table in the break room where she had been sat.

Amanda sniffed as Danny held his hand to her forehead and sighed, "She's got that temperature again. I think I did too much with her today. I should have just let her get better."

Lindsay sighed as moved towards Amanda and held the back of her hand on Amanda's forehead. "She's burning up."

Sam let out a sigh. "Lindsay…"

Lindsay pinched the bridge of her nose and moved towards Sam. "Honey, you need to talk to Don about this. You do. You know I'm here for you, but I think you need to tell him. You need to let him in."

"So you're just going?"

"We're going." Lindsay said as she picked up her bag. "She's sick, Sam. She isn't well."

"Typical."

Lindsay bit her lip as she turned and walked back towards Sam. "What is your problem, Sam? How do you expect me to help you if you don't let me in? You didn't let Flack in! What can I do? Read your mind?"

"Mommeee." Amanda sobbed as she tried to reach for Lindsay.

"One second baby." Lindsay said soothingly to Amanda as she turned back face to Sam. "Sammie. You have to let me in, if you want me to be there for you. I can push and push, but it's gotta be a bit of…"

"Mommeeee."

"She's BUSY!" Sam bellowed. "Jesus!"

Both Danny and Lindsay completely disregarded Samantha's outburst, and whipped their faces round to Amanda, who was blinking and heaving as she tried to gasp for a breath. The tone and pitch that Sam had raised her voice to had, in a word, terrified her.

The little girl fell silent for a few seconds before her tiny fist gripped onto Danny's shirt as she burrowed the side of her face into the crook of his neck.

"She's shaking!" Danny glared at Sam. "Who the fuck do you think you are?" he spat as he wiggled Amanda on his hip trying to soothe her as she clutched to him with a death grip as she sobbed silently. "She's sick and she wants her mommy. Don't you dare raise your voice to my child again!" Danny said coolly, with venom in his eyes. "I don't know what the fuck is going on, and to be honest, I don't fucking want to! Keep the high school drama out of the lab."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Sam snorted. "Mac?"

Amanda's sobs and cries stopped momentarily she gazed up at her father who was still running his hand up and down her back in a soothing motion. His tone was one she didn't recognise, and it scared her. She sensed that it wasn't directed to herself or her mommy, but at her Auntie Sam. Tears fell down her cheek as she sniffed and spluttered, getting herself worked up again. "Mommeeeee."

"No, I'm not Mac." Danny snorted in response to Sam, as he handed Amanda to Lindsay who instantly began pacing around the break room with the devastated and sickly toddler. "I'm Danny Messer, and I refuse to let you speak like that to my daughter; especially when I let her call you Auntie."

"Does Lindsay not get a say in the way you raise your daughter?" Sam snapped.

"I'm not even going to justify that utter stupidity with an answer." He retorted. "But what I will say is that whatever you've fucked up, and yes, it does seem like it's YOU that fucked up, you are the one that needs to fix it instead of bringing your ass up here and dragging my family into it. This is yours and Flack's problem… And unless you have found a way in which Lindsay will help you solve this, then we're done here."

"Christ Lindsay." Sam sighed as she turned to face Lindsay, "I don't know how you cope, putting up with one brat that doesn't understand 'no' and another that thinks he's God Almighty."

Lindsay calmly walked across the break room with Amanda wrapped in her arms. She handed her baby girl to Danny, before pressing a kiss to the little girl's forehead and whispering 'mommy will be one more minute.'

Lindsay stole a glance at Danny, who nodded and turned to walk out of the break room, not even making eye contact with Samantha, whispering reassurances of 'it's okay' into his daughter's soft brown ringlet curls.

Lindsay watched Amanda and Danny head down the hall until they were out of sight. She turned slowly and in a swift movement her hand flew and cracked Sam on the cheek, sending Samantha staggering backwards. Lindsay moved forwards with her index finger pointed at Sam's chest. Fury was displayed in Lindsay's brown eyes, but her voice had no hint of the vehemence her face displayed. "Let me clarify for MY sake. You come up here, during your shift _and_ my shift to whine about the fact you _lied_ to your fiancé, who incidentally is one of my best friends, and he didn't take too kindly to your shit. You then follow me around for half an hour when I am up to here…" which Lindsay demonstrated by holding her hand inches over her head, "in DNA to chase up and cross reference, _AND THEN _when my husband visits with my _sick _daughter, you continue to whine about your petty problems, scream… _SCREAM_ at my baby then badmouth my husband when he defends her? What is it that you are taking? Are you high? Do you need professional help?"

"You don't know the first thing about my relationship with Don."

"I don't?" Lindsay scoffed. "I think you'll find I do, honey bunch. Don't start with me, Samantha. You will fuckin' lose. There is no way in this god's earth you are going to turn around and tell me you were in the right with the things that you said. I am investigating a teenager's murder for Christ sake. A teenager. She was sixteen, Sam. Sixteen. I have way too much to deal with right now, not to even mention your petty shit. Your personal life should be exactly that. Not being bellowed as it currently is, through the NYPD crime lab. So yeah, I might not know the first thing about your relationship, but every fucker else does!"

"What the hell is going on in here?!" Mac bellowed from his position in the doorway. "Lindsay?! Are you alright?"

Lindsay gasped for a breath as she turned and faced him, tears slipping down her face. "She just…" Lindsay heaved trying to draw a deep breath, her emotions finally overtaking her. "She said… She said Amanda…"

Stella let out a heavy sigh as she moved towards Lindsay and draped an arm over Lindsay's shoulder without a moment's hesitation and led Lindsay from the break room slowly. "You need to take a breath, Linds."

"I'm trying." She spluttered as they walked down the hallway. "I'm just so… mad!"

Stella sighed as she led Lindsay into her deserted office and sat the near hysterical woman on the couch. Stella bent down in front of her and held Lindsay's face between her hands. "Linds… I need you to calm down."

"She…" Lindsay heaved a breath. "She said Amanda…"

"You need to breathe, kiddo. You're way too stressed and worked up." Stella said softly as she tucked a strand of hair behind Lindsay's ear.

Lindsay pinched the bridge of her nose and doubled over as she tried to regain her breath, "I… I don't know why I'm so mad… I just…"

"I don't care why you're mad. What I care about is getting you to calm down. I don't want to have to call Sheldon to take your blood pressure, Lindsay. You have to think about that baby you're looking after."

Lindsay nodded as she slowly began to calm down.

"What the hell happened?" Stella asked.

"Me and Sam got into it." Lindsay started. "She's been going through some stuff with Flack I presume and… It just got heated."

"And that upset you?" Stella asked softly. "Did she say something about Amanda?"

"Yeah." Lindsay said as she took a deep breath. "And Danny. She can say shit about me, Stella. I don't care. Don't bring my family into it - my little girl – my husband? I mean my daughter calls her Auntie. She scared her, Stella. Sam scared the crap out of her. She was clinging to Danny, and when Danny handed her to me… She was shaking. She's never heard a voice raised to that extent before."

Stella rubbed Lindsay's arm softly. "I know kiddo, I know. You just need to calm down though. Mac's talking to Sam. It's over now, just let it go."

"She called my daughter a brat, Stella. A brat? Sam's supposed to be one of my closest friends. She's my Sammie. Yet, she can say that about my daughter – who I thought she loved as a niece."

"She's stressed." Stella tried to reason with her friend. "That's all. Things were tossed back and forth that weren't meant."

"She meant them." Lindsay said. "She meant every single word, Stella."

"She didn't." Stella said as she kissed her friend on the cheek, "You know she didn't."

"Did you hear what she said?" Lindsay asked as she softly rubbed her belly.

"No."

"You…" Lindsay gasped and took a deep breath, "can't say anything then."

Stella's eyes widened, "Lindsay, are you okay? Is the baby…? Are you okay? Do I need to get Danny?"

"No. I'm fine." Lindsay insisted shaking her head. "Here, feel, he's just kicking."

Stella cautiously pressed her hand to Lindsay's tummy and released a sigh of relief. "You know what he's saying, right?"

"That I need to chill out?"

Stella nodded. "I know it's hard, Linds… I know it hurt you and it cut you deep when she said that, but I don't think she meant it."

Lindsay raised her eyebrows.

Stella laughed at Lindsay's simple, yet comical reaction. "Regardless, It's so small, Linds. Don't work yourself up about it. Your baby boy is relying on you to keep him safe, and you getting that worked up… it's not worth it, kiddo. You're worrying about the wrong things. Don't worry about the things you can't change."

"They're my friends." Lindsay said, "I just want them to be happy."

"And they will be." Stella assured her. "Just step back and take a breath."

"I can't get passed what she said, Stel. I can't. Physically can't do it."

"We've had our fair share of arguments, kiddo. Look at us." Stella laughed as she wrapped her arms around Lindsay. "Whatever happens; happens. You can't change it, Linds. So live with it. Life will go on. And you will always have people here to support you. You'll always have Danny, and me. You have your beautiful baby girl, and this handsome little monkey in here." Stella teased as she wiped Lindsay's tears away. "Go and be there for your baby girl, Momma Lindsay. She needs you."

Lindsay smiled softly and wiped her eyes. "You always give me that little shove in the right direction." Lindsay smiled as she stood up and embraced Stella.

"It's what best friends are for."

Lindsay smiled, before sighing. "Will you tell Sam…"

"I will speak to Sammie. Hopefully Mac will have calmed her down. Gotten her side? Added a little more context to the story?"

Lindsay nodded. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

Stella snorted. "This wasn't your fault, kiddo. You didn't make Sam and Flack argue." She trailed off. "Or did you?"

Lindsay slugged Stella in the arm, "ha-ha. That's not funny."

"Let me know if M&M needs anything tonight, okay? I can run over whatever it is you need. Don't hesitate, alright?"

Lindsay drew her friend into another hug and let out a breath.

Knowing she could always rely on Stella.

Come rain or shine.

Or… thunder, hail and snow.

* * *

"No Linds!" Danny grunted as he punched the elevator button. "No."

"Danny." She sighed, "This isn't up for discussion. You can't just ban her from the house."

"I can! She called our baby girl a brat. I'm taking a stand."

"How long did it take for her to calm down?" Lindsay asked softly making a desperate attempt to change the conversation as she glanced at Amanda who was wrapped in her blankie and clutching 'Lickle bear' with a soft grip.

"About ten minutes. She kept spluttering, and I swear she was saying Spam. But when I got her to calm down she was saying, 'Sam scare'"

"I hope she doesn't go back to her using two or three words strung together."

"She won't" Danny said as they stepped onto the elevator as he noticed 'Lickle bear' on the floor. "Linds, grab her bear."

Lindsay sighed heavily as she bent down carefully and grabbed the teddy and handed it back to her whimpering daughter. "I'll be glad when today's over. What the hell time is it?"

Danny shifted Amanda slightly so he could see his watch, "A quarter after eleven."

Lindsay pinched the bridge of her nose as she rested her head against Danny's free shoulder. "Was I too hard on Sam?"

"Hell no." Danny spat, waking Amanda from her light slumber. "You were there. She was downright rude, Lindsay. She had no respect for you, our daughter, or me. Not to mention Flack. She dug her grave. Until she apologises, I have no sympathy. Call me harsh, baby girl but there's no way she's going to scare the shit out of my daughter and get away with that. She's never heard us screaming like psychos, and I don't expect other people to partake in that behaviour when they're around her."

Lindsay sighed heavily as the elevator hit the parking garage. The jerk caused Amanda to drop her teddy again. "I'm gonna glue it to her hand. Drop this again and mommy will eat you up." Lindsay teased playfully.

Amanda managed a small giggle as the family emerged from the elevator.

"There's that musical giggle I love." Danny smiled at his daughter. "You can go sleepy in the car, sweetie. Daddy will carry you up to bed and in the morning you'll be all better."

Amanda laid her head on Danny's shoulder and sighed as Lickle bear dropped out of her hand again.

"Danny." Lindsay sighed. "I can't get that again."

Danny turned and his eyes narrowed as he saw a dark figure appear at the side of Lindsay. "Hey, can I help you?" Danny asked.

"This yours?"

Danny nodded.

The man smiled and ducked slightly and tapped the teddy bear on Amanda's head, trying to gain her attention. "What's a pretty little lady doing out this late?"

Amanda glanced up and sighed.

"What's poppin' little lady… Why you looking so down?"

"You have her teddy." Danny deadpanned.

The man smiled. "There you go, little one." He smiled toothily revealing gold plated teeth.

"Shiny!" Amanda giggled softly.

"My teeth? Somethin' special, no?"

Danny nodded and narrowed his eyes again as Lindsay stood next to him and linked her arm around his bicep. "I know you from somewhere."

The man nodded. "I work in conjunction with the PD. Been hearing things. Thought I would come on down."

Danny nodded. "Davis?"

"The one and only." He laughed as he glanced to Amanda who was staring at him. "Can I help you little lady?"

"Pwetty hat. Sparkly."

"My hat?" Terrence Davis laughed as he took it off. "This?"

Amanda nodded. "'Dat."

"Want it?" Terrence offered it to her. "I have another one."

Amanda's eyes widened. "Me?"

Terrence laughed as he slipped the hat onto her head backwards. "On one condition."

Amanda stared at him, wide eyed.

"Be nice to momma, she looks like she shouldn't be doing lunges like you have her doing, dropping that bear. And put a pretty smile on your face. You're too darn cute to be walking around with a frown."

Amanda smiled brightly. "T'anks."

Terrence prodded her nose and nodded at Danny and Lindsay before turning on his heel and making his way towards the elevator.

Both Danny and Lindsay stared blinking at the elevator, even after it had closed with the CI inside of it.

"Danny, a convict just gave my child his hat." Lindsay finally squeaked.

"Be thankful that's all he gave her." Danny snorted as he wrapped his arm around her and led her towards the car.

"You know…" Lindsay sighed as she pulled open the passenger door, "I feel like I'm in one of your weird dreams, Danny."

"Even my dreams aren't this crazy!" Danny defended himself as he carefully placed Amanda into her car seat with her teddy in one hand and the hat in her other.

"Only in the NYPD Crime lab?" Lindsay said softly as she settled into her seat.

Danny let out a breath as he shut Amanda's door. "Only in the NYPD Crime lab."

* * *

_**A/N: Hey guys, I'm sure i'll get a mixed reaction of some sorts from this chapter, however, as you have probably gathered I haven't exactly been with it recently in terms of updates. So, taking this into account, I decided to do some mixing up. I've had so much support from my fans right from the start, and many have supported my decision in writing this. I thank you guys from the bottom of my little shipper heart - you guys mean the world to me, namely Kellan, Megs, Kerrie and Amy! I hope this chapter was okay, it was extremely difficult to write, so I want to thank Kerrie specifically for her encouragement and reassurance with this chapter. **_

_**Let me know what you thought? **_

_**Thankies. **_

_**Love, Laurzz! xo**_

* * *

**_Special shoutout to..._**

twinkeyrocks

Kerrie

iheartcsinewyork

Brown eyed Girl 75

IluvPeterPetrelli

gwen24

afrozenheart412

JavaJunkie4evr

Dani Hope

Hope06

SkyBlueSw

ambercsiny

cinnimonforever4

dantanaforev

saderia

MeredithandDerekfanforever


	163. The Aftermath

**_A/N: I would like to take the opportunity to thank the people I have received endless amounts of support from in regards to my decision in writing and posting the last chapter. I get that it was slightly controversial in some respects, but it's only fiction, right? It seems it was a well received chapter - so I hope you all liked it. Once again thank you all for your support when I have needed it the most!_**

* * *

Mac Taylor turned from his position and looked over his shoulder as the kettle in front of him on the counter top boiled. "Do you take sugar?"

"Two."

"Please." Mac muttered under his breath as he poured the boiling liquid into the two cups and took a teaspoon to help dissolve the instant coffee that he had spooned into their mugs. He carried them both to the table where Sam sat at and placed it on a coaster before taking a seat and sipping his own. "So…" Mac started. "What's going in my lab, Samantha?"

Sam sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I honestly don't really want to talk about it right now."

"That's nice," Mac said as he set his own cup on the table with a significant amount of force, making it spill over the rim of the cup. "I don't care about what you want. What I care about are my employees - my _pregnant _employees having screaming matches in my crime lab, when A) she is sick to begin with and B) she's having to defend her child and husband!" Mac bellowed, attracting the attention of the lab technicians all around in the adjacent rooms. "I want answers Samantha! What is going on?!"

"Nothing." She replied calmly. "Just a heated discussion that has been blown out of proportion and misunderstood."

"See," Mac sneered, "I find that hard to believe. Lindsay is one of the most levelheaded people I have ever met - therefore for her to _slap_ someone makes me question the actual content of the conversation. What was said, Samantha?"

"Just two adults having a disagreement over something, that's all."

"In my lab – therefore that makes you two NYPD officers under my watch. I demand answers."

"Maybe in that case you should speak to Lindsay." Sam suggested.

"Stella's spoken to Lindsay. I thought I would give you time to cool off in here before I came and spoke to you."

"No," Sam laughed sarcastically, "What you thought was that you would go and sit in your office discussing the gossip Stella had just gotten from Lindsay. And discussing the fact that Lindsay's in the right and Samantha's in the wrong, and 'how dare that bitch Samantha do that to poor Lindsay'.

Mac let out a small puff of breath as he moved towards Samantha on the couch. "Do not speak about my employees as if you are in a playground, Detective Ross. I want to know what happened, and I want to know now."

She shrugged. "Lindsay overreacted to something I said."

"What did you say?"

Samantha let out a sigh, realising she would not win this battle with the ever-stubborn Mac Taylor. "Amanda was crying…"

"She's sick, that's understandable. Lindsay a good mother, she wouldn't overreact to that. She would deal with it."

"No, Amanda was crying for Lindsay, and no matter how many times Lindsay said 'one minute' she just kept bitching and whining and I ended up calling her a brat."

Mac held his hand up and took a deep breath. "First of all, Amanda Messer does not bitch and whine. The only person that seems to be bitching and whining right now, Samantha, is you."

Sam cocked an eyebrow; "Excuse me?"

"And second, clearly you haven't spent enough time with that little girl to realise that she is anything but a brat. She is a fantastic child, with fantastic parents that you owe a huge apology to."

Sam snorted and stood up from where she had been sitting, "You know, I don't have to put up with this bullshit. I get that Lindsay is the golden girl. Everyone loves Lindsay. I get that – my mistake in getting involved and mixing up your little routines."

"I didn't say that!" Mac defended himself. "What I'm trying to say is Lindsay's daughter should not be brought into arguments that…"

"Lindsay's daughter shouldn't have been in the crime lab!" Samantha bellowed. "Little unsuitable for a baby, don't'cha think?"

"It was nine-thirty at night and Amanda had a temperature, Samantha. Danny was panicking, therefore sometimes you have to just go with the flow and realise that employees have lives outside the job."

"Exactly." Samantha said. "Outside. They should be left there."

"A little hypocritical of you, Samantha." Mac chided. "Isn't that what this is about, every – 'fucker knowing your personal business'. If I'm not mistaken?"

"Why the hell are we having this conversation then?" Samantha roared. "I don't work under you – if this is such a big problem, call my supervisor and have them deal with it."

Mac stared coldly into her brown eyes. "If I hear anything in work hours about tonight – namely yours and Lindsay's argument, I will ensure that I do that. I will not allow my employees to feel uncomfortable when they come to work. This stops here. Do you really think Lindsay deserved to have that tirade thrown at her? Really? Who the hell do you think you are, Samantha? She's pregnant for one – she should have been relaxed – not packing punches defending her daughter. And second, she's your best friend. What the hell has gotten into you? Her daughter calls you auntie. Amanda adores you."

"Well sometimes a person snaps."

Mac shook his head and bit his lip, "This stops here. I want to hear no more mention of this. You want to bitch slap each other; that's fine. Do it in your own time!"

And with that, Mac Taylor snapped up, turned on his heel and exited the break room.

* * *

As Lindsay lay in bed that night going through the day's events she felt a tear slip down her cheek.

She was devastated and heartbroken.

Sure, she couldn't change what had happened, and there was no point in worrying about what was said. But the words that had been tossed back and forth had cut her deep, and she suspected that Danny was harbouring the same type of feelings.

She had been utterly shocked when the words 'brat' had left the woman's mouth. The friend she thought she had gotten to know like the back of her hand, had thrown her a curveball, and proved her wrong. When they had arrived home, Lindsay had sat with Amanda, rocking her in the wooden rocking chair in the corner of her pink room, while Danny dragged their daughter's mattress into their bedroom and laid it by Lindsay's side so that she could watch over her and they would be able to check on her periodically throughout the night and be there instantly if Amanda needed mommy or daddy.

Every time Danny had gotten up to check on Amanda, Lindsay had pretended she was asleep. She was well aware of the fact that he probably knew she was awake, but she didn't want to have to have the conversation she was expecting he was wanting. So instead, he simply crouched down by the side of his daughter, placed his hand on her forehead, checked her temperature with the thermometer and kissed her temple. He then stood up, moved around the mattress and placed a loving kiss to Lindsay's forehead and affectionately rubbed her belly.

That had happened seven times in the time they had gone to bed, just over four hours ago.

Stella had called his cellphone at around 1AM and he had muttered into his phone, trying not to 'wake' Lindsay. He had sat up and shifted on the bed. She could feel his eyes gaze down at her, almost burning into her skin, as she faced their daughter who was laid in her own little makeshift bed.

Lindsay sighed as the string of sentences currently swirled around her brain. _"I know how upset she was, Stel. She's not said two words in the time we got home to when we went to bed. I don't want her or the baby to be in danger. I'm just…She's my everything, and I don't want anything to happen to her. She's really stressed about this."_

She had so badly wanted to reach out and intertwine their hands together silently and assure him that she was okay, but resisted.

What she really wanted was for everything to just go away so that sleep could overtake her person. She wanted the frantic worry of her daughter's restless sleeping pattern because of her temperature to go away. She wanted Amanda to be the happy baby girl she was day in, day out. She wanted to get rid of the sinking feeling in her stomach that filled her eyes with tears. She wanted the words 'little brat' to go away.

She knew that Amanda was no brat. Period. End of story. No two ways about. She was a balanced child that completely understood the meaning of no. She was a well-behaved baby and just… When she acted up, it wasn't her doing it on purpose, it was just that she didn't understand, or in the case of the last few hours, she was sick and just wanted her mommy. She was Amanda. Lindsay's baby.

And she was just that… a baby. She didn't deserve the tirade that Sam in her emotional state, had thrown at her indirectly. Not that it mattered to Amanda as she clutched her tattered teddy in one arm and Terrence Davis' hat in her tiny hand, as she slept soundly with an angelic look on her face. The pitch of Sam's voice had soon left the little girl's memory; but had still left her exhausted from crying when she had heard the high pitched bellowing of "SHE'S BUSY!"

Lindsay found her overworked and hormonal mind wander to Don Flack, and she found herself wondering how he was. She knew that it was probable that Sam would have gone home to their shared apartment after her shift had ended, and probably had it out with him about him walking out.

While Lindsay didn't respect Sam for keeping such an important part of herself, to herself, it didn't give Flack the right to walk out and not talk it through like adults.

'_Who am I kidding_?' she mused to herself, as she stared into the darkness of the bedroom, '_Adults? Sure. Adults that lie, tell secrets and scream at each other.' _

'_Some adults we are.' _

She felt Danny shift, snuggle up next to her as he wrapped his toned arms around her body as she lay, with her back facing him. He pressed a kiss to the side of her neck, "Are you not gonna sleep then, baby?"

She sighed in response. "I didn't think you had noticed."

"Montana," he laughed softly. "Your mind ticking away woke me up."

"That's impossible." She whispered as she laced her fingers through his and rested their hands on her baby bump currently being supported by a pillow.

"Not when I know you like I do. I knew you weren't sleeping from the way you were breathing. You have that really cute intake of breath that you do, then three seconds later you let it out slowly."

"It worries me that you know that." She teased.

He laughed. "I'm worried about you, Linds. What's eating you up?"

Lindsay struggled to turn with her five and a half month pregnant belly, but managed, and faced him as she lay on her side. "Is Amanda a brat?"

Despite the minimal light cascading into the room from the streetlamp outside, Danny's eyes darkened and shook his head at her, "Do you think she is?"

"That's not what I asked. I asked you if you thought she was a brat."

"My baby girl? A brat? Hell no. Hell fucking no. We haven't raised her as a brat, Lindsay. She's a well-behaved, polite and happy little girl that wouldn't – despite to maybe her daddy and rare occasions– back chat to anyone. She is so far from being a brat it's unreal. Do you think she is?"

"What? Me?" Lindsay gasped. "No! Not at all."

"Well then why did you ask me?"

"Well, Sam thinks she is."

"Yeah well, I don't think you want to hear what I think about Sam as of late."

"How do you think Flack's night went?" Lindsay asked as she settled on Danny's bare chest and drew lazy patterns with her fingertip.

"Honestly?" he asked, "Not so well. He was looking forward to being a daddy. He had names on the cards, little league brochures, everything. He was ready. And she went and pulled that."

"I'm as mad as you are, baby," Lindsay started, "but being like that won't get us anywhere."

"I'm sure as hell glad you smacked her, Linds, because let me tell you, I'm dead against smacking women, but when she called Amanda a brat, I nearly sent her straight for next week. Nobody speaks about my baby girl like that. And nobody speaks to you like that."

"Nobody speaks about _you_, like that!" Lindsay exclaimed. "No way was I letting her get away with that!"

"Shush," Danny said as he softly put a finger over her lips, "wanna try keeping your voice down,"

"Sorry." She grinned sheepishly. "I just… What happened? Where did it all go wrong?"

"Nothing went wrong." Danny said as he pulled her tighter into his arms, "things happen. People change."

"That isn't good enough. I want to know why – what changed?"

"You did? Sam did? You're always there for her Linds, and maybe this time, you'd had enough."

"Friends are supposed to be there for each other, no matter what though, Danny."

"Linds," Danny sighed, "Why do you take it upon yourself to feel bad? Why? You did nothing wrong, so why are you feeling guilty? Your daughter was sick and your family needed you. She was completely out of line to do what she did. I don't know who the hell she thinks she is, pulling that bullsh-"

"A dollar for the swear jar…" Lindsay sing-songed.

"Silliness." Danny chuckled as Lindsay turned so that her back faced him again, and he snuggled into her and regained their previous position of him wrapping his arms around her. "Bull-silliness."

"Nice save." She teased. "You were saying?"

"Thanks." He laughed softly. "But seriously, Linds… You don't have to just accept her apology like that. She hurt you. She hurt us. I mean it seems to me like she's forgotten the fact that you aren't Mrs. Sunshine and rainbows right now, you're sick what with your fever, nausea, pregnancy in general, but you're not gnawing her ear off with your problems. I'm proud of you – how you stood up for not only yourself but for what you believed in. You thought she was wrong and you called her on that – it takes a hell of a person to do that to a friend. So what if she didn't react well – that's not your fault. It's her's; she needs to deal with it. She cant go round like 'the world revolves around me' - other people have stuff going on too. We have a baby to think about; and her causing shit like that – you could have seriously hurt yourself, Linds. Medically. Your blood pressure goes up? That's not good for the baby."

"I know." Lindsay sighed, "I just… I feel…"

"Hurt? Mad? Betrayed?"

Lindsay nodded sadly. "But at the same time, I feel like I should just let go of it."

"The friendship? Or the argument?"

Lindsay shrugged. "It's too much stress for me to deal with right now. I understand that she needs someone, but we have our own worries to deal with. Like this baby, and how we haven't even started putting his room together."

Danny pressed a lingering kiss on her neck, "You don't have to worry about that. I'm not going to let you help anyway. My pregnant wife around paint fumes? Sure."

Lindsay laughed, "Well… You know what I mean."

"What would you say if I said that me and M&M spent last night painting a certain baby boy's room?"

"You didn't!" Lindsay giggled.

"We did, actually. Well, I say we, more I with Amanda finger painting on my back."

"Sounds about right." Lindsay laughed. "So it's done? Really?"

Danny nodded against her shoulder and nibbed lightly at it. "It sure is."

Lindsay shuffled backwards into Danny's embrace so that there was nothing in between them. "I love you for doing that."

"You said do something productive when you were at work. That's all I did. Nothing special. But you can love me anyway." He teased.

"I know, but I thought you would have just loaded the dishwasher or swapped the clothes from the washer into the dryer, I didn't expect the baby's room to have been painted."

"Yeah well, I'm Danny Messer. Full of surprises, don't'cha know?"

"Apparently," she giggled. "You know, we have to start picking names."

"I've got a few to put on the table, actually. Amanda and I were looking from the best boy names, ever… The one we got from Babies 'R' us?"

"Oh yeah? Really?" Lindsay squealed excitedly, "What did you come up with?"

"Shush, little fangirl. You're gonna wake M&M up."

"Sorry." She laughed. "So go on, what did you come up with?"

"Well, Amanda was coming up with names like Edmund, Frederick, Annette – for a boy, yes… and Bob."

"Well, safe to say she's not naming her brother." Lindsay deadpanned. "Although Eddie could be kind of cute."

"Eddie Messer? I think not." Danny snorted.

"Alright wisebutt, give me your best ones."

"Clemenza?" Danny offered.

"Clemenza? Influenza!" Lindsay snorted, "Kids on the playground would call him a virus!"

"Whoa!" Danny exclaimed, "Easy! Well, what about Alfonze?"

"Danny, what the hell did you do? Go through the cast list of Godfather two?"

"God, you're such a wiseass. You know they are names of my grandfathers."

"And…?" Lindsay laughed, "We didn't name Amanda after my grandmothers."

"Point taken." Danny laughed, "Well what about Amos?"

"A-what?" Lindsay laughed.

"Amos," Danny repeated. "Amos Daniel."

"I think you're high." Lindsay snorted. "Amos? Where the hell did you hear that? Did you make that up?"

"I like that name!" Danny exclaimed. "It was on some crime show. You know the one you refuse to watch cause the character you love went to visit her parents?"

"Oh. That show." Lindsay laughed, "Yeah that doesn't surprise me. They come up with allsorts."

"You're telling me." Danny laughed. "Well Sparky, what can you think of?"

"Noah?" she offered.

"I am not naming my child after the character in 'The Notebook'. You can keep dreaming."

Lindsay sighed, "Gerard?"

"As in Gerard Butler?" Danny cleared his throat. "No."

"Ashton?" Lindsay offered.

"Nope. I'm not naming my child after that Ashton dude that married Demi Moore."

Lindsay sighed, "Adam?"

"Too close to Amanda, and Adam would think the world revolved around him if we named our child indirectly after him."

Lindsay sighed, "Joshua?"

Danny fell silent, and Lindsay raised an eyebrow in response to his silent reaction. "Danny?"

"Joshua Daniel." Danny whispered against the crook of her neck as he rubbed her belly softly. "Joshua. Josh."

Lindsay giggled and turned in his embrace so that she faced him, "Is that looking like a strong contender?"

Danny put a finger to her lips, and shifted down the bed, so that he was inline with her stomach. She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes, "Danny, what the hell are you doing?"

"Just hush a minute." Danny laughed jokingly as he turned all of her attention to his son, growing inside of Lindsay. "Hey little bear, it's daddy."

Lindsay sighed heavily, "You just woke him up. He wasn't moving and now it's… Ow… Ow… get him to stop kicking me so hard."

"Hey! Little bear; knock it off. Be nice to mommy." Danny grumbled as he kissed Lindsay's belly. "How do you like the name Joshua, think that would suit you, little man?"

"He's kicking." Lindsay whispered as she took Danny's hand, "Here, look, feel."

Danny smiled as he felt his son kick their hands. "Joshua Daniel. I think he likes it, Linds."

"I think he loves it as much as his mommy loves it."

"You do?" Danny asked.

She nodded. "I adore the name. Joshua Daniel Messer. It's perfect."

"Just like you. Just like Amanda."

Lindsay smiled down at her husband as he softly pressed butterfly kisses to her stomach, "I love you." She mouthed as she gazed down at him through the small rays of sun cascading through their window at the early hour of the morning.

She lay there for a few minutes with Danny whispering things to her belly. She couldn't make out exactly what she was saying, but she presumed it was promises. What Danny was going to teach him, how he would protect him at all costs and how he was going to be the best daddy in the world.

She felt her eyes slowly blinking shut as she heard the words, "I love you," being whispered from Danny's lips. She smiled softly, and allowed her eyes to flutter shut, knowing Danny would find something to preoccupy himself with, no doubt.

* * *

Stella Bonasera sighed heavily as her knuckles lightly tapped against the apartment door. While, at Six-am it wasn't exactly the most sociable of hours, granted, but right now, she thought that the person on the other side could really, really, really use a friend right now.

"Hey." Flack rasped throatily as he opened the door in a wifebeater and loose boxer shorts.

"Hey." Stella smiled, "think I could come in?"

Flack opened the door wider, and allowed Stella entrance into the apartment, "If I had known I was expecting company I would have put some more clothes on."

Stella laughed at his boxer shorts and wifebeater. "Do you usually expect guests at Six-am?"

"You never can tell." He teased lightly despite a sad glaze over his eyes. "Want some coffee?"

Stella smiled and nodded and followed him into the kitchen. "How you holding up?"

"Fantastic," Flack mused.

"You know we're all rooting for you; I want you to know that."

"Thanks," Flack mused, "I think… I appreciate it. Although, you shouldn't have to be rooting for me."

Stella shrugged softly. "Have you spoken to her?"

"Do I honestly look like I've spoken to her, Stel? Really?"

Stella sighed, "She didn't come home?"

"You guessed it." Flack grumbled as he switched on the coffee pot. "I tried calling her – that didn't work; switched her phone off. Called Lindsay…"

"You called Lindsay?"

"Well, Danny… But his phone was engaged."

"Around One-am?"

Flack nodded as he leant against the kitchen counter.

"Yeah, that was me."

"Have you slept tonight by any chance?"

Stella laughed and shook her head. "Take it you haven't heard?"

"Heard what, is Lindsay okay? What about the baby? What happened?"

"Oh no… They're fine. Lindsay and Samantha got into a argument at work."

Flack raised an eyebrow. "They did?"

Stella nodded. "Samantha threw some nasty words in Lindsay's direction and Lindsay slapped her."

"Go Linds." Flack muttered.

"Don!" Stella scolded. "I understand that you and Sam are not on the best terms, but they don't need us taking sides."

"Stella…" Flack laughed, "Not three minutes ago you were telling me that you were rooting for me."

"That's different." She chuckled softly. "What I'm saying is that you need to be there for Samantha. She made an error in judgement. That's all. She's going through a lot and needs support. Clearly- she didn't tell you… That right there says she's struggling to come to terms with this."

Flack shook his head as he turned and grabbed two cups from the cupboard. "Right now, Stel; I'm beyond caring to be quite honest. I hate liars and she lied to my face. Right now, I can't get passed that. I don't know if I could spend the rest of my life with someone that pulls shit like that."

"You're being a drama queen and you know it. You love Sam. You love her with your whole heart, Flack, so don't try and tell me anything different."

"She makes it really hard to love her Stel." Flack admitted. "I mean, we're always arguing over stupid shit. It's never been so hard to be in relationship."

"So why are you then? Why are you with her?"

"'Cause I love her."

Stella smiled smugly.

"Oh you're good." Flack chuckled. "Sneaky, Bonasera, real sneaky."

"No Flack; I'm just asking the tough questions. You need to talk to her – you need to find her and sit her down and talk. Like adults."

Flack sighed as he poured the fresh coffee into their cups and handed one to Stella. "What were Sam and Lindsay arguing about? The world ending? Cause I don't think I've seen them argue yet."

Stella shrugged nonchalantly. "It doesn't matter now."

"Stella." Flack warned, "I know that look of, 'if I tell him he's going to kick off'. Tell me what happened?"

Stella sighed.

"Stella, I'm not gonna ask you again."

"I don't know the whole of it – but, basically it seems like Sam was talking to Lindsay about what's happened and Lindsay couldn't understand why she hadn't told you."

"Glad that's not just me that can't grasp that."

"As I was saying," Stella glared, "Danny came in with M&M cause she's still sick, and Amanda was really upset, crying for Lindsay, whimpering and what not."

Flack nodded as he took a sip of his coffee.

"But, well, Danny walked in mid conversation with Sam, so when Amanda started crying, Lindsay focused her attention on her baby girl."

"Obviously."

"And, Sam started pushing for Lindsay's attention, and with each sob that Amanda let out, Sam got more frustrated."

Flack furrowed his brow as he took another sip.

"Sam ended up calling Amanda a brat."

Flack spit his coffee out. "She did WHAT?!"

Stella sighed, "See, this is why…"

"No!" Flack spat as he slammed his cup on the counter, "Hell no. Hell effing no. Seriously. No way. No way did she call my goddaughter a brat. Amanda? A brat?"

"Lindsay's sentiments exactly. Sam said something about Danny aswell, but I think Lindsay stopped listening when Sam said Amanda and brat in the same sentence."

"Who the hell does she think she is?!" Flack spat. "Amanda was sick and Lindsay is clearly gonna look after her daughter. Hell, Sam hadn't even spoken to me about it – she should have been searching for my ass, not riding Lindsay's for being a good mother. I swear to god, Stella. It's a good job I wasn't there. I would have… Well, I don't know what I would have done but…"

"Are you done?" Stella asked.

"No! I'm not done!" Flack spat, "Who the fuck… What the fuck… Sammie loves that little girl. What the hell has gotten into her?"

"She's just stressed and emotional." Stella reasoned. "I don't think she meant it."

"Oh," Flack shook his head, "if words come out of Sammie's mouth – she means them – she's not one to beat around the bush. Emotional or not – she meant what she said, Stella. I know her."

"Well, there's nothing much we can do about that. What we need to figure out though, is what you're gonna do. Sit around here all day in your boxers and cry?"

"Me? Cry? Please. I was watching the rangers game I taped, trying to calm myself down."

Stella chuckled. "You need to speak with Samantha, Flack."

"Why?" Flack asked. "Why should I go and look for her? She's the one causing this shit. She wants to talk to me so bad; she should come to me. She knows where we live. She has a key, if she wants to stay out all night that's her choice."

"Aren't you in the slightest bit worried?" Stella asked. "Anything could have happened to her."

"Honestly?" Flack snorted, "No. After I got her voicemail for the fiftieth time, I decided that I'd done all I can; she wants to turn her phone off whatever. I'm not about to go and search all around the city looking for her ass."

"I think your ego and feelings are hurting and you're burying your head in the sand."

"You can think that all you want. She told me she was pregnant."

"Well, did you see the test?"

Flack nodded. "She went to the doctors without me for it to be confirmed. I should have been there."

"But you weren't, so get over it and move on. Life goes on Flack."

"Yeah, but I was going to be a daddy, Stel. My own little ever after. I wanted to be right in there with Dan and Linds at baseball games. Our baby, Sammie and Me. Our little guy best friends with Danno's little boy. That's all I can – could – that's all I could think about."

"And you can have that. What she has doesn't make it impossible to conceive – I researched it."

"But it makes it damn difficult. I can't deal with that heartbreak day in – day out."

"It's not gonna be easy Flack, but it will be damn worth it."

Flack shrugged. "You know, I loved her so much, Stel. I loved her. But right now, I can't even look at the pictures we've taken together. She's hurt me."

"And she's hurting too. Why hurt separately when you can get through it together?"

"What's the point?" Flack asked. "We wouldn't be suffering if she hadn't have lied."

"People lie. People cheat. Hell, people kill over less than this – but the world doesn't end. I assure you."

"I just need some time." Flack admitted. "I appreciate you coming over here, Stel. Believe me, I do…"

"You're just wanting to kick me out."

Flack sighed. "I think I have some serious thinking to partake in."

"Partake? Big word for Don Flack." Stella teased.

He narrowed his brow as she moved towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Everything will be okay, Don. I promise."

"I just hope so."

* * *

"Danny, baby."

He looked up from his bowl of cereal. "Yeah honeybunch?"

"You know how I love you more than life itself."

He nodded as moved the spoon filled with cereal from the bowl to his mouth, "Sure."

She smiled, "If you don't stop leaving the toilet seat up, I am going to stab you with a Spork."

Danny spluttered and dropped his spoon as he desperately tried not to choke on the cereal he had just spooned into his mouth. "Whaaa-"

"Don't speak with your mouthful." Lindsay scolded. "I'm just telling you, if you leave the toilet seat up one more time, I will be left with no choice other than to stab you with a spork."

"Um, good to know?" he laughed.

"Yes," she nodded seriously. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

He laughed heartily before flipping the newspaper onto the sports page at the back. "So the case files are on your desk?"

She nodded. "I called Hawkes and he's gonna bring you up to speed. Are you sure you don't mind going in?"

Danny shook his head, "I prefer going in. Least then I know you're both safe. Plus, Amanda needs her mommy."

"I'm worried." Lindsay admitted. "It's nine-thirty and she hasn't woken up yet. She hasn't even stirred." Lindsay said her attention focused down at the baby monitor in her hand.

"She's sleeping whatever she has off, it's okay, Linds. Just keep checking on her and she'll be fine."

"I think I'm going to put her in our bed and lay with her. Keep her close to me,"

Danny smiled softly as he stretched out his hand and intertwined his fingers with Lindsay's free hand and pulled her close. He scooted back from the table and sat her on his knee sideways. "You're beautiful." He whispered as he kissed her temple.

She snorted. "I'm pregnant, in sweats and no make up and my hair is all over the place. Ooh, and I have tear tracks all the way down my face. Clean your glasses, baby."

He shook his head as he pressed a kiss to her temple, then her cheek, and then her nose. "Lindsay, you're beautiful. Inside and out."

She sighed, "Your sappy."

"You're my babies' mommy. If I want to shower you with affection and compliments then I will."

"I'm smushing you."

"Smushing?"

"Yeah, like a cross between squishing and mushing you into the chair. Smushing."

"Wow." Danny laughed as he wrapped his arms around her, "You're a whole different level of special, Lindsay."

"I think I preferred the compliments."

"Good job I have a whole archive of them, just waiting to be released."

"Have you been reading my book club books again? You've reached a new level of sap, which I though was impossible."

"No." Danny snorted. "Well, maybe."

"Which one."

"The first one… The cowboy from Montana."

"They're all from Montana, idiot."

"Well the first one, Logan?"

Lindsay smiled. "That's my favourite one!"

"See, we're just meant to be." Danny snorted. "We even love the same cheesy romance novel."

"I get that you're humouring me and making fun of me."

"Actually," Danny laughed, "I genuinely like the book. I want in on your book club."

"Danny, it's me, Stella, Peyton and… well, yeah. It's a girls thing."

"I could do an a la Pete Wentz and put some eye-liner on… Would that get me in?"

"Nice try," she smirked as she kissed his cheek and stood up, "but no."

Danny sighed heavily. "Fine."

"You should go." Lindsay reminded him, "you're gonna be late."

Danny closed the newspaper and stood up from his seat at the table. "What did mommy Lindsay make me for my lunch?"

"Sandwich, Oreos, an orange, some carrot sticks..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Carrot sticks?"

"Yes," Lindsay nodded. "Carrot sticks. Why?"

"Sorry, I don't think you heard me. Carrot sticks?"

Lindsay nodded again as she smirked, "Yes, why are we repeating Carrot sticks?"

"Why?" Danny asked as he grabbed the lunch box and shook it. "Why would you do that to me, don't you love me?"

Lindsay rolled her eyes, "Get your butt on the road, cowboy. Go save the world."

"Yeah." Danny smiled as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I can throw Carrot sticks at people and…"

"Go now."

"Going." Danny laughed as he pressed one last kiss to her temple. "Keep the doors locked. Don't hit anyone."

"Wiseass!" Lindsay called at his back as he walked away from her. "Eat your carrot sticks! Be careful, today! I love you."

He turned and winked in response before disappearing into the hallway. She smiled shyly as the door shut and turned back to restoring order in their messy kitchen.

As much as she hated the drama in her life right now. She had a fantastic life, with a fantastic husband.

And she wouldn't change it for the world.

* * *

**_A/N: Again, I understand that there may be controversial parts of this chapter that some readers may not like/agree with, however, I am a slave to my muse and said muse runs a tight ship._**

**_Also, on a side note; can I just say that the word 'haters' has been tossed around recently, and to be honest, I have no idea where this has come from. I know my fans are not this vindictive and are aware this this character of Sam is different to the one BEG75 created. It has however come to my attention that PM's are being tossed back and forth about this. If there are any questions about who WYHTG's Sam belongs to - please contact me as opposed to her creator. I have written her this way purely for my own stories and to satisfy the muse. I hope this clears any confusion up :) _**

**_I also hope you enjoyed the chapter :) _**

* * *

**_Special thank you to..._**

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	164. Out with the old, in with the new

**_A/N: So, I've had a lot of queries about what has been going on - what we're leading up to and I can finally give you an indication of where we are headed - read on to find out more. I think you'll be surprised. Like with the recent chapters, it may be controversial, but go with it, if you will?_**

**_I warn thee now, the heat gets turned up at one point, so proceed with caution. You know, pregnant Lindsay and all that..._**

**_I want to say a huge thank you to my rocks that have been there for me the past few days. Kerrie, Brina, Kellan, Amy and Megs! You're all stars!_**

* * *

Flack took a deep breath as he heard a key scratching in the apartment door lock. He licked his lips as he focused on the game playing on a low volume in front of him. Rugged and unshaven and in sweats and a black wifebeater he turned and looked over his shoulder at Sam with her purse in her hand.

"Oh so you remembered where you live then?"

"I wanted to give you some time to think."

"Sure." Flack snorted. "Yeah."

"Donnie, we need to talk."

"That's right." Flack said as he smacked his forehead and turned in his seat to face her, "That's quite the epiphany, Sam! Why did I not come to that conclusion, sooner?"

"Don't get smart." She said as she flumped down on the couch, "I'm not in the mood."

"Oh, you're not. Right," Flack laughed, "my apologies."

"Do we really have to get into this?" Sam sighed, exasperated. "Really?"

"Sammie, you lied. You ball faced lied to me. What do you honestly expect?"

"I didn't lie about anything!"

"You want to marry me? You tell me conditions that are detrimental to you conceiving a baby, Sam. Hell, I expect you to tell me every last detail. You know everything about me! Why do I get the feeling that I know nothing about you?"

"You know me!" Sam defended herself.

"Do I Sam?" Flack asked, "Do I really? I never thought I would have Stella Bonasera in my kitchen at six am telling me that you had bitched out my goddaughter and her mother had slapped you."

"If she wasn't pregnant…"

"You finish that sentence Sam and I swear to god I will kick you out of this apartment and make sure you land in next week, on your ass."

"You weren't there!" Samantha defended herself. "She was treating me like… It was utter bullshit, Don. I needed her and …"

"Amanda's sick." Flack said. "Lindsay has better things to worry about than our shit, Samantha! Her daughter is sick and you have the balls to turn around and call her a brat?"

"Jesus," Sam sighed, "I could have called her a lot fucking worse! I could have said a lot worse!"

"Oh yeah?" Flack pressed, "Like what?"

"She wants, she gets." Sam started. "She's spoiled. She has every toy that she could ever dream of… She's way too overprotected. She whines. Incessantly. She's fussed over day and night. She sneezes and they're freaking out. They go on about how much they love their little baby girl as if…"

Flack slammed the TVGuide next to him on the table, gaining her attention. "You need to stop."

"Truth hurts," Sam said, "Don't it?"

"The truth hurts?" Flack asked sarcastically. "She's a baby, Sam. She's their first-born. Danny and Lindsay love her with everything they have – as do I. So they give her what she wants, big deal? She's eighteen months old. She has the rest of her life to be disciplined. They have the rest of her life to say no to her. They have the rest of her life to punish her for whining. I can't see them spending they can't get back with her saying no to her and scolding her. She's well behaved in public, and at home. Maybe it's just around you she whines incessantly. You ever thought about that, Sammie?"

"You asked – I told you. I never said you would like it."

"Where did my Sammie go? The one that I loved. That loved me? Hell, that loved Amanda, and Danny – and Lindsay. The one that didn't throw insults here there and everywhere."

"I'm just sick of it. I'm sick of the little poster family flaunting everything we don't have in our faces. The nice house – paid off by his mother. The nice car. The nice neighbourhood. The beautiful little girl. The baby on the way. The happily ever after marriage. I'm sick of it. I can't get pregnant! And she's there – as pregnant as the day is long, and she doesn't even offer an ounce of sympathy?"

"You can get pregnant!" Flack reminded her. "I've been on the net researching it. It's not impossible, and it isn't rare either, there's a whole list of other people that..."

"SO!" Sam bellowed. "Good for those people – who's to say I'm the same as them though? What if I can't get pregnant?"

"And what if you can?"

"Well, I thought I was before – and look how that turned out. Me staying in a scummy Motel and you staying up all hours."

"And?" Flack pressed. "That's us – it's our life with the cards we were dealt with. Cry me a river, Sam. Pull up the big girl pants and fucking deal with it! I'm sick of the whining. You have no faith in me whatsoever, do you?"

"You walked out on me." She whispered.

"Yeah, I walked out on you – but I didn't walk out on us. I wouldn't do that. I was pissed. I was upset and I was hurt that you didn't tell me, but it doesn't mean I stopped loving you Sam. You have to stop with this comparing yourself to Lindsay. Her and Danny have worked so hard to be as happy as they are. They've been through hell together. I don't think you realise that."

"No, because 'I wasn't here'." She air quoted. "I didn't see what they 'went through'. Big deal? He thought he cheated? He didn't. Move on."

"You're a piece of work, Sam. You know that?" Flack said as he got up from his rocking recliner.

"I'm a piece of work?!" She asked, following him into the kitchen. "What about you?"

"Me? What about me?"

"I wish I hadn't even come home." She sighed. "We wouldn't be getting into this now. It's always my fault when we…"

"Oh cut the 'poor me' shit, Sam." Flack interrupted. "I was fucking worried about you."

"You have a funny way of showing it." She snorted.

"Check your phone." He snorted as he took two glasses from the cupboard and filled them with water and handed one to her. "You'll find about twenty five missed calls and about seven voicemails."

Sam fell silent as she sipped her water.

"I was worried, Sam." He admitted. "Sure you piss me off to no end, but I still love you… And really thought that you would have come home so we could have discussed this."

"That's why I came home…"

"No." Flack sighed. "Came home last night. The more I've thought about it – the more it's hurt me that you can spring that on me and not even consider how I'm hurting. Yes Sammie, I understand you're hurting, I get that – I really do. But just because I'm Flack – that means that I can't be upset? Stella came round – Lindsay called. Danny dropped by on the way to speak to some CI – and you know what I had to say?"

"What?"

"I hadn't heard from you. Do you know how that made me feel? Do you even care? If something happened to you, Sam – do you have any idea how beside myself I would be that I let that happen to you?"

"Well I'm sure your best friends would pick up the pieces." She huffed.

"Will you lay off Danny and Lindsay? Please? I'm sick and tired of this bullshit and it's only just started – you don't have to like them Sam, but I love them. They're the people I would trust my life with, and their daughter – I love her and feel the unrequited need to defend her – against anything and anyone. Even you, Samantha."

"Whatever." She shrugged. "That's something you have to do. That's who you are. I get that."

"You don't sound like you get 'that'."

"I do. If you want to defend a bratty little toddler and her parents then that's fine."

"What the hell is your problem?!?!" Flack bellowed as he slammed his water glass onto the counter. "Seriously, what is this, hate on Danny and Lindsay week?"

Sam shook her head; "You're actually taking their side on this, aren't you."

"I didn't realise there were sides that had to be taken? I thought they were they, and we are we. We have our own shit to deal with, so why don't we get on with it, instead of arguing about two people – hell, three people, I hold dearly."

"Do you hold them dearer than me?" Sam pressed.

"Right now?" Flack asked, "Yeah."

"You bastard." Sam hissed. "Take that back."

"The way you're acting Samantha, you're either high, or low on your caffeine intake if you think I'm about to take that back. Sure Sam, I love you. I do. But I don't see where bitching and arguing about Lindsay and Danny is going to get us. They don't solve our problems."

"Nothing solves our problems." She spat. "We're always arguing. That's all we ever do!"

"No we don't." Flack snorted. "This is our first major argument as a couple in a loving relationship, Sam. Sure we argue about who forgot to grab the sandwich meat at the grocery store or who left the TV on standby when we fell asleep on the couch. Nothing major, like oh say, I don't know the hardships in which we're facing in order to conceive a damn baby!"

"What's the big deal? Where's the fire – why do we have to get to parenthood so quick? Can't we just get married and be one of those couples that are selfish and want to keep each other to themselves."

Flack merely looked at her. "Don't you get it?"

"Get what?"

"That I love you so much – I love you to the extent of wanting to create a baby with you. I want what Danny and Lindsay have – sure I'll hold my hands up and say I want a forever after. I want what that Carrie chick sings about at the end of that Disney movie that Lindsay loves. I want the little boy nagging at me to take him to the park to throw the ball around, and I want to sit and play princesses and have a tea party with a little girl that looks just like you. Don't you want that Sam? An ever after?"

"I do, but…"

"How can there be a but?"

"I'm not mother material."

"Bullshit, I've seen you with Amanda... Well, when you're not shouting at her."

"You weren't there – you don't know what happened."

"I have a pretty good idea." Flack shrugged as he sipped his drink. "So come on… You have this talent with Amanda – motherhood comes so natural to you – what's making you dig your heels into the sand?"

"It's easy enough being Auntie Sam for a few hours. But it's not as easy when you can't give the brat back after a few hours."

"Did you take some type of drug last night?" Flack asked seriously, "Cause this isn't the Samantha I know."

"Who is the Samantha you know, Don? Who is she?"

"The Samantha I know cares. She cares and loves her friends. She cares and loves her co-workers. The Samantha I know would walk over hot coals for her best friend and honorary niece. She excels at what she does and strives to be the best version of herself. I love her just because she's Samantha."

Sam closed her eyes, "I don't know whether I can live up to your standards, Don. I really don't."

"I'm speaking the truth!" He snorted. "I don't expect anything of you other than you being yourself. Nothing more; nothing less. I love you for you."

"You don't know me. I lied to you."

"So? I'll build a bridge and get over it. Life goes on Sam; people lie all the time. You either pick your shit up and move on, or you let it go – what's it gonna be."

Sam sighed.

"I'm sorry this is so testing and time consuming for you." Flack deadpanned. "I didn't realise talking about 'us' was so boring."

"I didn't say that."

"Well go on then, what's it gonna be?"

"What does it matter what I think?"

"Cause you matter Sam, you matter to me. You're my fiancée. Of course it matters what you think."

Sam rolled her eyes.

"Stop trying to push me away; open up to me and deal with this." Flack glared at her. "You grating on my nerves, Sam. What the hell is going on with you?"

"What does it matter? You didn't care enough to sit down and talk about it before – you walked out. You're surely gonna walk out again. Guys have walked out over less, and leave the women on their own."

"You know what, I'm done here. When you feel like conducting an adult conversation, come let me know."

"I don't need to." Sam said as she grabbed his arm. "Not once have you considered asking me how I'm coping. Not once have asked me if I'm okay. Not once have you said to me that you're sorry for walking out. Not once. Nobody has! It's poor Lindsay, poor Amanda, poor Flack…. Well what about poor Sam? Who's on her side?"

"Stella."

"Don't look me in the face and lie to me."

"I swear to god, she stood where you are right now and defended you."

"I don't believe you."

"Don't." Flack snorted. "That's fine. No skin off my nose. Like I said before you want to be a big girl, come find me – I'll be watching the Rangers game. I want to make this work Sammie, I do. We just need to work on talking to each other."

"So this is how it's going to be? Me coming to you?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to talk to me. Can't we talk this through like adults?"

"You're the one acting like a kid. Grow up, Samantha."

"What the hell! I want to talk about this, stop being so infuriating. Is that all you can throw at me, grow up? You grow the fuck up, Flack! You do it! Go on, ask me how I'm doing."

He simply looked at her.

"See," she whispered. "You can't. You're mad and you're burying your head in the sand so that you don't have to deal with this. You want to go Don then go, walk out of the door. Sure it will break my heart, but life will go on."

"This is my apartment." He reminded her.

She took a deep breath as a tear finally cascaded down her cheek. "I lost Lindsay and now it seems like I've lost you."

"You pushed us away, Sammie. We wanted to be there. You changed. Not us."

"We're going round in circles." She sniffled. "I can't do this anymore."

"Do what?" Flack asked.

"This." She gestured between them. "I think I'm gonna need some time."

"Time? Sure," Flack nodded. "We got time. You want me to go sit in the bedroom then fine, I can do that."

"I mean time away from us." She sighed. "Too much has happened too fast and I think we both need a cooling off period."

"So you're walking away? You're walking away when things are hard, you're bailing. Is that what you're saying?"

"One of us needs to." She sniffed as her eyes cast down.

"No, one of us just needs to pull your head out from your ass and make you see that we fit – and we can get round this problem that was unnecessarily created."

Sam shook her head as she reached for her keys. "I'm going to make this really easy for you."

"Sam come on now… wait." He sighed as she stormed out of the kitchen and into the hallway.

* * *

That had been two months ago.

Samantha in a mad rage had walked out. And hadn't turned back.

"I still can't believe the key cut you." Danny laughed amusedly, bringing Flack out of his reverie. "Like seriously, she threw it at you and BOOM, your forehead was gushing with blood?"

"Pretty much," Flack shrugged. "I just can't believe she's gone."

"She's gonna be back. You know she is." Danny assured his friend. "She needs time. That much was obvious."

Flack sighed. "Two months worth of time?"

"You know women. Take their sweet time with things. Speaking off... Lindsay misses her, you know. Every week she calls Sam's cell phone. Has done since she left."

"Has she ever answered?"

Danny shook his head sadly. "First few times, Lindsay cried – I think that was a mix of pregnancy hormones aswell though. But, saying that, she's lost her best friend and didn't get the chance to make things right before Sam took off. It's getting easier now. Linds doesn't really think about calling as much. Just if something reminds her of something they did together. And when she does, she doesn't let it ring as long. It just kills me, ya know… Seeing her like that."

"They were tight for a long time."

"Exactly." Danny nodded as he uncapped his bottle of water. "What about you? How you holding up?"

Flack shrugged. "When she first said she was taking some time I just thought she meant on her own in a hotel. Like a week or something then she'd want her key back, would kiss my cut, and we'd be good again. When I came into work and her stuff had gone, it broke me. I'm not gonna lie."

"You were with Linds, right?"

Flack nodded. "It's a good job I was wiping her tears away, cause otherwise she would have been wiping mine."

"It was pretty shitty," Danny nodded as he took a sip of his water. "Leaving like that."

"Things were too intense. She felt like everyone hated her. She thought she had lost Lindsay."

"Don't make excuses for her, Flack." Danny snapped. "What about you and her? Shouldn't that have mattered more? I can't believe I'm about to say this, but screw Lindsay; they would have made up – your relationship mattered more. So don't make excuses for her."

"I'm not." he sighed. "I just… I miss her. I miss what we used to be. I don't know where and why it changed."

"People change." Danny shrugged. "Some more drastically than others."

Flack nodded sadly.

"You know what they say buddy," Danny said as he clapped Flack on the back, "If it's meant to be, she'll come back to you."

"I don't think it would ever be the same." Flack admitted. "I really loved her and she left. Gone. Blink of an eye, my whole world disappeared."

Danny nodded sadly. "I don't know what I would do if Lindsay ever left me."

"Never gonna happen, Danno." Flack smiled. "You two are meant to be. Me however? Apparently I'm unlucky in love."

"Boo hoo." Danny teased softly. "Poor Flackie."

"She got a sister by any chance? Linds, that is."

"Perv!" Danny spat as he thumped him. "No… She has a brother though. How would that work out for you?"

"You got about as much luck with that as you have me sleeping with you."

"Why would you even think about something like that?" Danny asked; disgust displayed across his face.

"You'd be surprised about the shit some people think of."

Danny nodded. "Apparently. But ya know, only pure thoughts go through Danny Messer's mind."

"Oh now please, I don't believe that for a second." Flack laughed.

"Well, when it comes to Lindsay I may have some un-pure, R rated, hot wild…"

"Don't want to know, thanks." Flack grimaced, cutting him off.

"You started it," Danny shrugged.

"Yeah well, I'm finishing it, daddy Messer." Flack laughed before turning slightly more serious. "Do you think she will come back? You know ten years from now… I'll have like eighteen cats and she'll come back, married to some guy?"

Danny shrugged, "I honestly have no idea. I mean, I thought I knew her – turns out I didn't. I wouldn't put anything passed her."

"I'd say we should go out after shift. Have a few beers, head to some strip clubs, but I can't see pregnant Lindsay going for that and letting M&M and Josh's daddy roam New York's strip clubs..."

"You want hot, no strings attached sex I could pull some strings." Danny started.

Flack raised an eyebrow, "A pity fuck, from a random stranger that you dated three hundred years ago? No thanks."

Danny shrugged as he stood up off of the crime lab's steps, indicating he was heading back inside. "I don't know about random. Or person _I've_ dated for that matter..."

"You have someone in mind?" Flack laughed. "You've already thought about this? What do you mean not someone you've dated?"

"Dude, I watch Friends. I know all the stages of a break up."

"I am not having this conversation…" Flack laughed out loud.

"Seriously, you want a little somethin' somethin' ... I can arrange it."

"Oh yeah?" Flack laughed as he punched the elevator button. "With who?"

Danny shook his head as he turned his finger around in a rotating motion in the air.

Flack furrowed his brow, highlighting his confusion, but turned anyway. His eyes widened instantly. "Detective."

"Flack." The woman smirked. "Long time no see."

"What you doing back here?" Flack asked tentatively, directing the question more towards Danny.

"I need her for a case." Danny explained. "She worked homicide on a few high profile cases. Nick and I are working this case that's drawing some distinct parallels. So I called her up and she hauled ass from sunny So-Cal to help The Messer."

Jessica Angell shook her head. "What can I say?" she smirked at Flack's dumbfounded expression. "He asked nicely."

"Well, good to know you didn't drop off the face of the earth." Flack finally managed as he wrapped his arms around her, "It's good to see you."

Angell smiled as she took a deep breath.

As soon as the strong arms wrapped themselves around her person and she melted into the embrace; she knew she was in for a world of trouble.

Jessica Angell still loved Don Flack.

And there wasn't a damn thing she could do to stop it.

* * *

"Who died?" Danny laughed as he slowly made his way into the bedroom. "No lights on, no food in the microwave for me; Amanda's in bed - asleep? What's going on?"

Lindsay shrugged, her eyes not leaving the TV.

Danny rolled his eyes as he leant down and pressed a kiss to her temple. "You okay?"

She shrugged as she dug violently into her tub of ice cream with a teaspoon.

"You know," Danny laughed as he moved around the bed. "I kinda liked you more when you talked to me, you know. Like said actual words."

"I want to have sex." She sighed dramatically.

Danny dropped his shoes where he was stood and shrugged. "Sure, we can do that."

"No! I want to have sex in the shower," she sighed. "But you always say…"

"Eat your ice cream, Montana."

"… That." She huffed as she dug her spoon into the cookie dough ice cream.

Danny rolled his eyes as he unbuttoned his shirt and threw it on the floor. "I'm just saying I'm not risking…"

"One of us slipping and me hurting myself… I know. I've heard it before; you give me the same line every time. It's cause I'm fat. That's it, isn't it..."

Danny quickly undid his button on his jeans as he chucked his shield onto the dresser. "You know that's bullshit. I love you."

"I hate you."

"And I love you." Danny smiled from across the bedroom. "No matter how much you bitch at me…"

"You made me fat and now you wont even let me use you for hot sex…"

"Please carry on, Lindsay, you make me feel so loved."

"I didn't marry someone as hot as you to look at you, Danny."

"I miss the sentimental, 'Danny I love you so much' stage of your pregnancy."

"I miss sex." Lindsay huffed. "It's been what? Four days?"

"Twelve hours!!" Danny snorted. "We had sex at seven this morning, Lindsay. It's seven pm now."

"So?"

"So? Twelve hours is hardly four days, Lindsay. I mean really, come on now."

"Why are you so mean to me?" She asked tearfully.

Danny licked his lips as he saw tears rising in his wife's eyes. "Baby… I didn't…"

"No!" She sobbed as she flung her spoon dramatically into the tub of ice cream. "No! You're always so awful to me. I'm carrying your son and you just have no respect for me. Next time you carry the damn kid for nine effing months!!!"

Danny fought with himself not to laugh. He had perfected the art of dealing with pregnant Lindsay when she was having Amanda and as soon as they hit the seven-month mark with Joshua, Danny's past experiences came rushing back to him.

He tentatively edged his way over to the bed in his white wifebeater and boxer shorts and knelt on the edge of the bed. "Montana, baby, do you need a tissue?"

She nodded as she put the ice cream container down.

"Here you go." He smiled warmly as he offered the box of Kleenexes he kept at the side of his bed for meltdowns, such as this one. "Do you want a cuddle?"

She nodded as tears cascaded down her cheek.

He chuckled softly as he sat back in the bed and opened his arms letting Lindsay snuggle into them and sob as she gripped to his wifebeater. "You know how much I love you, baby girl, right?"

She nodded. "And I…" she whimpered, "Love you too… I just get…"

"Upset sometimes." He finished.

She nodded. "I don't mean the mean things I say."

"I know honey." Danny smiled as he kissed the top of her head. "We just get a little upset and need a cuddle to make things better again, right?"

She nodded against his chest. "I do still want sex though."

Danny laughed. "Well, can we wipe your tears away and then we can work on that?"

Lindsay sighed, "I guess."

"Atta girl." Danny laughed. "What was for dinner?"

"Strawberry Jam sandwich."

Danny nodded. "With what."

"On it? Or on the side."

"Both," Danny shrugged. "Whatever you had."

"Well I had, cheese and onion with the jam and a side of macaroni and cheese."

"Oh sweet Jesus, Lindsay."

Tears began to rise in her eyes as she gazed up at him. He sighed heavily.

"Could you make me one of those tomorrow for my lunch? It sounds delicious."

She beamed up at him, "Really?"

_I'm going to hell, _he thought."Scouts honour."

"We should eat them together." She gushed. "I just know you'll love it."

Danny nodded, despite his stomach churning.

"In fact…" She smiled brightly. "I'll go make one now, we can share it."

"NO!" Danny practically yelled. "I thought you wanted to have sex."

"I want a sandwich first."

Danny sighed as he softly caught her hand and pulled her back down on the bed with a thump. "Lindsay, stay…"

"I'm hungry!" She whined. "Joshua's hungry."

"But I want to make love to you."

Lindsay narrowed her eyes and looked at him. "You're lying to me."

"What?!" Danny gasped, "No, I genuinely want to make love to you, Montana."

"No I mean about the sandwich." Lindsay huffed. "You don't think it sounds delicious. It was a bad sweet Jesus, wasn't it…"

"You're beautiful." Danny smiled at her. "I don't think I tell you that enough."

"Don't change the subject!" she growled. "Whenever you think I'm gonna start crying you change the subject!"

"I'm not changing the subject, I'm just telling you how I feel. When you get all frustrated and flustered it makes you all… The beauty radiates off of you." Danny crossed his fingers behind his back, desperately praying to any god listening that she got distracted from her being hell bent on getting Danny to try said disgusting sandwich.

"Do you really mean it?" she asked.

"Hand on my heart." He nodded. "You're beautiful."

Lindsay blushed and giggled. "You know, I could always make adjustments to having sex in the shower."

"Oh yeah?" Danny asked, "I'll bite – like what kind of adjustments?"

"In the bed." She giggled. "It has the same end result at the end of the day."

"When did we get so romantic?" Danny teased. "I mean really? I'm choking on all the fluff and sap."

She glared at him.

"I'm sorry. You were wanting to have sex?" he asked, silently scolding himself for potentially decreasing his chances in having sex.

Numerous times.

"I think I've changed my mind now." She informed him.

_Well done, Messer. _He groaned inwardly. _Great job there. _"You sure, Linds… Sure I can't change your mind?"

She shook her head as she dug into her ice cream, "I'm sure."

Danny moved over to her and wrapped an arm around her before stealing the spoon and digging into the ice cream. He smirked at the death glare she was giving him as he licked the spoon clean. "S'matter?"

"That's mine." She huffed. "I'm pregnant. Not you. You don't get ice cream."

"Can't you share, Montana?" Danny asked as he scooped another spoonful in his mouth.

She shook her head. "No, no I can't share."

"You're not exactly advocating the best behaviour for our kids, Lindsay."

"They don't steal mommy's ice cream." Lindsay reminded him, "You either need to give me that spoon back or you're going to die."

"That's very fatalistic," he teased. "I'm going to die?"

She nodded. "I will shove you off the bed and you'll fall. All 'cause you ate my ice cream. It will be a sad day for all involved."

Danny nodded thoughtfully. "Okay," he said as he scooped some more ice cream onto the spoon. "How about I do you a deal?" he asked.

"Do I get my spoon back?" she asked hopefully.

He nodded as he shifted away from her slightly, and trickled the melted ice cream on her bare shoulder, leading up to the juncture of her neck. "I'll just need to borrow the spoon every few minutes." He told her as he handed her the spoon back.

She shivered until the contrast of the cold ice cream on her warm skin and she craned her neck so that she was looking at her shoulder. She was about to ask him what the hell he was doing when she felt him nipping and sucking lightly at her skin, effectively ridding it of the ice cream.

She wanted to yell at him. She wanted to beat his ass.

But good lord the man was talented.

She dropped the tub of ice cream to her lap, letting the spoon clatter in the nearly empty carton as she thoroughly enjoyed the sensations and sparks from Danny's kisses and nips at her skin.

"You still sure about not wanting to have sex?" he whispered in her ear.

Lindsay blinked before turning, as quickly as she could, and effectively pinned him against the headboard as she hungrily kissed him, to which he returned instantly.

Her fingertips moved to the hem of his wifebeater as they desperately fought to rid him of the garment of clothing. It was evident that their searing kiss was preventing her from any multitasking, and after trying, and failing epically to remove his t-shirt, she simply tugged at it, and giggled against his lips.

"You want this off?" he asked breathlessly.

She nodded.

He smirked as he tugged it over his head chucked it clear across the room, and twisted as he carefully moved them down onto the bed. "I love pregnant Lindsay." He whispered against her lips as they continued with the previous kiss.

"DADDY!"

"Just ignore her." Lindsay whimpered as Danny's fingers slid up her vest top. "It's just cause she heard your voice."

He nodded.

"DADDEEE!"

Lindsay sighed at the hesitance of Danny.

"I'm ignoring her." He assured Lindsay. "See, look." He smirked as he pressed another kiss to her lips. "Totally ignoring her."

"DADDDDEEEEEEEE! Me had an accident!!!"

Lindsay groaned.

He closed his eyes as he rested his forehead against Lindsay's. "She has sucky timing."

"Tell me about it," Lindsay sighed as she sat up in the bed. She smirked as she glanced down at his boxers now sporting a very attractive bulge. "Do you need me to go cowboy?"

He shook his head. "Give me a second."

She shook her head.

"DADDY! YOU HEAR ME?!"

"Yes baby girl!" Danny hollered. "I heard you! I'm just talking to Mommy! Give me a minute!"

"BUT DADDDEEEE!!"

"I'M COMING!" He bellowed as he stood up off the bed. "Her other bedding in the linen closet?"

Lindsay nodded. "Hurry back?"

"Hells yeah!" Danny smirked as he leant down to kiss her. "You should time me, this is gonna be a world record."

"Please tell me you're referring to changing her sheets."

"Oh you're in for a hell of a night cowgirl."

Lindsay blushed and giggled as she watched Danny slip his wifebeater back on.

"It's on backwards." She informed him.

"It's coming back off. It doesn't matter." He snorted as he made his way across the bedroom. "Oh Linds?"

"Yeah," she nodded as she dropped the near empty ice cream tub on the floor.

"Do me a favour?"

"Sure."

"Lose the shirt."

Lindsay licked her lips before removing her tank top. "Anything else?"

"Just don't do anything till I get back." He glared at her.

Lindsay wiggled her eyebrows. "You better hurry up then."

* * *

"I can't believe you're staying in a hotel, Jess." Flack shook his head as set the car into _park_.

"Well, I think it's frowned upon me sleeping on the street, Flack." She smirked. "Where did you expect me to stay?"

"I have a spare room." he offered.

Jess smiled. "I appreciate the offer, Don. But…"

"It's not a good idea?"

"No." Jess laughed. "City's paying for me to stay in the hotel cause they need my expertise." She smirked. "Wanna come up and eat the contents of the mini bar?"

Flack wiggled his eyebrows and put the SUV into _drive_.

"Take that as a no?"

"I'm parking in a more convenient place."

"Oh." She smiled. "That's a yes then?"

"It's a half yes." Flack laughed.

"Half yes?" Angell laughed. "English please…"

"We're raiding the mini bar and then hauling ass back to mine."

"Why?" Angell snorted.

"Sheets are cleaner." He joked playfully.

"Was that a line, Flack? Did you just bust out your game on me?"

"Whatever works. For the record it _was_ a joke."

"I think it's gonna take more than a joke – a bad one at that to get me to partake in some rough and tumble in the sheets, detective."

"We'll see."

Flack took a deep breath as he looked at the woman in the passenger seat smirking at him.

He was slowly beginning to believe that things happened for a reason.

And until things fell into place and made sense.

He was in for the ride that life had in store.

* * *

**_A/N: Well there you go._** _**We did a bit of time-travelling; what did you all think? **_

**_Special thank you to... _**

AngelicStars

Twinkeyrocks

muchmadness

afrozenheart412

Brown eyed Girl 75

iheartcsinewyork

gwen24

IluvPeterPetrelli

Hypedupash

Bec0512

jennabby

SkyBlueSw

vikkilynne93

CrazySkittles

Simplelove3663

ambercsiny

lulubell76

uscrocks

aussietasha

edward-and-bella-forever

summergirlforever

saderia

MeredithandDerekfanforever


	165. Pop Tarts, Heartbreak and Happiness

"Mommy! Mommy! Now!"

Lindsay raised her eyebrows at her daughter, who was sat banging her fists on the highchair's tray table. "Excuse me?"

"Hungwy!"

"Do you see me breaking this Pop Tart up, Amanda? I am breaking it into little pieces as fast as I possibly can. Give me fifty seconds and you will have your breakfast."

"Hungwy!!"

"I heard you." Lindsay threw over her shoulder. "You bellowing at me is not going to make me break it up any quicker."

"Hungwy!!!"

"Amanda!!!!" Danny bellowed from his and Lindsay's bedroom, "Don't make me come down there little girl, listen to mommy!"

"Hungwy daddy!!!!"

"Amanda!!!" He bellowed. "Knock it off!"

Her little legs smashed against the highchair as she whimpered and sulked at the reaction she had received. "But Dadddeeeeee!"

Danny's heavy footsteps could be heard stomping down the stairs and Amanda froze. Lindsay turned amusedly in her position where she was stood at the counter and faced the door, waiting for Danny to appear.

And appear he did. With a toothbrush in his mouth, hair matted down from his shower, while he sported the famous wifebeater and low-slung jeans. He simply raised one eyebrow at Amanda who was squirming in her seat, looking anywhere but at him.

"Amanda." He mumbled from the toothpaste in his mouth preventing him speaking properly. "Enough."

She let out a 'humph' and folded her arms across her chest before sticking her tongue out at Danny and grinning.

"This isn't a game!" he glared at her, gesturing wildly with his toothbrush in the air. "The neighbours next door are probably fixing on making their way round here and kicking your baby butt. It's seven thirty in the morning, Amanda. Knock. It. Off. Listen to mommy. Do you hear me?"

She nodded and sighed heavily. "Hungwy daddy."

"And the more you complain the longer mommy is going to take on getting your breakfast together."

"Hungwy." She whined.

"You won't die." Danny told her. "Now I don't want to hear another peep, Amanda Mackenzie, do you understand me?"

She nodded and sighed. "But Daddy…."

"Not another peep." He reminded her he turned on his heel and headed back up the stairs.

Amanda sighed heavily and chucked her sippy cup on the floor in a mad rage.

"Daddy has spoken," Lindsay giggled softly as she struggled to pick the cup up off of the floor. Once she had retrieved it and managed to stand back up, she placed it on the kitchen table, away from Amanda's reach so that there was no chance Lindsay would end up bending down four hundred times picking it up again. There was no doubt in Lindsay's mind that Amanda would spark up the 'let's drop the sippy cup and wind mommy and daddy up' game, and as fun as it was, at nearly eight months pregnant, it wasn't Lindsay's favourite game.

"Breakbast, mommy?"

"Breakfast." Lindsay said, "Can you say break-fast, sweetie? Breakfast."

"Breakbast."

"Close enough," Lindsay shrugged as she placed the Dora the Explorer plastic plate in front of Amanda with scattered pieces of the pop tart Amanda had begged Lindsay to have for breakfast.

"What do you say?" Lindsay prompted her daughter.

"Please."

"No honey; when someone gives you something you say 'thank you'."

"Please." Amanda grinned.

"You're just being silly." Lindsay sighed.

Amanda grinned toothily at Lindsay. "T'anks mommy."

"I knew you could do it," Lindsay smiled before she walked the small distance to the fridge and opened it up. "What does mommy want?" Lindsay wondered out loud.

"PANCAKES!" The little girl bellowed as she happily munched on a small piece of Pop Tart.

"I'm going to re-name you Pancake and squish you like one." Lindsay threatened.

Amanda shrieked with glee and flung a fist of smushed up Pop Tart to the floor and giggled.

"I hope you know daddy is probably going to make you suck that up from the floor like a little vacuum cleaner."

"Daddy bad mood." Amanda declared. "Tired."

"Yeah," Lindsay smirked. "Daddy's tired."

"Mommy tired?" Amanda pressed.

"Sure." Lindsay nodded. "Mommy's tired too."

"I wonder who's fault that is." Danny smirked as he padded into the kitchen barefoot. He made his way over to Amanda and ruffled her golden brown curls and pressed a kiss to the top of her head as he stole a piece of her Pop Tart before making his way over to Lindsay.

"That's her's." Lindsay scolded him over her shoulder, as he chomped on the sugary breakfast item.

"She won't waste away." Danny teased as he wrapped his arms around Lindsay's ever expanding belly. "Morning beautiful."

"Morning." She returned as she leaned back into the embrace and nestled her head against his shoulder.

"Last night was amazing." He whispered as he kissed her shoulder. "I love pregnant Lindsay."

She giggled and blushed. "Just pregnant Lindsay?"

"Well, non-pregnant Lindsay is just as fun. Non-pregnant Lindsay is also more flexible and bendy and the positions are… wow… Which actually, in itself is a whole other dimension of…"

"Innocent ears in the room." She quickly reminded him.

"Right," Danny nodded. "Amanda, close your ears a second."

Amanda narrowed her brow and scrunched her nose up in confusion. "Daddy how?"

"Put your fingers in your ears."

Amanda raised an eyebrow and put her fingers in her ears and giggled. "Like dis?"

Danny nodded. "Can you hear me?"

"No." she shook her head.

Both Danny and Lindsay chuckled. "You were saying?" Lindsay whispered as she turned in his arms and stood up on her tiptoes as she softly pressed a kiss to his lips.

"I say we let Amanda run riot in the living room for a half an hour watching Beauty and the Beast while I show you how much I love you."

"Daddeee can I listen yet?"

"No baby, keep those fingers in your ears."

Amanda sighed but did as she was told. "Secwets bad, daddy."

"Just keep those fingers in your ears, it's a mommy and daddy secret. It's a surprise."

Amanda squealed.

"You're going to have to buy her something now." Lindsay sighed. "She only knows one meaning for surprise. And it usually results in her getting something."

"I'll buy her some crayons and a colouring book." Danny laughed. "Seriously Montana, you and me, upstairs?"

"We have work, cowboy. We go upstairs; we get fired for being late. Again. Not to mention CPS on our butts for being bad parents."

"And?" Danny laughed. "We're good parents... Just with healthy sexua-"

"Breakfast." Lindsay sighed as she rested her head on his chest. "What do you want?"

"I want some Lindsay lovin', with a side of our son deciding to stop kicking me." Danny laughed, "I can feel him kick me. Like right now. Doesn't that hurt you? Him beating the crap out of your insides?"

Lindsay shrugged. "He's telling you to be nice to me."

"Dadddeeee!" Amanda whined, making her presence known.

"Eat your Pop Tart, sweetie." Lindsay smiled and squirmed as Danny teased her with the kisses he was pressing to her neck and shoulder. "Ignore daddy, he's just being a silly daddy."

"Siwwy!" Amanda giggled as she chomped on her breakfast.

"Dan." Lindsay sighed, trying to get Danny's attention. "Danny…. Daniel!"

"What," he whispered against her neck.

"Breakfast." She muttered. "What do you want?"

"I told you." He said. "You."

"Something that is edible and part of a balanced diet."

He sighed as he removed his hands from around her waist. "Would you judge me if I said Froot Loops."

She laughed. "You have them every morning. So no." she smirked as she moved away from him and grabbed a bowl. "Go sit down."

"Yes mommy." He teased as he tickled her sides before turning and heading towards Amanda. "How's that Pop Tart?"

Amanda grinned. "Yummy."

"You look nice and sticky. How do you get sticky from Pop Tarts? They're like the most unstickiest breakfast food known to man."

"Unstickiest?" Lindsay snorted. "Wisebutt. Unstickiest…. What ever next?"

"Hey! Look at googled. That's a word now. You say something enough, it finds it's way into a dictionary."

Lindsay rolled her eyes as she placed Danny's bowl of cereal in front of him and pressed a kiss to his temple. "It's a good job I love you."

He smirked and winked at her as he fished out a few dry Froot Loops and laid them on Amanda's tray. "Don't say I never give you anything." He told her.

Lindsay shook her head as she leant with her back against the counter, hand resting on her seven and a half months pregnant belly, and sighed happily.

He was a dork.

But he was her dork.

And she loved him.

* * *

Jessica Angell sighed as she plugged in the coffee machine sat on Don Flack's kitchen counter.

_He's tried. _She thought. _He's tried so hard to hide all the evidence of her. Whoever she was. _

"How long does it take to turn on the coffee pot, Jess?" Flack called from his makeshift bed on the sofa in the living room.

"Don!" She called as she took a deep breath.

"Yeah?"

"Can you come here a minute?"

"The instruction booklet is in the third drawer to the left, but really, all you have to do is switch the power button. It does everything for you. It isn't rocket science, hun!"

"No, just come here a minute." Angell called with the framed photo in her hand.

"Why?" Flack grinned as he walked into the kitchen. The grin he was sporting however quickly disappeared when he caught sight of what Jessica held in her hands. "Where did you find that?"

"Face down on the counter." She answered. "I thought it had just been overturned, so I was going to turn it upright, but…"

Flack said as he took it from her and cleared the glass from the dust that had collected. He sighed heavily as he gazed down at the picture that had been taken just a little over two months ago. It had been a bright April Morning and Sam couldn't sit still. They had both been given a day off together, and she was determined to make the most of it. Cell phones switched off; a walk in the park; lunch in a little café and dinner in a posh restaurant later that night.

During their walk, a photographer, trying to make a living through stopping couples, groups and families in Central Park, offering to take their picture, had stopped them, and Samantha had jumped at the chance.

Flack had sighed, but dug into his pocket for the twenty dollars anyway, and plastered a fake grin on his face while smiling for the Camera.

It had been her favourite picture of them, and he just didn't have the heart to put it in the box of her things he had put together.

"What happened?" Jess asked softly. "If you don't mind me asking. I mean I haven't seen anything else of her dotted around, so I can only presume… I mean you're not still… Are you?"

Flack shook his head. "She left me." He answered instantly and honestly.

Jess nodded as he handed her the picture. She gazed down and zoned in on the ring sat proudly on the woman's left ring finger. "Were you…?"

"We were engaged." Flack nodded.

"I'm sorry." She sighed.

"Why?" he laughed as he reached into the cupboard and grabbed two mugs. "It's not your fault."

She laughed softly. "I guess… I guess I just don't know…"

"People don't tend to know what to say." Flack told her. "I'm used to the 'there's plenty more fish in the sea,' and 'she'll come back to you' or 'it wasn't meant to be'."

"They were my other three options I was considering." Angell admitted. "How long were you together?"

"Little under a year." Flack told her. "Whirlwind romance. Madly in love, then all of a sudden, I blinked and she was gone. Just as quickly as she had come into my life, she had disappeared again."

"Have you heard from her?"

He shook his head. "Honestly, I don't think I will either. She was always stubborn like that."

Jessica smiled encouragingly. "Has it been a while, since you know… she left?"

"Two months." Flack shrugged. "So I guess you could say so. Was the bed okay?" he asked, changing the subject.

She nodded and smiled. "I could have crashed on the couch you know. I'm smaller. I probably wouldn't have had both ends of me clinging to the couch out of fear of toppling off."

"I spent many nights on the couch." Flack laughed. "I'm used to clinging on for dear life."

Angell smiled. "What's her name?"

"Samantha." Flack replied. "Although mostly it was just Sammie. Samantha always seemed too harsh."

Angell nodded. "She's pretty."

"Beautiful." Flack nodded.

"Do you miss her?" Jess asked tentatively.

"Sometimes." Flack shrugged. "If I'm walking through the park and I see the guy that took this picture I get that aching feeling in my chest. I smell her perfume and I can swear I can hear her giggle. But honestly? The aching feeling? It's slowly disappearing. Sure, I loved her. But what happened changed things. I don't think either of us are the same person. There'll always be a part of me that loves her. She made me who I am, and I love her for that. But one day, she just snapped and changed. That person? I don't love. I don't love what she turned into."

Jess leaned forwards and rubbed his arm affectionately.

"Honestly," Flack continued. "I think some things happen for a reason. I don't know why she changed. But, she changed for a reason. Maybe she was meant to go onto bigger and better things without me? Maybe I was just supposed to walk away from the relationship with a better view on the person that I am? Who knows? What I do know is life goes on, and although I thought she was the one, maybe she wasn't. Maybe I just have to keep looking for that person. And if that doesn't work out…" Flack smirked. "I can just get allergy shots and be the cat man for Amanda and Josh."

"Josh?" Angell asked.

Flack smiled. "You haven't talked to DL have you?"

"DL?" Angell laughed.

"You wanna say Danny and Lindsay fifty times in a conversation, be my guest."

Angell rolled her eyes. "You were saying."

"Lindsay's pregnant."

Angell's eyes widened. "No way! Get out of here."

Flack laughed hysterically. Angell cocked her eyebrows and sighed.

"Oh… this is too much. You seriously didn't know?" he asked, wiping tears away from his eyes.

"I hadn't spoken to anyone from New York until Danny called last week."

"She's seven and a half months pregnant, Jess. She's huge! Having a little baby boy… They've named him Joshua. Joshua Daniel. I'm petitioning for them to call him JD. You know, after my good friend, Mr. Daniels."

"Jack Daniels." Angell rolled her eyes. "Oh good lord, Don."

"A lot's changed in the year and a half since you left. Do you… Miss it?" Flack asked.

Angell nodded. "I grew up here. My family's here. My friends are here."

"So why are you in LA on your own?"

She shrugged. "I wanted a new start. I wanted a chance to be my own person. I didn't want the eyes following me through the precinct, wondering what my next move was. So instead of the awkward and long goodbyes, I handed in my notice, effective immediately and got a job at the LAPD."

"So after you're done here, what? You're going back to LA?"

Angell shrugged as she turned to grab the coffee pot. "Time will tell."

Flack nodded contemplatively at her back. _She wants to stay. _He thought to himself. He watched her move around the kitchen as if it was simply second nature. Instantly she was going for the right drawers for teaspoons, the right canister for the sugar.

"You should think about staying," he said abruptly. "They haven't filled Samantha's place…"

She shrugged. "I don't know…"

"You should think about it." He smiled as she handed him a cup of coffee. "Make a name for yourself in the city where you belong, Jess."

Angell sighed. "Oh that would be good."

"What would?" Flack asked over his shoulder as he headed into the living room.

"Me, moving on in. Taking Samantha's job."

"What part of she isn't coming back did you misunderstand?"

Angell shook her head. "Clearly from what you've said, Don you two have some more issues to deal with. She can't have walked out, just because. There had to be a reason."

"There was." Flack nodded. "And we couldn't deal with it then. Two months later down the line –we still haven't dealt with it, and I doubt we ever will deal with it together. I'm trying this new thing where I don't focus on what I can't change and focus on what I want for myself."

Angell nodded as he turned and carried on walking into his living room.

And as she stood in her friend's kitchen she took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh.

It was time to ask some serious questions that she had been dodging for a long time.

* * *

Lindsay let out another heart wrenching sob as she sat on the toilet seat's closed lid in the women's bathroom just off of the locker room.

If her life depended on it, she couldn't tell you why she was crying, but she was.

By the bucket load.

She just wanted to go home, lay in bed and stay there, doing nothing for as long as it took to make her stop feeling so exceptionally down.

She chucked her used tissue to the floor in a mad huff and stamped her foot.

_Snap out of it. _She scolded herself. _There's bloody nothing wrong with you. Stop acting like a damn baby, Lindsay. _

_But I don't want to. _The other half of her piped up. _Why can't I just cry, bury my head in the sand and ignore everything. _

_Because you're a mommy; _The rational side told her. _You're a mommy and a wife and you have to keep it together. Suck it up and get on with the day. _

"Lindsay?"

Lindsay sniffed. "What?"

"Unlock the door."

"No." she huffed.

"Open the door, Lindsay."

"No," she huffed again. "I don't want to."

"Please?"

Lindsay sighed and unlocked the door. "What do you want, Stel?"

"I heard you sobbing when I was stood like three blocks away at the hotdog vendor and decided to come and investigate."

Lindsay glared at her friend and shut the door again. "Go away, Stella."

"Do I need to get Larry the handyman down here and take this door off?" Stella pressed as she spoke to the blue door, "Cause I will, kiddo. Open the door before I kick it down."

She sighed again and unlocked the door. "Can't you just leave me to sob and be irrationally emotional in peace?"

Stella considered it, but chucked and shook her head. "Sorry kiddo. Danny sent me on a trek to find you and told me not to come back until I had Lindsay in tow."

"I don't want to see him." She growled.

"Why?" Stella asked, relatively shocked. "You were so in love when you were walking off the elevator together five hours ago."

"I don't want to see anyone!" Lindsay sniffed. "Tell Mac I quit. I'm going home and being a recluse with Amanda."

"You don't mean that." Stella said as she bit her lip. "You love your job."

"Why? Why do I love it? I deal with murderers, perverts, drug lords, sex trafficking advocators, and moronic criminals on a daily basis? And why? What for? A paycheck every month? Big deal, I could go and pick up trash and get a paycheck each month. Same end result."

"No," Stella said as she crouched down on the bathroom floor in front of Lindsay and wiped her eyes with the pad of her thumb. "You do this because you're damn good at what you do. You want to make the world a better place for yours' and Danny's kids."

"We can move to Alaska." Lindsay shrugged. "Live in a igloo. They wouldn't see any crime then."

Stella laughed. "Oh Lindsay, what's the matter? Why are you crying?"

"I don't know!" She wailed. "I was sat in my office teasing Danny and all of a sudden I just wanted to cry."

"Well, have you had an argument?"

"No," Lindsay shook her head. "Lots of sex, actually."

"Well sex can be emotional." Stella said seriously, desperately fighting the urge to laugh hysterically. "Maybe it could be that?"

"I'm not some over-emotional wife that cries over sex, Stella!" Lindsay snapped. "I just… Oh I don't know." She flailed. "Why do I even bother?"

"With what sweetie?" Stella asked as she softly rubbed Lindsay's arm.

"With life!" Lindsay sighed dramatically.

_Never a dull moment with pregnant Lindsay; _Stella mused to herself. "Well, who would look after Danny and M&M without you, Linds?"

"You?"

"What would I do about Brandon, Lindsay?"

Lindsay shrugged. "I haven't thought about the finer details of the plan."

"Come on Lindsay, think about it, what's the matter?"

"Why did Sam have to go, Stella? Why did she fuck off like a little whiny brat cause she didn't get her own way and cause things were getting tough? How many times would I have been back to Montana if every time I felt like the world was closing in on me, I left?"

"Lindsay…" Stella sighed.

"No!" Lindsay spat. "No Stella! She didn't think about the people she was leaving behind. Do I move on? Do I completely forget her? Do I call her every now and then to see how she is? Do I send a card to her parent's house and ask them to forward it on? Do I stop having Danny check on Flack more than what he probably would to make sure he is okay… What? What do I do? Do I stop missing her? I don't know what to do, Stella and it's killing me because…"

Stella drew a sobbing Lindsay into a hug and sighed. "Is this why you're crying?"

"I was such a bad friend!" She wailed. "I let her down."

Stella sighed and shook her head, "You were nothing but a fantastic friend, Lindsay."

"I wasn't there when she needed me." Lindsay shook her head. "She… she was going through things."

"They were her things!" Stella snapped. "Lindsay, this was _not_ your fault. Nobody expected you to be there for her and solve her problems. That wasn't down to you. This was something bigger than anything you could have helped her with."

Lindsay shook her head. "I'm a bad friend…"

Stella rolled her eyes, "Kiddo, knock this off. This isn't you talking and you know that."

Lindsay fell silent for a few seconds before her body started shaking again, "I don't know!" She wailed. "I want Danny, Stella."

"I thought…" Stella shook her head, "I'll call him. Do you want him to bring you anything?"

Lindsay sniffed as she reached for some more toilet paper. "A donut."

Stella bit her lip amusedly as she searched for Danny's cell phone number and relayed Lindsay's wants and demands through the line as Lindsay sniffed with a tirade of reasons why she was 'a bad friend, wife and member of society.' Stella amusedly demanded his presence within five minutes.

Or else.

"Lindsay," Stella snapped as she interrupted her and pocketed her phone. "I want you to listen to me now. Are you listening?"

She nodded.

"There are three kinds of people you would wish to meet, Linds. Now. I want you to pick which one you think you are."

Lindsay sighed, "Stella, whatever you say isn't going to…"

"Just give me a chance, okay?"

Lindsay nodded.

"There are three kinds of friends you could wish to meet. The first kind of friend is someone who seems nice, but does their best to manipulate the people around them. Does that sound like you?"

Lindsay shook her head.

"The second? Someone you can have fun with but you're not particularly close to. They're good to have a conversation with… Laugh with, but that's about it… Sound like you?"

"Not really." She shrugged.

Stella nodded. "The third… This type of friend would kill for you. This type of friend would do anything for you just because they love you, for you. They would walk over hot coals if they needed to, just to make someone smile in their darkest time. The third type of friend would listen to you rant even if she had a million and one pressing things to do, including analysing evidence..."

"Stell, I pushed her away and didn't listen to her as soon as Danny walked into that room with Amanda."

"Your daughter was sick. And regardless of that, you were still listening to her and offering to be there no matter what– not taking into account how crap you were feeling. You weren't pushing her away – you were pushing the situation that really had nothing to do with you away. She should have spoken to Flack before she started on you. What happened wasn't your fault, and I refuse to watch you let anymore tears fall."

"When did this turn into a pep talk for Team Linds?"

"I didn't take sides." Stella winked. "But if you know, you were wondering… I was armed with a pitchfork stood in front of you and well… I would have poked if I had been provoked."

Lindsay smiled softly. "I know it hasn't been smooth between us, Stella. When Sam came I really just… I wasn't there like I should have been. Maybe I'm not the great friend people think I am."

Stella cocked her eyebrow. "You know what made me deal with the problems I had?"

Lindsay shook her head.

"I wanted to make sure that I was a better friend for you. I wanted you to be able to come to me no matter what – it took me a while, but when I was sat there thinking, getting upset and wondering why I was even bothering, I kept telling myself that I was doing it to be a better friend to you, Linds. That's what got me through. So really, the tough love if you will, it made me strive forwards. You know how awkward I am."

Lindsay sniffed and reached for Stella. "I'm so sorry Stel. I'm okay now…" she lied as a tear fell down her cheek. "You can go back to what you were doing…"

"I don't want you to cry by yourself, Lindsay." Stella told her as she rubbed Lindsay's back. "You know I have this need to protect my kiddo and I don't want to see you upset."

"I'm not upset!" Lindsay snapped. "I'm just crying. There's a difference."

"I'm sure there is." Stella agreed. "Keep your chin up, sweetie. Josh will be here soon."

Lindsay sighed. "Don't say that."

"Why?" Stella asked, "Don't you want him to come?"

"No!" She wailed. "His room isn't even ready. It's just sat there… And…"

"Kiddo…" Stella sighed as she gripped onto both of Lindsay's shoulders. "Linds…" she sighed again, without getting Lindsay's attention. "Lindsay!!!"

"What?"

"You're worrying about all the wrong things. You're going to make yourself sick carrying on like this. Let Danny worry about the nursery, okay? He'll do it. I'll make sure of that."

"When it suits him." Lindsay huffed.

"Kiddo." Stella smiled. "If I have to sit on him I will do it to make him buckle down and finish the nursery, okay?"

Lindsay giggled and wiped her tears.

"There we go, there's my best friend I love." Stella smiled.

Just then, the bathroom door to the women's locker room flung open to reveal Danny heaving with a brown bag in his hand. "S'amatter?" he slurred as she heaved a breath.

Both Lindsay and Stella smiled at his rugged and exhausted appearance.

"Montana," he heaved… "Stella said… I heard… why… Why aren't you crying?"

"We dried her eyes and made everything better." Stella smiled amusedly. "Did you um, run to the donut vendor by any chance, Danny?"

Danny nodded slowly as he glared at his wife and her best friend. "Two blocks there. Two blocks back." He panted as he handed over the donut bag. "Actually."

Lindsay smiled and wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek. "Thank you baby." She chirped before leaving the bathroom, munching on the donut.

Danny sighed and slid down the wall with his head in his hands. Stella laughed amusedly as she took a seat next to him on the floor. "How you holding up, cowboy?"

"Exhausted!" he cried. "One minute she's sobbing, the next she's jumping me, the next she's crying, then she's giggling. I'm only one guy, Stella. I love my wife but oh my god."

Stella rubbed her friend's arm and squeezed it lightly. "Two more months, Danny."

"One and a half." Danny snapped. "Don't make it longer than what it is!"

"Sorry!" Stella laughed as she held her hands in the air, "How's the nursery coming along?

Danny smirked, "She gets off an hour after me."

"You're doing it tonight?!"

Danny nodded proudly. "She's been dropping major hints…"

"For the past six months." Stella smirked.

"… Recently." Danny glared. "Since I painted his room."

"Want me to give her a ride home you can take the SUV?"

"You wouldn't mind?"

"I wouldn't have offered if I minded."

Danny smiled and wrapped an arm around Stella. "What would I do without ya, Stel?"

"Die." She said dramatically before smirking.

Danny pushed up from where he had been sat on the floor and offered her, his hand as assistance. "Wanna go search for my lovely wife?"

"Spot pregnant Lindsay?" Stella exclaimed, "That's my favourite game!"

"Don't let her hear you say that." Danny warned. "I slept on the couch for four nights after I cracked a whale joke."

Stella shook her head. "You know how she feels about the whale jokes."

"I love winding her up though." Danny sniggered. "How she gets all flustered and mad. It gets channelled into… And you don't wanna know about _that_." Danny cleared his throat.

"Not particularly." Stella snorted as they dodged their way through the hustle and bustle of the crime lab.

"You see her?" Danny asked.

Stella shook her head. "If I'm looking for her, I always follow her giggle."

"I follow my heart." Danny smirked as Stella shoved him.

"What happened to you? I thought you were the guy that didn't even cuddle?"

"S'before I cuddled with my Lindsay."

"Oh get me my sappy pills." Stella teased. "Good lord, Danny."

Danny shrugged. "Which Danny do you prefer?"

"Touché." Stella laughed.

* * *

Both Danny and Lindsay's respective shifts had ended on time, and as agreed, Danny had high-tailed it home in the SUV and instantly set to on fixing the nursery.

Lindsay sighed heavily as she shoved her key into the front door and waved in the general direction of where Stella's SUV parked at the end of their drive, waiting for Lindsay to disappear inside.

She smiled brightly as she dropped her back on the floor and looked her husband up and down. He was stood at the top of the stairs, shirtless, with the toned muscles on his abdomen slightly glistening with perspiration. "Ok, you're looking good, but you can do better!" she smirked as she shrugged her light coat off.

"You're a wiseass." Danny grumbled as he headed down the stairs. "Stop listening to Paramore. We've talked about this, Lindsay. Quoting songs and movies isn't cool."

She wiggled her eyebrows. "Been working out?"

"No actually. I was waiting for you to get home for my daily work out."

She snorted.

"You think I'm kidding, Montana?"

She laughed, "No, I think you're being deadly serious, which makes it even more funny."

"Seriously Linds, I'm not shitting you… I've waited like all day to -"

"Oh yeah? You shit me not?!" Lindsay snorted as she cut him off.

"True story!" Danny nodded.

Lindsay laughed as she snaked her arms around his waist as best she could, despite the protruding belly being a barrier for them to get any closer. "I can't wait to be un-pregnant and un-sick. I hate you, by the way."

"Why? What did I do this time?" he smirked.

"Gave me that donut that made me feel sick. Made me pregnant and sexed me up like a bazillion times."

"It only takes one time." Danny reminded her.

Lindsay pointed up the stairs, "One. Two." She said as she pointed to her stomach. "Two occasions in which you sexed me up all night."

"It takes once." Danny repeated. "Would you like me to show you this process, babe?"

She shook her head; "You made me mad last week. And today for that matter; I don't want to have sex with you."

"Oh yeah, what did I do today?" Danny laughed and kissed her temple.

"You should know what you did." She glared as she wrapped her arms around his waist

"You forgot, didn't you?"

She sighed.

Danny laughed, "I love you."

"I'm not having sex with you. I'm punishing you."

"Linds, is this you trying to be kinky again? Cause if it is, we talked about this…"

She narrowed her eyes and glared at him.

"How can you resist sex with me though?" he almost whined. "I'm hot."

"In your head." She snorted as she headed into the kitchen.

"I've got something to show you." Danny smirked as he followed her.

"Are you for real?" she snorted without even turning, "That won't work anymore, Danny. It was cute the first hundred times. Now, not so much..."

"Wiseass." He sniggered. "No, I genuinely have something to show you."

She rolled her eyes as she opened the fridge door and grabbed a bottle of water. "Yeah, and I said…"

She was trailed off as he covered her eyes with a blindfold, which momentarily silenced her. "Danny, what in the mother of…"

"Do you trust me," he whispered against her neck.

"Right now, I'm a little suspicious. I'm not gonna lie."

He snorted. "Okay, _will_ you trust me?"

She sighed and handed him the bottle of water, indicating that her answer was, fortunately for him, yes.

He wrapped his strong arms around her belly and led her slowly out of the kitchen and into the hallway before pausing, removing the baby gate that blocked the bottom of the stairs, and retaking her hand, before carefully leading her up the stairs.

"If this is some kind of practical joke, so help me god Danny, I will hurt you. I'll sit on you if I have to…"

"Have a little faith, woman!"

She sighed as they stepped onto the hall landing after he had re-fastened the baby gate at the top of the stairs. He positioned them just outside their baby's bedroom and smiled. He untied the blindfold and leant over her as he knocked on the door.

"Danny. What the…"

The door was ripped open and Lindsay stared at her daughter, stood on the other side with her arms outstretched, grinning. "'URPRISE MOMMEEEE!"

Lindsay's hands flew to her mouth as she giggled in surprise at the beautiful nursery that was staring back at her. "Danny…?"

"Did you really think I wouldn't pick up on the hints?" He grinned as he made his way into the room and scooped Amanda up in his arms and spun her round, making her shriek with giggles.

Lindsay slowly and cautiously walked into the room tears spilling down her cheeks. "Danny, it's beautiful…"

"Like it, Mommeee! Do you, do you mommy?" Amanda giggled.

Lindsay smiled brightly as she moved towards Danny and Amanda in the middle of the room and nodded her head frantically before pulling them into a 'group hug'. "I absolutely love it baby girl. Did you do it all by yourself?"

Amanda nodded. "All me."

Danny snorted.

"Well Amanda, I think you did an amazing job." Lindsay gushed. "Mommy loves it."

The little girl grinned proudly at her father as he jiggled her in his arms. "ICE CREAM!" she shrieked.

Danny chuckled. "Well, how about mommy takes you tomorrow when it isn't three hours passed your bedtime?"

Amanda sighed, but relented. "'Tay."

"How about you show mommy and daddy how big you are and go climb into bed?" Lindsay suggested.

Amanda flailed around in Danny's arms excitedly. "Daddeee, wet go!"

"Sorry what?" Danny laughed. "What did you say?"

"Wet go!"

"Is that what she said, Mommy?"

Lindsay shook her head, "I'm sure she said 'let'."

Amanda sighed. "Wet go!"

"Let, baby girl. Say let."

"Wet go!" She cried as she squirmed in his arms, "daddy wet go."

Danny chuckled and placed his daughter on the floor and she took off immediately racing down the hall to her bedroom. He turned to face Lindsay who was running one hand over the guardrail of the crib with her other hand placed on her belly. He smiled proudly as he made his way across the bedroom and pressed a kiss to her temple, "Did I bring it?"

"You brought it and then some." Lindsay giggled tearfully. "Danny, everything – it's so beautiful."

She gazed around the nursery, taking in all of its features. There was the crib she and Danny had spent hours arguing over and days trying to narrow down the perfect one. It was now assembled with the Yankees bedding with the matching mobile dangling over the bed, twirling mindlessly over the crib, waiting and anticipating the baby's arrival.

Lindsay gazed down at the rug that he had brought home from target. There had been two to pick from, a Football, and a baseball, and he – of course, had picked both. Said rugs were now laid on the crème carpet.

She turned, and smiled at the collection of various different items hanging from the wall. Taking up the vast majority of the wall was huge bright blue letters that read J O S H U A. There was also photographs that were framed and displayed among the wall. One of Amanda, grinning and waving at the camera – taken specifically for little bear's bedroom; another of Danny, Lindsay and Amanda that Stella had taken months and months ago when they had sat in the park for the charity softball game. Lindsay had been laid next to Amanda on the blanket; giggling about something, when Danny had snuck up behind them both and swept Amanda up in his arms and started a tickle fight.

The picture featured Danny tickling Amanda and Lindsay gazing up at two of the three most important people in her life. Stella had set to on getting it printed – and once she realised how fantastic the picture was, she had paid extra to have it blown up and framed. And, it was consequently one of her many gifts she gave Danny and Lindsay at the baby shower she had arranged weeks previous.

The last picture that was that was hanging proudly on the wall was Lindsay's most recent ultrasound picture, framed and in the centre of the two other pictures.

"It's beautiful," she whispered finally. "It's perfect. It's exactly what I wanted… How did you know?"

"I know you," Danny smiled as he drew her into his arms, "And whatever you want, the chances are, it's exactly what I want."

"What did I to deserve you?"

"You believed in me - made me a better person; showed me that you loved me, an' you gave me my two kids. Nothing I can do could ever show you how much I love and appreciate you, Montana."

Lindsay smiled. Life wasn't perfect, but sometimes in the moments such as this one, she mused that it was damn well close to it.

And she wouldn't change it for the world.

* * *

_**A/N: I never, ever, ever, ever, ever thought that I would have the opportunity to thank twenty seven people at the end of a chapter for reviewing– I thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for the support and love you've shown recently. I appreciate every single one of you. You make my day.**_

**_Huge thank you to…_**

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DannyMessersGirl324iLOVEhim


	166. Lindsay's birthday part 1

_**A/N:** It's been a while guys – I'm sorry; real life took over for a minute there. It sucks. Like I'm supposed to be writing a literature paper now and well, procrastination suits me well…_

_And you don't care about that, so moving on…_

_I just want to let you all know that I realise that toddlers probably don't hold such fantastic conversations, however – it's really not that fun writing Danny and Lindsay talking to themselves with Amanda giving them little made up words (which- as fun as that is for me) in response 'cause really, that's not going to be the most scintillating thing to read. So basically, I'm just asking you to suspend your disbelief._

_I know!! - Think of our M&M as a child genius that has impeccable linguistic skills for a two year old. Deal? Fantastic._

_Also, I'm doing a little self-plugging. Shameful, I know… However – let's go for it anyway…. I recently posted an M rated story – DL on vacation… *raises eyebrow suggestively* *wink wink, nudge nudge* It's called '**When In Greece'**. If you haven't seen it, go check it out… I'm having a lot of fun writing it, and hopefully you'll all like it._

_Warning – it is rated M. So, you know what that means folks ;)_

_Anyway. Chapter? Cause I'm sure you didn't click on the this to read an excessively long A/N._

_Enjoy. x_

* * *

"Remember M&M," Danny whispered with his hand on the door handle, "Mommy's sleeping, so we have to be extra quiet and gentle, okay? Josh kept mommy up last night, so she's tired."

Amanda nodded with the glass of orange juice clutched in her small hands. "It's okay daddy, me be quiet."

"That's my girl." He smiled brightly as he nudged the door open with his shoulder, trying to balance the breakfast on the tray he was holding.

Amanda rushed past him and went bounding into the bedroom. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOMMY!!!"

Danny closed his eyes and clenched his teeth together as he quietly shut the door, "What happened to being quiet?" he glared at Amanda.

Amanda shrugged sheepishly as she handed the orange juice to Lindsay who had peeled one eye open as she faced her little girl. "Hey baby, thank you." Lindsay smiled sleepily as she placed the drink on her bedside table.

Amanda tried to scramble up the side of the bed, but failed epically. Danny sighed as he placed the tray on the toy box that graced the bottom of their bed, and reached for Amanda, who he then chucked into the middle of the bed, making her shriek with giggles from Danny chucking her the distance he did. He then moved back to the toy box, grabbed the tray and helped Lindsay sit up in bed. He placed the tray on her lap, leant to his knees and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Happy birthday baby girl." He whispered.

She smiled brightly and looked at her breakfast. "Wow, pancakes." She observed. "I wonder whose idea it was to make pancakes for Mommy and Josh." She asked amusedly.

"Me. All me." Amanda declared.

"I thought as much." She smirked as she winked at Danny. "Did you make them too, M&M?"

Amanda nodded as she bounced on the bed and twirled in the air. "Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday!"

"Shush," Danny scolded from the floor, "Don't scream so loud… People in Australia are sleeping sweetie."

Amanda sighed as she flumped to the bed. "Pwesents!"

"Presents." Danny laughed as he corrected her.

Amanda glared at her father.

"Can we let mommy eat her breakfast first?" Danny asked. "And don't look at me like that, little girl."

Amanda's bottom lip quivered. "Dadddeeee…."

Danny raised an eyebrow.

Amanda huffed, folded her arms dramatically across her chest and turned, facing away from her parents.

Lindsay smiled brightly as she offered Danny and forkful of pancakes "You didn't have to make me breakfast in bed, honey."

"I didn't have to…"

"But you wanted to?"

Danny nodded as he munched on the pancakes Lindsay had force-fed him. "Do you want your presents now?"

Lindsay sighed. "I can't believe you have to go into work. On my birthday."

"I didn't want you going in, so I said I would take the shift."

"Danny…"

"Lindsay – you're eight months pregnant. No. You're not working anymore than what you have to. You're doing the nine – five three days a week doing paperwork. Kapish. No overtime. No extra shifts. No fieldwork. No experiments that will…"

Lindsay had pressed a finger to his lips, and then pressed her own to his. He licked the sweet syrup from her lips and smiled. "You get it?" he whispered.

She nodded.

He grinned as he moved his way to the closet and disappeared inside.

"What you doing in there, cowboy?" Lindsay laughed amusedly.

"Finding pwesents, mommy. We hided it." Amanda answered.

"You did?!" Lindsay gasped. "Why?!"

"Cause it a 'urprise!" Amanda exclaimed with huge, dramatic hand gestures.

"I see." Lindsay nodded, "Will I like it?"

"NOT A PEEP!" Danny bellowed from the closet, "Remember what we talked about, Amanda."

Amanda sighed. "Sowwy mommy. M&M made pwomise to daddy."

"But I'm mommy." Lindsay sniffed sadly, "Surely you can tell mommy."

Amanda glanced to the closet and shifted closer to Lindsay after deeming it was safe. She perched herself on the edge of Lindsay's pillow and stared into Lindsay's eyes.

"Nice try, mommy." She grinned.

Lindsay huffed. "You spend too much time with daddy." She declared. "Mommy's gonna girlie-fy you."

"She's loves princesses, pink and hello kitty." Danny deadpanned as he re-appeared from the closet. "She's the definition of girlie."

"Fine, I'm gonna make her a mommy's girl."

Amanda giggled as she nestled up to Lindsay and kissed her mother's arm. She then stood up and pressed a wet, opened mouth kiss to Lindsay's cheek. "I wub you, mommy."

"I love you too, princess." Lindsay smiled as she kissed her daughter on her pouted lips.

Lindsay looked down at her breakfast and sighed. "M&M?"

"Mhmm?"

"Did daddy make you breakfast?"

Amanda shook her head sadly as her bottom lip quivered.

Danny snorted.

"Well, do you want mommy's pancakes? Mommy snuck to the kitchen and had a midnight snack and her tummy is telling her to hold off on the food right now. Do you want them while I open my presents?"

Amanda's eyes widened, "Can I mommy?"

Lindsay nodded as she set the tray in front of Amanda. "Here, I've cut them all into little tiny pieces for my little baby girl. You have to be careful with this fork, Amanda. It's big. So you need to be really careful okay? It isn't like your princess and Dora forks."

Amanda nodded as she stabbed her first piece of pancake and shoved it into her mouth. "T'anks mommy."

Lindsay turned to face Danny who was sat opposite her on the bed and smiled as she rubbed her hands together. "So… presents? What did you get me?"

"Eager are we?"

Lindsay nodded frantically.

Danny sighed as he reached across the bed and moved the tray away from Amanda as she greedily sat scoffing Lindsay's untouched pancakes. "Hey miss piggy, think you could do daddy a favour?"

Amanda grumbled as she chewed on her pancakes. "What daddy?"

"Don't speak with your mouthful, honey." Lindsay reminded her. "Remember what we said."

Amanda nodded as she stood up, and nearly sent the tray flying. She bounced across the bed to Danny and plopped herself on his knee. "Yes?"

Danny laughed. "Do you want to give mommy her presents?"

Amanda nodded and held out her hands.

Danny leant down to where he had placed the two presents on the floor and carefully handed her the first boxed item. "Be careful with this one honey."

Amanda nodded as she stood up and carefully bounced on the bed towards Lindsay.

"Careful of mommy!" Danny reminded the toddler. "She has Joshy in her tummy, remember?"

Amanda nodded as she knelt down by the side of Lindsay. She disregarded the present she was holding and put it to the side of her as she moved the comforter Lindsay's tummy was buried under and hitched it down to Lindsay's hips. Amanda leant down and pressed her lips to Lindsay's tummy and snuggled her head to Lindsay's belly. "Hi baby." She whispered.

Lindsay smiled as she laced her fingers through Amanda's curls as Amanda babbled to her brother, with her head resting on Lindsay's belly.

"Shall we leave them a minute?" Lindsay giggled. "Clearly the have some pressing issues to discuss."

"How they intend to make our lives a living hell for the next hundred years."

"That's ambitious." Lindsay smiled, "You're living till you're a hundred and thirty four, cowboy?"

"So long as you're a hundred and thirty two and still sleeping next to me, I say bring it on."

Their conversation was interrupted by Amanda's shrieks.

"What's Joshy saying to you, honey?" Danny laughed. "Is he being funny?"

"He be silly." Amanda declared as she sat up. "He tickled my face, mommy."

"No honey, he was just moving around." Lindsay smiled. "He does that a lot. Moves to get comfy. You know how you squirm like a little worm in your sleep, well, Josh does the same."

Amanda nodded as she took in Lindsay's words. "Josh tolded me to say happy birthday mommy." The little girl smiled as she kissed Lindsay on the lips. "So happppeee birthday from Joshy-wuh!"

Danny laughed as he scooped up his little girl and ruffled her brown ringlet curls. "You're a silly chicken!"

Amanda shrieked and squirmed in his arms, "Daddy, wet go!"

"Can I open this present, or are we just going to sit and watch it unwrap itself?"

Danny laughed as he held a squirming Amanda in his lap. "Sorry mommy, you open the present. Me and M&M will behave now."

Lindsay raised an eyebrow, "You sure?"

Danny glanced down at Amanda who was looking up at him. "We gonna be good, kiddo?" he asked.

She nodded. "We be good, mommy."

Lindsay smiled brightly as she grabbed her princess wrapping paper-covered box. "Daddy, did you pick the wrapping paper?"

Danny grinned. "However did you guess, mommy?"

"ME!" Amanda shrieked. "Me, me picked it!"

"Really?" Lindsay smiled. "This really looks like daddy's colour. Pink."

Danny snorted.

"ME!" Amanda cried. "Me picked it, mommy!"

"You did?" Lindsay gasped. "Oh baby, it's wonderful. I love it. It's so pretty."

Amanda smiled proudly. "Open mommy!"

Lindsay smiled as she ripped open the small box and giggled the cup that lay in her lap.

'WORLD'S BEST MOMMY'

Lindsay smiled brightly at Danny as she held the pink mug in her hand. "Awww. It's a coffee mug. Can I take it to work with me baby?"

Amanda nodded and smiled brightly, "The wab with grandpa?"

Lindsay smiled, "Yeah the lab with grandpa."

"And Flackie?"

Lindsay smiled and nodded, "And Uncle Flackie."

"And Nicky?" Amanda pressed.

"Yeah honey." Danny laughed. "The lab."

Amanda nodded, "And Stellie?"

"YES!" Danny snorted as he tickled Amanda's belly. "Yes you little monkey. The lab. Anyone else? Hawkes?"

"And Adam." The little girl chirped.

"Next present." Lindsay laughed, trying to diffuse the situation.

Danny reached down at picked up another present and placed it on Lindsay's lap. "Now, I know this might not exactly be a fantastic birthday present for you, baby, but I thought you'd like it…"

Lindsay furrowed her brow. "What is it?"

"Open it." He smiled.

She tentatively opened the packaging and stared down at the beautiful '_Precious moments'_ baby book that lay on her lap.

"Danny… it's beautiful."

Danny smiled brightly. "I know how much you've loved writing every little thing down about Amanda in her's, and you hadn't picked one up yet. I wanted them to match, so I did some digging and found the boy's version of the one you got for M&M here."

Lindsay ran her hand down the cover and blinked back a tear. "Danny, thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me… that you remembered where I got it from – that you went to go and get it…"

He smiled before glancing at Amanda who was sat staring at the princess paper. "Hey M&M. How's about you go and play in your room for ten minutes?"

Amanda attempted to wink at Danny, but ended up blinking as she smiled and jumped off the bed and toddled off to her bedroom down the hall.

Lindsay laughed and raised her eyebrows. "Care to let me in on that?"

"There's a little somethin' more…"

Lindsay blushed. "Danny, you didn't buy me lingerie- I'm…"

Danny smiled. "No, I'm horny, but I have brains, Lindsay… I know how uncomfortable you are right now…"

She smiled at him.

"This is a more mommy and daddy wanting a minute on their own present."

"Okay?" she laughed. "Hit me with it."

Danny crawled across the bed and laid on his belly as he rummaged through his bedside table.

"You okay there?" Lindsay laughed.

He nodded as he shut the drawer, sat up and turned to face her, but kept his hands behind his back. "Now Linds, you know how you're my everything and I love you with my entire heart and soul…"

She giggled. "I remember you mentioning it."

"Good. Well, this year I wanted to buy you something special. Something that showed you how much I love you."

She smiled nervously as she turned in the bed. "Danny…"

"Hear me out… Let me be sappy." He teased.

"By all means," She smiled, "bust out your game."

He smiled as he sat on the bed, hands still behind his back. "Everyday I wonder what it is I did to deserve someone as wonderful as you. I wonder how it is I became all you ever dreamed. All you've ever wanted – just by being me. You're beautiful, Linds. Both inside and out, and nothing I can do or say could tell you and express to you how much you mean to me. My birthday girl."

"Are you trying to make me cry?!" she sobbed.

He laughed softly as he took her hand with his spare hand. "Now, this is a little bit different, but when I saw it, it reminded me of you. But before I give it to you, you have to promise me one thing."

She nodded as tears threatened to fall.

"Don't look it up on the internet. Please?"

She giggled musically. "Okay,"

He took a deep breath with a huge smile plastered across his face as he revealed the Tiffany's box from behind his back.

Her hands flew to her mouth and she gasped. "Danny… Tiffany's… That's…"

"Hush." He scolded. "It's your birthday and you're having my baby, if I wanted to buy you the moon, I would have…. Now, open it up and see what you think."

She blinked back tears as she unwrapped the blue ribbon holding the blue box together. "Danny, the mug and the baby book was fine… you didn't…."

"Hush." He repeated.

She laughed as she opened the box and gazed down at the necklace. She let out a sobbing sound and dropped the box to her lap. "Danny…. It's…."

He licked his lips in anticipation.

She examined it and tears flowed down her face. "Danny – it's exactly what… I…"

"Breathe baby girl…" He teased as he took the chain from the box and collected her hair together and unclasped the necklace before fastening it around her neck for her. "Do you like it?"

She took a deep breath and toyed with the necklace hanging proudly around her neck. "I adore it… Danny, it's… It's so different, yet… it's so beautiful."

He smiled. "They're pink Sapphires, if you were wondering. Round pink Sapphires and round brilliant cut diamonds in platinum, if we're going to get technical."

She gasped as she drew the outline of the heart pendant with her finger. "Danny… I… this is… Thank you." She smiled, "I love it… But you really shouldn't have spent that much money on me – not with Joshua…"

"So I maxed the credit card out. You're my wife, and it's your birthday. Sue me for over indulging and spoiling you. I love you, and wanted to get you this necklace."

She drew him into a hug and pressed a loving kiss to his lips. "I love you. Thank you. It's perfect. You're perfect."

"Oh please now," he teased as he kissed her temple and wiped her tears from her cheek. "I'm far from perfect."

"You're close to it." She told him.

"I'm just the best version of myself."

She sighed. "I wish you didn't have to work."

"Well, you're going for ice cream with M&M, right?"

Lindsay nodded.

"Right well, make sure you're well rested today. When I get home me and you are going out. Stella's coming to baby sit Amanda with Brandon, and I'm spoiling you rotten at dinner."

She shook her head, "Danny… it's too much…"

"You're my wife. You're having my baby, and it's you're birthday – Montana, nothing I do is too much."

"We don't have the money…"

"We do." He said. "The bills are paid. There's food in the fridge. Amanda's got her daycare paid for. Joshua's room's done, ready and waiting. What else have we got to pay for?"

"Danny… he's going to be here – we don't have the money to blow money when I can just make dinner-"

"You're not making dinner on your birthday, Lindsay."

"Fine, you can make dinner." She giggled as she played with her necklace.

"There's a dress for you in the closet." He smirked as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm gonna get M&M dressed, then I'm gonna jump in the shower and head to work. By the time I get home at seven thirty tonight, I want you ready to go, okay?"

"Yes boss." She giggled as she saluted him.

"S'what I like to hear." He teased as he knelt up on the bed and kissed the top of her head. "Take it easy today, okay?"

Lindsay nodded. "Yes daddy."

"Look after my baby girls, little man." Danny said as he pressed a kiss to Lindsay's stomach. "I'm leaving you in charge."

"He's movin'." She smiled. "He knows your voice. He's telling you he's gonna be on guard."

"Eat those pancakes." Danny said with a raised eyebrow as he backed himself off of the bed. "You think I'm stupid. You're hungry, you were just giving her the pancakes 'cause you know how much of a little fiend she is."

"I'd give her my last crumb." Lindsay reasoned.

"And that's one of the many reasons why I love you." He told her.

_One of millions,_ He mused to himself. _And that list was growing by the day. _

_And it would continue to do so, until his very last day. _

* * *

"Do you wub me mommy?" Amanda pressed as she dug into her M&M sundae.

"To the moon and back." Lindsay gushed as she tapped Amanda's nose with her spoon. "Why, baby girl?"

Amanda shrugged. "Will mommy wub me when Joshy comed?"

Lindsay's heart melted at the simple question. "Baby… Of course mommy will still love you. I will always love you, honey. You're my baby girl."

Amanda sighed as she stared sadly into her ice cream.

"Baby," Lindsay sighed as she reached across the table and shifted Amanda's chin up with her finger, "Why are you so sad, honey? What's the matter?"

Amanda's bottom lip quivered as tears filled her chocolate brown eyes.

"Amanda," Lindsay pressed as she slid out of her seat and moved around to the booth where Amanda sat in her booster seat. Lindsay wrapped her arm around Amanda, "Amanda, calm down and tell mommy what's the matter."

Lindsay's affections made the tears fall from the toddler's eyes as she flung her plastic spoon to the table.

Lindsay blinked at her daughter. "Honey?"

"Mommy… Daddy…"

"Amanda honey, look at mommy."

Amanda shook her head.

"Amanda," Lindsay cooed, "Look at mommy, sweetie."

Amanda turned as he lip quivered and tears stained her cheek.

Lindsay grabbed a napkin and wiped the tears from her cheeks and ice cream from around Amanda's mouth. "Baby I want you to listen to me, okay?"

Amanda blinked.

"Mommy is always going to love you. Mommy and Daddy love you to infinity and beyond."

Amanda giggled. "Buzz!"

"Buzz Lightyear." Lindsay smiled as she tucked a loose curl behind her daughter's ear. "What's the matter, sweetie? What's making you sad?"

Amanda sighed. "Baby."

"Baby? You mean Joshua?"

Amanda nodded. "Me miss mommy and daddy when I go."

Lindsay furrowed her brow, "Honey, where is it you're going?"

Amanda sniffed. "Me go bye bye."

Lindsay giggled. "Baby girl, you are not going bye bye. Mommy is keeping you locked up safe and sound till you're a big girl and you can look after yourself without mommy's help. And I can't see daddy letting you go anywhere, can you?"

Amanda sniffed. "Where Joshy go?"

"Josh is going to stay in his own room."

"Where M&M go?"

"M&M's is going to stay in her room."

"Where mommy and daddy go?"

"We're going to stay in our room."

"No one go bye bye?"

"No one's going bye bye," Lindsay smiled softly. "Mommy and daddy are going to look after M&M and Joshy until they're big. Don't you worry your little head about that, okay?"

Amanda nodded as she reached for her spoon. "Wub mommy."

"I love you too, baby girl." Lindsay smiled as she prodded Amanda's nose. "Always and forever."

"And eber and eber!" Amanda exclaimed.

Lindsay carefully scooted out of the booth and headed back to her own seat opposite Amanda. She gazed at her daughter and a feeling of awe and wonderment hit her. She had done a good job with this little girl so far. Both her and Danny had.

And round two was fast approaching.

Lindsay scooped another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth and took a deep breath.

She was ready and raring to go.

* * *

Angell slammed her hands on the steel table. "I don't think you heard me. WHERE the hell is that little girl?"

What had originally appeared to be a string of murders had turned into an abduction of a little girl. And the man that Jessica Angell was currently inches from strangling was most likely the perpetrator.

However, without a confession and a whereabouts on the little girl, she couldn't get a solid conviction.

And if it killed her, she was getting a conviction.

The man sat silent across from where she stood.

"Okay, clearly English isn't making sense. WHERE THE FUCK IS THE LITTLE GIRL?"

"I don't know who you're talking about." The man shrugged.

"Don't fuck with me," Danny growled. "You tell me where that little girl is."

Peter Rosemary laughed. "Please, I don't know what you're talking about."

Danny shoved his seat back and slammed his hands onto the table. "TELL ME WHERE THE FUCK SHE IS!"

The man shrugged. "Couldn't tell you."

Danny took a deep breath, regaining his composure. "Why 'cause you've killed that many people you can't remember where you dumped all the bodies?"

"I DIDN'T KILL HER!" Rosemary bellowed.

"Oh so DO know who we're talking about…" Danny glared. "You know what, I have minimal patience for fuckers like you, tell me where that little girl is. We have you on assault one back in LA, murder and manslaughter here in New York… I have the best detective digging through every file you could ever imagine to find something to connect you to this little girl's whereabouts. If I find this little girl is in your captivity, so help me god, you will answer to me."

"You have a daughter?" Peter asked.

Danny didn't answer.

"I asked you a question." Peter pressed.

Danny shoved the table. "If I find that you've done something to this little girl, I will personally…" Danny held his hands up and shook his head, "I'm done here."

"Hit a nerve have I?" the man sneered from his seat.

"Yeah, you've hit a nerve." Danny replied with his hand on the door. "My last one."

"That right?" the suspect jostled as he stood up. "Come here and tell me that."

Danny snorted. "Please now. Like I'm gonna engage in such shit with you." He turned and waved a Uniform in.

In the split second that Danny had his back turned to the perp and Angell, he heard Angell cry out.

Then the world went black.

* * *

**_A/N:_** _Don't hurt me. Please? I like life._

* * *

**Special warm huggles to…**

Twinkeyrocks

Kerrie

Muchmadness

Iheartcsinewyork

afrozenheart412

Gwen24

brinchen86

Bec0512

Brown Eyed girl 75

JavaJunkie4ever

simplelove3663

vikkilynne93

uscrocks

ncisabbylover

MeredithandDerekfanforever

SkyBlueSw

Saderia

Ambercsiny

Edward-and-bella-forever


	167. Lindsay's birthday part 2

**_A/N:_** _Thanks_ _for not killing me, guys. It's appreciated!!_ _I think some of you will be surprised at who it actually was that 'took one for the team'. Enjoy! _

_P.S. Gwen - Can I watch the episode now? Please? :D_

_Again, shameless plug for the 'When In Greece' story! Go check it out... You know you want to! *smiles sweetly.*_

* * *

Lindsay smiled as she gazed down at the caller ID as she pushed Amanda's stroller leisurely around the shopping complex. "Hey baby."

"Lindsay, it's Jess."

"Oh hey…" Lindsay smiled down the phone, "Where's Danny?"

"Where are you?"

"I'm out with Amanda, we took a birthday trip to Target and Baskin Robbins near the house, why?"

She heard no reply, but Angell relaying the information to Flack.

"Jess?"

"Flack's coming to get you…"

"Jess? Where's Danny?"

Silence.

"Jess. Put Danny on the phone."

Silence.

"Jessica!" Lindsay cried down the phone. "Where's Danny?"

"Linds, it's Flack…"

"Don, where's my husband? What's going on?"

"There's been an incident."

"What kind of incident? Is he okay?"

Flack cleared his throat. "Do you have Amanda with you?"

"Yes." Lindsay spat. "What does it take for me to find out what's going on? Where is he?"

"Trinity. Hawkes took him."

"WHAT!" Lindsay screeched. "WHY?!"

"A perp… You know what, where are you? I'm coming to get you."

"Hell no, Flack." Lindsay spat. "I'm in Queens. With daytime traffic? What happened? Is he okay?"

"I'll meet you at Trinity, Lindsay. Please just… Please drive safe, okay? Please?"

Lindsay agreed and promptly hung up before turning Amanda's stroller and rushing down the walkway.

_Please be okay. _She whispered as a hand fell to her stomach. _I can't do this without you. Whatever it is, please be fine. _

_

* * *

_

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Danny bellowed. "Flack!!! What the fuck was you thinking?"

"She needs to know… Danny you're…"

"I got knocked out by some fucking moron. I banged my head and needed a stitch. So you and fucking numb nuts over there call my pregnant wife! Fantastic idea. I swear to god, Flack, if something happens to her…"

"I told her to be careful."

"FLACK!" Danny spat from where he sat sideways with his feet dangling down the hospital bed, "She's probably thinking I'm dead or something."

"Danny, Hawkes brought you in… Jess and I went into interrogation and…"

"They put one stitch – ONE FUCKING STITCH on my brow. So you call her and freak her out. ON HER BIRTHDAY? I swear to god, Flack, if something happens to her… Where's Amanda?"

Flack cringed. "With her."

Danny's eyes widened. "Where's my cell?"

Flack swallowed as he passed the phone to him.

"Jesus Flack, did you lose your brain?" Danny spat as he dialled Lindsay's number. "You know what, I don't even want to know… You can go now."

"I was just doing it for you, you unappreciative moron… How was I supposed to know you hadn't banged your head, and got a concussion? How did I know you've not got some huge underlying…"

"He knocked me backwards with a chair as he flung it across the room. It smacked my forehead and I needed a stitch. One stitch. My flailing arms from Jess crying out stopped the force of the chair when it hit me. I stumbled backwards and the uniform I had called in steadied me to my feet. Yet you turned this into some big fuck off drama – so go on, get out of here, before I put you in ICU for worrying Montana." Danny finally smirked.

"You're a wiseass."

"I try." Danny smirked as he pressed call and held his phone to his ear.

* * *

"Where going mommy?" Amanda pressed from her seat in the back.

"For a road trip," Lindsay smiled nervously in her mirror.

"Mommy okay? Mommy sad."

"Mommy's just a little scared honey." Lindsay explained keeping her eyes glued to the road. "It's nothing."

_I hope. _

Amanda nodded as she played with her hello kitty plush teddy in the back seat quietly.

Lindsay took a deep breath as she turned the radio up a little bit. She had to stay calm. It was nothing. Danny was fine. There was something in her gut that was telling her he was fine. It was all just blown out of proportion.

It had to be.

He couldn't leave her with two kids.

She blinked back tears. _No_. She told herself. _No, you're not thinking about that. He's fine. Flack didn't say what it was. It could be something and nothing._

_It could also be anything and everything._

She took a deep breath as Brad Paisley's new song filled the car. Danny had been humming to it earlier when he had been getting ready for work. She had smiled at the lyrics he was getting completely wrong. Well, not completely wrong, but twisted to fit his own little song.

"_I remember, trying not stare at the zoo, when I first met you. You had me mesmerised." _

She'd told him he was a dork. And he'd feigned hurt. But smirked and stuck his tongue out with a glint in his eye.

Tears burned the rim of her eyes as the possible scenarios went through her head. An incident? What was that? He'd been shot? He'd been taken down? He'd jumped from a building and misjudged it? What?

She cursed Flack for being so vague.

She heard, 'Love Story' being emitted from her iPhone and reached for it, and scrolled across the bottom of the screen, "Danny?!"

"Hey birthday girl." Danny smiled down the line.

"Danny." Lindsay breathed a sigh of relief as she gripped to the wheel of the SUV with one hand. "What happened? Where are you? Are you okay?"

Danny sighed, "I'm fine baby. Where are you?"

"Coming into the city."

"Alright, I want you to meet me somewhere. I want you to take a deep breath and calm down, okay? Concentrate on that road. In fact, no… Pull over."

"Danny, what happened?" she cried as she ignored him. "Flack called and Jess said…"

"They were over-reacting. Honestly, it's nothing; they just brought me in for a check up. I'm fine. No broken limbs. No bloodshed. Nothing. I just took one for the team and got a child abductor behind bars."

"I don't believe you." She cried.

"Meet me and you can see in person." He said soothingly, "Lindsay, are you listening to me? I want you to chill out, okay… I know you're stressed and worried, but I don't need you getting stressed when you're eight months pregnant with Amanda there. I don't even want you driving right now. Okay, so take a deep breath. I'm fine and I will meet you at the usual Starbucks, okay?"

Lindsay let out a shaky breath. "Swear to me on Amanda's life you're okay."

"I swear on my little girl's life I'm okay… I'll swear on yours and Joshua's while I'm at it… Alright? Do you believe me?"

Lindsay let out another shaky breath. "How long are you going to be?"

"Fifteen minutes." He answered. "Go inside and sit down. I'll be there."

Lindsay took a deep breath. "I love you, Danny."

"I love you too, birthday girl. Now be careful, I'll see you soon."

She hung up and took a deep breath.

_Thank god. _She thought to herself.

* * *

"Blueberry!" Amanda bellowed as she pointed up at the counter from where she stood on the floor, gripping Lindsay's trembling hand.

"A blueberry muffin, a kid's glass of milk, a coffee and a hazelnut hot chocolate, please." Lindsay ordered.

"Want whipped cream on the drinks for an extra fifty cents?"

Lindsay shook her head, 'no' absent mindedly as she stared at the door. It'd been seventeen minutes since she had spoken to Danny. In a word, she was worried. Irrationally worried? Yes… But all in the same.

"My mommy birthday!" Amanda smiled up at the cashier. "All day!"

"It is?" The college student exclaimed, humouring Amanda. "WOW!" She giggled excitedly. "Your daughter is beautiful." The girl smiled at Lindsay.

"Thanks." Lindsay smiled. "We like her."

The girl smiled as she placed the drinks on a tray. "Is her daddy on the way?"

Lindsay nodded. "Hopefully sooner than later."

The girl smiled at her bump. "How far along are you?"

"One more month." Lindsay smiled happily.

"Do you know what you're having?"

"A boy." Lindsay replied. "What've we called him, M&M?" Lindsay prompted Amanda.

"Joshy-wuh!"

The girl smiled. "Joshua?"

Lindsay nodded and ruffled Amanda's curls.

"Want me to carry these over?" the girl asked.

"I got 'em." A familiar voice said over Lindsay's shoulder.

"DADDY!" Amanda shrieked happily as she launched herself at his legs. "Daddy me missed you!!"

"Aw, I missed you too baby," he smiled as he scooped her up in his arms and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Have you been a good girl for mommy?"

She nodded.

He set her on the floor and turned to wrap an arm around Lindsay and pressed a kiss to her temple. He then took the tray with one hand and Amanda's hand with the other.

Lindsay trailed behind them with the diaper bag slung over her shoulder as Danny slipped Amanda into a high chair and laid a napkin on the table as he broke apart her blueberry muffin.

"You gonna sit?" Danny laughed as he glanced up at Lindsay who was stood looking at him.

"You said you were fine!" she sobbed.

"I am." He smiled at her.

"You have a stitch, what happened?"

Danny sighed, "Baby, sit down…"

"What happened?" she asked with her arms folded.

"Baby, sit down, please?"

She sighed, but did as he asked. "What the hell happened?!"

Danny sighed heavily as Amanda banged on the table and giggled. "Lindsay…"

"No." she growled, "Tell me what the hell happened. Now. Right now. I demand to know Danny. You can't just walk in here and dismiss my concerns like how you are. Clearly something happened. You've got a stitch."

"One stitch," he said as he took a sip of his drink. "One. No more, no less. There was just a little bit of trouble in the interrogation room and I took a small beating."

Lindsay's eyes widened. "Beating?"

"Beating?" Danny asked, clearing his throat, "Did I say beating? 'Cause I meant…"

"Stop skirting around what happened and tell me." Lindsay glared at him. "You might think this is a joke, Danny, but you have to remember Flack and Angell called me. Wouldn't tell me what happened. I was thinking all sorts of things."

Danny huffed. "Yeah, about that…"

She banged her hands on the table to get his attention. "Stop it! Tell me what happened!"

He sighed. "A suspect threw his chair at me."

She gasped. "He did WHAT?!"

"He had shit-silly aim," Danny said as he glanced at a distracted Amanda. "He had a silly aim, and it just clipped me."

Lindsay shook her head. "Why aren't you still in the hospital?"

"He clipped me, Linds. He didn't smash my head. Angell had him on the floor quicker than he could say 'I didn't do it'. The small cut above my forehead wouldn't stop bleeding as she booked him, so Hawkes suggested I get it stitched up."

"So why…."

"Angell freaked. She had gone off with the douche, she came back to check on me, and Hawkes had given me a ride to the hospital. So obviously she thought the world was ending…"

"So how did…"

"They call you?" Danny asked, finishing her sentence. "They were sat waiting in my room and grabbed the cell phone while I was getting stitched up and decided to call you like morons before they even knew what was going on."

"So you're okay?"

"I'm here with you, so I'm going with I'm fine. They all but kicked me out of the hospital."

Lindsay breathed a sigh of relief.

"So how are you today, baby girl?" Danny asked Amanda.

"Joshy's sleeping in his room daddy, did you knowed?"

"We decorated it, baby girl, so yeah, I knew… why?" he asked, directing the question more towards Lindsay.

Lindsay shrugged. "She started crying about it in Baskin Robins saying she didn't want to go bye bye."

"Bye bye?" Danny asked as he looked down at his daughter, "Sweetie, daddy isn't letting you go anywhere, ever… For the rest of your life. I'm keeping my little snugly bear forever."

Amanda shrieked and bounced on his lap. "And eber?"

"And ever, and ever, and ever!" Danny exclaimed. "Hows about you eat that muffin, M&M?"

She sighed as she grabbed a fistful of the muffin and offered it towards Danny. "Daddy eat?"

"Daddy's had a muffin, honey… But thank you."

"No, daddy eat."

"No." Danny smiled, "Daddy's okay… Daddy doesn't want it. You eat it."

"Why?" The little girl pressed.

"'Cause it's yours."

"Why?"

"'Cause mommy bought you it…"

"Why?"

"'Cause she thought you might be hungry…"

"Why?"

"'Cause you get hungry."

"Why?"

"Amanda." Danny laughed. "We could play that game for a while, just take daddy's word when he says you eat it, okay…."

Amanda giggled and shoved the broken bit of muffin into her mouth.

"Is she okay?" Danny mouthed across to a frowning Lindsay.

She shrugged. "I think something has been said in daycare." Lindsay mouthed back. "She's been so excited by it all. The idea of Josh coming…"

"It seems really random." Danny whispered over his little girl's head, as she occupied herself smushing the muffin between her fingers. "Was she really upset?"

"Sobbing." Lindsay spoke. "Like I had to calm her down before she would listen."

Danny's brow furrowed. "Think maybe I should go in… Have a word… See if anything's been said."

Lindsay nodded. "Least then we might have some idea of what's going through her head. Maybe some kid said something."

Danny sighed. "If it's that Emily kid I swear I'll…."

"She's three, Danny… You're not going to do anything."

"She's always teasing Amanda. So what if she likes hello kitty and Beauty and the Beast. She's a little girl… that's what…"

"Danny…" Lindsay said as she placed her smooth hands on Danny's coarse ones. "She's always going to have to deal with kids that aren't nice. Bullies are in every class."

"Yeah well," Danny huffed. "No one is going to bully my little baby girl."

"Danny, who said she's getting bullied. Maybe it was something she picked up on a TV show? And who's to say it was Emily?"

Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Okay she isn't the best mannered little girl, but Danny, that's not the little girl's fault. It's her parents."

"I know her parents." Danny huffed. "It's the little girl. And anyway, I'm not having my daughter being upset about mommy and daddy chucking her out to make room for baby two. Whoever said that is… is… well I don't know… but there will be repercussions."

Lindsay rolled her eyes. "Will you drive me and Amanda home before you head back to work? You can take the SUV, saves you bringing the Avalanche home then."

"You don't wanna go out today?"

Lindsay shook her head. "No, we're just gonna stay home. We can make brownies or something."

"Brownies!!" Amanda shrieked as she flung muffin in the air, "YAY!!"

"She's going to be three hundred pounds when she grows up." Danny snorted. "Seriously. All we feed her is baked goods. And sweet stuff."

"She has a balanced diet, actually."

"Mhmm." Danny nodded. "Tell me what she's had to eat today."

Lindsay thought about it. "Pancakes, ice cream and a…. muffin."

Danny smirked. "I rest my case."

"Don't be mean to me." Lindsay whined, "It's my birthday."

Danny laughed. "Is that going to be the phrase of the day?"

Lindsay nodded with a childlike exuberance.

"God I love you." He smiled across the table.

She stuck her tongue out, "Good."

"Good?!" Danny gasped. "Good? You love me too, right?"

She shrugged, face with no emotion.

He furrowed his brow. "You're kidding right?"

She broke out into a giggle and a smirk stretched across her face. "You're so gullible!"

"I don't think you've realised how good your poker face is," he huffed. "You could've had an epiphany with the necklace I got you. That maybe I wasn't everything you've always wanted."

She rolled her eyes. "A diamond is just an allotrope of the element carbon. As pretty as it is, and as much as I love it, and adore you for buying it for me. My love for you doesn't base itself solely around said allotrope."

Now it was Danny's turn to laugh. "You're a wiseass. Do you know that?"

"Wisebutt!" Amanda giggled from Danny's lap.

"You said it," Lindsay smirked as she played with her necklace, "You. Not me."

"Yeah well, I said that before I fell for you. I shouldn't be held responsible for the things I said before you tamed me and made me the good daddy I am."

Lindsay rolled her eyes.

Despite him nearly scaring her to death on her birthday, she loved him.

And wouldn't change him for the world.

* * *

"Well, I don't know what to tell you," Megan shrugged. "I haven't heard anything like that being tossed around."

"Well, maybe you should listen to what they're saying and you would know…"

"With all due respect, Danny… they're kids. What would you like me to do?"

"Stick up for my daughter when other kids are putting ideas in her head. She asked my wife if she was going bye bye when the baby gets here. Now, I know she hasn't got that from Lindsay or me… And no one she is around would give her that idea, so that leaves me with one port of call. I'm not saying I want bloodshed; just keep your eye on it. I don't want to have to wipe away my daughter's tears cause she thinks this new baby is going to replace her or something. She's two. She shouldn't even be thinking of something like that."

"I hear you, Danny. I do. But really, just think about what you're asking me to do. They're pre-schoolers. What can I do? They're always going to be mean to other kids. It's what they're like."

Danny crossed his arms over his chest. "Look, I'm not asking you to do anything… Just if you hear anything, do me a favour and step in and stick up for my daughter. Maybe it was a one-time thing? Who knows? I just don't want this to happen again, alright?"

Megan plastered a fake smile across her face and nodded. "I'll keep you updated, Mr. Messer."

Danny smiled before turning and letting his face drop as he walked out of the daycare centre.

Biting his tongue with each step he took.

Muttering profanities under his breath.

* * *

Lindsay smiled warmly at the toddler laid tucked into her side sucking her thumb, snoring lightly.

Despite the living room being an absolute mess, she couldn't bare to pick up after the giddiness that had ensued after the M&M brownies had been eaten while singing and dancing to Beauty and the Beast for the forth time in the same day.

_Ten minutes. _She thought to herself as she stretched slightly and put a protective hand on Amanda. _Let me close my eyes for ten minutes. _

Her eyes fluttered shut as Joshua shifted in his position, just as Amanda kicked in her sleep, kneeing Lindsay in the leg.

"Really?" Lindsay muttered with her eyes closed. "Both of you? Must we?"

Lindsay heard Amanda yawn and snuggle up to her side.

Lindsay peeled an eye open to check on her daughter. Making sure she was still sleeping, Lindsay grabbed a pillow from the side of them and wedged it between herself and Amanda for extra padding, in case Amanda kicked again.

Lindsay closed her opened eye and settled on the couch again, letting out a contented sigh.

"Mommy."

Lindsay's eyes flew open as she glanced down at her daughter, only to find she was still asleep. She furrowed her brow, wondering what her daughter could possibly be dreaming about.

She shrugged it off and closed her eyes, determined to drift off to sleep.

Until she had the overwhelming urge to pee.

"I hate my life." She grumbled as she wiggled out of Amanda's cuddle and placed a line of cushions along the couch, protecting Amanda. She ran her hand through Amanda's curls and bent down to press a kiss to the little girl's clammy forehead.

She sighed heavily as she dodged around the toys, dolls and books scattered on the living room floor, making her way to the door.

She was going to have to tidy up before Stella arrived with Brandon.

Along with get dressed, make dinner for Amanda, and make a shopping list for tomorrow…

'_You were going to pee,' _She silently reminded herself.

"MOMMY!"

Lindsay sighed as her foot hit the bottom stair. "What baby?"

"MOMMY!"

"What baby?" Lindsay repeated.

"MOMMY!!!!"

Lindsay huffed as she back tracked on herself and appeared in the doorway.

"Me had bad dream, mommy!" Amanda sniffed as Lindsay appeared in the doorway.

"Aww, honey." Lindsay frowned. "Well, mommy needs to run to the potty, I'll be two minutes…"

"NO!" Amanda sobbed. "No don't weave me!"

"Baby, mommy's bursting for the potty!"

"NO!!!" Amanda sobbed as she kicked her legs on the couch. "Mommy no!"

Lindsay sighed as she made her way back into the living room. "Here, come with me. Hurry up."

Amanda scampered off the couch and took Lindsay's outstretched hand.

Lindsay hurried up the stairs with Amanda trudging sleepily behind her. She quickly undid the baby gate before she ushered Amanda through it, and shut it behind her.

"Two minutes. Sit here." Lindsay said as she carefully lifted Amanda onto Danny and her's bed. "Don't move."

Lindsay disappeared into the bathroom and listened to Amanda singing to herself, completely out of tune.

"You practicing for American Idol, baby girl? Does mommy have the new Carrie Underwood on her hands?"

"Amerdian girl!!!" Amanda bellowed back.

Lindsay giggled heartily. "All American girl, sweetie." Lindsay called through the door. "Daddy sings that to you, doesn't he."

"Yep!"

Lindsay's ear peaked at the bedsprings making a familiar sound. A smirk grew across her face. "You better not be jumping on that bed Amanda Mackenzie."

Lindsay heard a gasp and a little body collapsing to the bed as she giggled furiously. "NO!"

"I think you were," Lindsay challenged as she washed her hands quickly and dried them before opening the door and leaning against the doorjamb.

"Me didn't." Amanda insisted. "Me good girl."

"Are you fibbing to mommy?"

Amanda's eyes widened. "Um…"

"Think carefully, Amanda…"

"Maybe…" Amanda admitted.

Lindsay sighed. "Baby, you know that mommy doesn't like it when you jump on the bed when mommy or daddy isn't in here to watch you."

"Me knowed."

"Well then baby, if you know... Don't do it… Mommy doesn't want you getting hurt."

"Sad day!" Amanda declared.

"It would be a sad day." Lindsay nodded. "A very sad day. Cause M&M would be hurt and upset and that would make mommy and daddy upset."

"Me no like mommy and daddy sad. Me no want sad day."

"Well, make sure you don't jump on the bed when mommy and daddy aren't around. Okay?"

Amanda giggled. "Me go play, mommy?"

Lindsay sighed and nodded, "up here or down stairs?"

"My room!" Amanda shrieked.

Lindsay nodded. "Mommy's gonna lay down honey."

Amanda smiled brightly before jumping off of the bed and toddling down the hall.

Lindsay moved to the bed and lay down.

_The baby gate. _Her mind screamed at her. _Amanda could be tumbling down the stairs at this very minute. _

"I re-fastened it." Lindsay told herself out loud.

_Did you? _Her inner voice questioned. _Did you really?_Lindsay huffed as she stood up. "You know you're going crazy when…"

She stepped out into the hallway and looked at the baby gate. Seeing it was securely locked at both the top of the stairs she smirked. "See, frantic mommy. Rational Lindsay told you so."

_How do you know she's safe in her room on her own?_

Lindsay sighed as she padded down the carpeted hallway and peered into Amanda's room as she sat brushing her dolly's hair with a Barbie brush.

"You okay baby girl?"

Amanda glanced up and smiled brightly. "Hi mommy." She chirped. "You play with me?"

"In a little while." Lindsay promised. "Mommy's tired, she's gonna go take a nap. You come get me if you need me, honey. I want you to stay in here. Don't go wandering, okay?"

Amanda nodded, completely ignoring everything Lindsay was saying.

Lindsay raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips. "Amanda?"

Amanda continued nodding.

"The Easter bunny and Santa said hi."

Amanda nodded.

Lindsay let out a giggle. "Oh you're something else." She smiled to herself. "Amanda! Did you hear me, don't ignore mommy."

"I hearded you mommy. No wandying."

"Wandering." Lindsay automatically corrected before shaking her head. "You struggle saying 'let', like you're gonna get wandering."

"Mommy go sweep now."

Lindsay saluted her daughter and turned on her heel.

She sighed heavily as she walked down the hallway. Her baby girl was growing up right before her very eyes.

* * *

Lindsay woke about forty-five minutes to silence.

Silence with Amanda never meant anything good.

Lindsay rubbed her sleepy eyes and slowly got out of bed and made her way towards her daughter's closed bedroom door.

"Little monkey." Lindsay grumbled as she opened the door. "I thought I said keep this…" Lindsay paused as she looked round the empty room. "Amanda?"

Lindsay's heart nearly left her chest.

"Shit." Lindsay cursed. "M&M honey? Are you playing hide and seek with mommy?"

Nothing.

"Amanda? Mommy's not playing with you."

Nothing.

"Amanda?"

She rushed back to her's and Danny's bedroom and grabbed the phone and pressed speed dial one. She paced back and forth waiting for the caller on the other end to answer.

"Hey hon."

"Danny, Amanda's not in her room!" Lindsay screeched down the phone.

"What?!" Danny gasped.

"I took a nap and… and… and she said… and she's not… and oh my god Danny. Danny what… Where... What do I do?"

"Lindsay breathe."

"Danny, our little girl… She's…"

"Lindsay." Danny soothed over the phone. "Where are you?"

"The bedroom."

"Okay." Danny said down the phone. "Go out into the hallway."

"How can you be so calm about this?!" She bellowed. "She's not in her room! And I have no idea where she is!"

"Hang up with me…"

"NO!" Lindsay screeched. "No Danny, I need you to come home! Danny our little girl..."

"LISTEN!" Danny bellowed down the phone. "Lindsay, are you listening?"

"YES!" She wept down the phone. "What?!"

"Hang up the phone, take a breath and go into Joshua's room. When you've calmed down, call me back and I will explain, okay?"

"What's going into Joshua's room going to do?" Lindsay sobbed. "Remind me how much of a terrible mother I am…?!"

"Lindsay. Listen to me. Go into his bedroom. Give her a cuddle and calm down sweetie, okay?"

"What?"

"Do you trust me?" he sighed down the phone.

"Danny. Amanda. She's…"

"Lindsay, Go. Into. Joshua's. Room."

"But…"

"Just do it." Danny sighed. "I love you."

She huffed and disconnected the landline as she stomped down the hallway and ripped the door open. Her eyes fluttered shut and a smile spread across her face at the image that lay, literally, before her. Presumably throughout some time in the forty-five minutes Lindsay had fallen asleep, Amanda must have followed suit.

However…

Instead of simply curling up in her own room, on her own bed, she had gone across the hall, with teddy and blanket and made herself a little bed on Joshua's football rug.

Tears filled Lindsay's eyes as she glanced down at her little girl, clutching to 'Lickle Bear' with her thumb fixed in her mouth covered with her Hello Kitty fluffy blanket.

Lindsay turned on her heel and hurried back towards her and Danny's bedroom and grabbed the digital camera that lay on the dresser and headed back to Joshua's room. She snapped a few pictures before pulling out her iPhone and taking one on there too.

She smiled as she stood in the doorway forwarding the picture to Danny with a message affixed saying, _"I think you have a story to tell me."_

Lindsay sighed heavily, knowing she shouldn't pick her little girl up in her heavily pregnant state; however, the mommy in her couldn't leave her little girl on the floor.

Lindsay crouched down and scooped Amanda up in her arms and carefully carried her to her bedroom and laid the little girl on her princess bed.

She smiled as she moved around the room picking up toys, puzzle pieces and colouring books from the floor and carefully put them back into Amanda's pink toy box.

Lindsay's left hand fell to her stomach as she felt Joshua move and she let out a contented sigh.

"I think mommy and daddy are going to have two ridiculously close kids on our hands, causing mayhem day in day out."

But would she change it for the world?

Nope. No she wouldn't.

* * *

_**A/N:**__ Yes, I am making Lindsay's birthday draw out over a million chapters, but you know… I'm sure you will all live. And see, Danny was okay. You know me. Like I would have anything happen. I have to keep your attention somehow, cause come on… 167989808090 million chapters…_

_And also, having an iPhone myself - you can't send picture messages, believe me, i've tried... But i really wanted to have that in, so suspend your disbelief if you know how limited the phone that could totally take over the world can be? Thankies :D _

Date chapter next chapter. WOO! It's been a while since I wrote one of them, so we'll see how that works out.

_Huge thank you to all of you guys reading and reviewing. You make writing so much fun!_

_**Tacklehugs to…**_

Twinkeyrocks

Petite Poppy

Montanascreed

Muchmadness

Iheartcsinewyork

afrozenheart412

gwen24

Brinchen86

JavaJunkie4evr

Bec0512

michelle

Jellybeany

Marian MacKenzie

Ncisabbylover

uscrocks

aussietasha

ambercsiny

messer's girl

pinkgurl804

vikkilynne93

MeredithandDerekfanforever

jmc715

saderia

SkyBlueSw

southerngurl1227


	168. Lindsay's birthday part 3

**_A/N: I want to come up with an amusing A/N directed at Muchmadness, but I have nothing... So I will just say to you..._**

**_I was extremely giddy when I wrote the majority of this chapter, so I hope you like it. It's quite the epic. _**

**_Thanks to Megan for her ideas, and thanks to Aaron Lines for the smashing song he let me steal and use in the chapter. _**

**_Smashing? Oh god. What?_**

**_Is it wednesday yet?_**

* * *

Amanda sat grinning with her feet swinging over the edge of the bed with her mother's bottle of Nina Ricci Perfume clasped in her hand. "Spay mommy?"

"No," Lindsay told her as she clipped the necklace Danny had bought her around her neck and fluffed her curls. "Don't spray it yet, honey. When mommy asks you."

"Spay now?"

"No." Lindsay glanced in the mirror so that she could glare at Amanda.

"P'ease?"

"No."

"P'ease mommy."

"Honey, I'm not ready yet."

"P'ease?"

"Which part of 'no' didn't you understand, missy?" Lindsay asked.

Amanda chucked the perfume bottle onto the bed and flailed back, flumping her little body to the bed.

"Here it comes." Lindsay sighed as she listened for the cry.

The shrill, ear piercing cry emitting from Danny's daughter filled the best part of the master bedroom and Lindsay figured it was filtering downstairs with great ease.

Lindsay sighed heavily as she rolled her eyes. "This is why we don't let you have naps and just put you to bed early. You get all cranky and don't sleep."

Lindsay glanced in the mirror and saw Amanda reach for the perfume bottle.

"Don't you dare!!" Lindsay bellowed. "Put that down!"

Tears streamed down Amanda's face as she looked to the floor, then looked at the perfume bottle in her hand.

"Please don't throw that." Lindsay said a little more calmly. "Put it down."

Amanda gazed down to the floor and licked her lips contemplatively.

"Don't do it." Lindsay warned her. "This is your last warning, Amanda Mackenzie."

Amanda looked to Lindsay then to the bottle then to the floor and let go of the bottle.

Rage erupted inside of Lindsay as she sprung up, a little quicker than she wished she had. "What did I tell you?"

Amanda flailed back on the bed and kicked her legs, letting out a hysterical scream.

Lindsay shook her head as she padded barefoot over to the screeching toddler and grabbed her hands, pulling her upright. "Up." Lindsay instructed.

Amanda tried to flail back and kicked her legs.

"Get up." Lindsay repeated sternly.

"NOOOOOO!" Amanda screeched.

"Now." Lindsay glared.

Amanda stopped kicking her legs and scooted to the end of the bed as she realised the tone and look on Lindsay's face meant that she was in trouble. "Sowwy."

Lindsay shook her head as she helped the little girl to the floor and held her hand tightly as she moved across the room. Lindsay placed her on the woven wooden chair in the corner of the room. "You know what this means." She said as she crouched to Amanda's level. "Two minutes on the naughty chair."

"No! mommy! Me sowwy! Me sowwy!"

Lindsay ignored the toddler as she moved back to her dresser and continued fluffing her curls and applying her lip-gloss.

"Mommy!" Amanda sobbed as she kicked the chair. "Mommy! Me sowwy!"

"The time doesn't start till you sit there like my baby girl and not the demon child." Lindsay said calmly.

Amanda kicked the floor and swung back on the flimsy wooden chair.

"Child!" Lindsay bellowed. "You're trying mommy's patience – please be a good girl for mommy. She's not feeling very well and mommy and daddy are going out tonight. Please baby. Please?"

Amanda huffed but didn't speak another word.

Lindsay smiled happily to herself as she basked in the silence of the room. She glanced at her watch, making note of what time it was and when two minutes was up so Amanda could apologise and they could go back to being 'normal'.

About a half a minute into the two minutes time out, she heard the wooden chair creak as Amanda's bottom left the seat. She glanced in the mirror and watched the little girl tip toe across to the bottle of perfume on the floor. Amanda picked it up and tip toed towards Lindsay who was pretending to be completely oblivious to everything. She heard the glass bottle being placed on the wooden dresser and watched the top of Amanda's curls bounce as she tip toed back to the wooden chair.

Lindsay smiled inwardly as she glanced back to Amanda who was sat with her hands folded in her lap, head faced down and her bottom lip quivering.

Lindsay stood up and crouched down as best she could in front of Amanda. "Are we feeling better now we've had a minute to breathe?"

Amanda nodded sadly and flung her little arms around Lindsay's neck and buried her head into Lindsay's shoulder. "Me sowwy mommy."

Lindsay wrapped her arms around Amanda and kissed her temple. "I know honey. Just listen to mommy when she says no. I'm only saying no for M&M's own good. I don't say no to be mean."

"No tell daddy, mommy. Daddy get mad when M&M mean to mommy."

Lindsay smiled. "Mommy won't say anything to daddy."

"Pwomise. M&M get sad when daddy mad. Sad day!"

"Mommy won't say anything to daddy. Mommy and M&M are all better now. We don't need to tell daddy."

Amanda smiled brightly and glanced at the perfume bottle sat on the dresser.

"Wanna spray me now sweetie?"

Amanda's eyes widened and she clapped her hands together. "YES!"

Lindsay smiled as she carefully rose to her feet and padded her way over to the perfume bottle and handed it to Amanda. "Now remember honey… Little squirts. Like mommy showed you."

Lindsay carefully picked Amanda up and put the little girl on her chair and crouched down so Amanda could reach her. "Little squirts honey." Lindsay reminded her.

Amanda licked her lips as she carefully pressed the trigger three times and smiled brightly. "'Urn!"

Lindsay turned letting Amanda spray Lindsay's hair, and then the other side of her neck.

"Do I smell pretty?" Lindsay asked as she moved towards Amanda and let the little girl smell her.

"Mommy always smells pretty." Amanda smiled brightly.

Lindsay ruffled her curls. "You ready to go and get into your PJ's to have a slumber party with Stellie and Brandon?"

Amanda giggled and nodded frantically before dashing out of the room and running down the hall. Lindsay sighed heavily as she heard the door to Amanda's room thrash open and slam against the wall.

"I wanted two children with Danny Messer? Really?" she mused out loud. "My kids would not be this crazy."

"MOMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEE!"

Lindsay sighed. "I'm coming."

* * *

After eleven pyjama changes, Amanda was eventually ready for Stellie's and Brandon's arrival.

Lindsay smirked as she watched her little girl sit on the couch with the remote clutched in her hand, ready and waiting to press play on the 'Beauty and the Beast' DVD sat waiting in the DVD player.

"Honey… They wont be here for another ten minutes."

"No!" Amanda huffed. "Me sit."

"Oookay." Lindsay laughed. "You sit there then, monkey. Mommy won't ask you to eat this brownie twice."

Amanda stood up on the couch and turned. "Hmm?"

"It's nothing." Lindsay teased as she held a small brownie in the palm of her hand. "Mommy just wondered if someone wanted a sneaky snack before daddy got home."

"ME! ME! PICK ME!" Amanda shrieked jumping up and down on the couch. "Mommy brownie. Me wub mommy brownie."

Lindsay padded across the room in her flats and handed the brownie to Amanda. "I'm stupid for saying this but please try to get no crumbies on the couch. Please?"

Amanda glanced up at Lindsay as she shoved the whole Brownie into her mouth. "Mmmm?"

"Oh god." Lindsay shook her head "M&M, that's way too much!" Lindsay scolded. "I'm going to kill your daddy for teaching you that."

Amanda tried to giggle despite the brownie in her mouth.

"You make me cringe." Lindsay shuddered. "You want to give mommy a heart attack? Be careful with that brownie in your mouth. Do you hear me?"

Amanda giggled as the doorbell sounded.

The little girl shot up off of the couch and ran barefoot through the living room and raced to the hallway to rip the door open. She sighed as she realised it was locked and stood banging on it. "Mommeeeee."

"I'm coming." Lindsay sighed as she followed Amanda. "Will you stop banging on the door?" Lindsay pleaded. "People are going to think we're crazy!"

Amanda giggled.

Lindsay opened the door and smiled brightly. "I hope you're well rested and ready to be ran riot."

"I was born ready." Brandon smiled at Lindsay. "Danny's got a pretty girl on his hands."

Lindsay smiled as she ruffled Amanda's curls. "She's not bad."

"I meant the other girl." Brandon laughed as he walked through the threshold of the house. "For being eight months pregnant, Lindsay you look incredible."

Lindsay furrowed her brow and crossed her hands. "Are you calling me fat?"

Brandon's eyes widened. "Um. What I meant was…"

"Stellieeee!" Amanda shrieked as she saw Stella emerge from the Avalanche parked at the end of their driveway. Amanda raced outside and down the drive and jumped at Stella, giving Stella enough time to throw the things she had collected from the backseat, back into the backseat in order to catch Amanda.

"Hey sweetie pie." Stella smiled as she smothered Amanda with kisses. "Are you being a good girl for Mommy?"

Amanda hesitated and shook her head. "Me been on bad chair." She informed Stella sadly.

"M&M," Stella scolded as she hitched the little girl further up her hip. "Me and you talked about this. We decided we would be a good girl for mommy and daddy."

Amanda sighed and nodded. "Me just so bored," she sighed heavily. "Me miss Joshy."

"Honey you haven't met Joshy yet." Stella reminded her niece.

Amanda blinked in response. "I did."

"You mean Joshy in mommy's belly, Joshy, right?"

Amanda nodded slowly.

"Oh, I see." Stella coughed trying not to laugh. "You mean when you talk to Joshy through mommy's belly."

Amanda nodded. "Me talk all the time."

"You do." Stella chuckled. "Even when you're sleeping you talk."

"Me didn't!" Amanda gasped.

"Wanna bet?" Stella laughed as she brushed the brownie crumbs from Amanda's face.

Amanda giggled. "Benyjamming."

"A Benjamin? Who've you been talkin' to, missy. Daddy?"

Amanda nodded and giggled.

"Let's move this show inside…" Stella sighed. "We have a major movie date to get started."

Amanda grinned. "Mommy made brownies."

Stella raised her eyebrows. "So M&M won't want Auntie Stellie's homemade Mac and Cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches with a side of carrot and cucumber sticks."

"Rarrot and Rurumber?"

"Vegetables you know what they are so don't even try your pretty girl games with me… remember when Mommy makes you lunch… that's what you get. Not like how when daddy makes it and you get chips and cookies."

"Chips and cookies." Amanda smiled. "Yummy."

"So shall Auntie Stellie put her shopping back in the truck?"

Amanda shook her head. "GRILLED CHEESE! YUMMY!"

"Well you take this then," Stella smiled as she handed Amanda light bag. "Go hand it to Brandon and he'll put it in the kitchen for you."

Amanda nodded and concentrated on the carrying the bag up the driveway.

Stella reached inside the car and grabbed Lindsay's wrapped present and birthday card along with the last bag of food she'd bought for the night to keep them well fed.

"There's food in the cupboard you know, Stella?!" Lindsay called from the front door. "When Danny asked if you would babysit, I don't think he meant you had to bring your own food."

"We do things Stella style round here, remember." Stella winked as she affixed Lindsay's present under her arm and headed up the driveway.

"Lock it." Brandon called from inside the house.

Stella sighed as she held the key over her shoulder and automatically locked the SUV before setting her bags down at the front door and embracing Lindsay. "Happy birthday, kiddo."

Lindsay smiled as she zoned in on the present.

"Can we get inside first?" Stella laughed. "Sheesh, you'd think you were like a little kid on her birthday."

Lindsay merely smiled.

"Maybe I'm not that far off on that statement." Stella teased before narrowing her eyes. "And what is that thing weighing your neck down at this moment in time?"

"Do you like it?" Lindsay smiled. "Danny bought it me for my birthday."

"I love it!" Stella gushed as she examined it. "I'm slightly concerned as to why I wasn't consulted about it beforehand. Tiffany's no?"

Lindsay nodded and giggled. "I kept the box."

"So you damn well should!" Stella laughed as Lindsay shut the door behind them. "How much did that steal from his bank account?"

"He told me not to look."

Stella raised an eyebrow.

"Stella!" Lindsay gasped, feigning hurt.

Stella cleared her throat.

Lindsay sighed. "Two thousand, four hundred and fifty dollars... Every time I think of how much he spent, it makes me want to cry. I don't even want to know where he got that money from…"

"My boy's got good taste," Stella smirked. "I knew you wouldn't last." She teased as she lightly slugged Lindsay in the arm.

Lindsay shrugged.

"Come." Stella smiled as she walked into the living room, leaving Brandon and Amanda to unpack the supplies from the store. "Sit."

"You're telling me to sit in my own house?" Lindsay laughed.

"I'd tell the president to sit in the oval office if the opportunity arose."

Lindsay rolled her eyes.

"Here, it's not much." Stella grinned as she placed the box on Lindsay's lap. "Don't say I never buy you anything."

Lindsay furrowed her brow as she ripped the wrapping paper. Once she had ridded the box of the wrapping paper, she pulled the lid off of the unnamed box.

"Stella?!" Lindsay gasped as she gazed down at the flats that perfectly matched the dress that had been hanging in the wardrobe for her. Lindsay examined the shoes in her hand before kicking off the pair she had been wearing and slipped the others on. "They're beautiful… How on earth did you know what kind of shoes to get?"

Stella licked her lips and shrugged.

Lindsay's eyes widened. "Stella… You didn't…"

"Well, when Danny told me… Aw crap."

"What?!" Lindsay gasped excitedly. "Aw crap what?"

Stella sighed. "When Danny told me what necklace he was getting, I all but begged him to let him buy you the dress he wanted to buy you, because I insisted he was spending too much and I made him work through his lunch break when he was going to go and buy it. I went and paid for it, and gave it to him but kept the matching shoes I had decided to buy you on impulse for your actual birthday."

"But Danny said…" Lindsay trailed off. "He said there was a dress in the closet for me. He didn't say who bought the dress. God Stella, it's… I… Thank you!" She cried tearfully. "You've done so much over the past few months for us. For me. I can't thank you enough how much of a…"

Stella placed her index finger over Lindsay's lips and pulled her into a hug. "Just make sure you deliver that baby boy so that you're both nice and healthy. That's a perfect thank you."

"I'll try my best." Lindsay smiled as she wiped a tear away.

"And if you really want to repay me, try and break a bone or two in Danny's hand. Please and thank you."

"He wouldn't be much use then," Lindsay reasoned. "He's good at changing diapers, but one handed? I don't think I could even do that."

"Point taken." Stella laughed. "What time is said Messer coming?"

Lindsay shrugged. "He demanded I was ready for seven thirty."

Stella glanced at her watch and raised an eyebrow. "It's seven."

Lindsay shrugged. "I was eager."

"Apparently." Stella snorted.

"Where's he takin' me?" Lindsay inquired.

Stella shrugged dramatically as she crossed her legs. "I haven't the faintest idea."

"You lie Stella Bonasera." Lindsay gasped. "You know!"

"I know not!" Stella insisted.

"You do!" Lindsay gasped. "Brandon!! Brandon!! Does Stella know where Danny's taking me?"

Brandon's eyes widened as he slowly entered the room with Amanda fixed on his hip. He shook his head slowly and swallowed. "I've been told I will reap consequences. So I know not."

"Tell me!" Lindsay whined. "Come on guys."

"Hush!!" Amanda giggled. "'Urprise Mommy!"

"Even my daughter knows?!" Lindsay flailed. "Oh sweet Jesus, do you know Joshua?" Lindsay asked her stomach. "Did daddy tell you aswell?"

"Oh Lindsay relax." Brandon laughed as he sat down on the couch and grabbed the remote and passed it to Amanda and winked at her, indicating it was time to press play. "So he surprises you with something romantic on your birthday, would it kill you to just go with the flow?"

"What if I'm not dressed right? What if I'm overdressed?"

"Would I really do that to you?" Stella asked.

Lindsay sighed.

"Just let it go kiddo," Brandon laughed as he sat back on the couch and crossed a leg over his other, "You won't win against the Stella."

"You speak from experience?" Lindsay smirked.

"That I do." Brandon sighed dramatically. "Stella always wins."

"First lesson I ever taught you." Stella grinned. "He's a fast learner."

"You know what…" Lindsay laughed, "I don't even want to know."

* * *

Lindsay sighed heavily as she grabbed Danny's hand tighter. "Danny, I don't like this. It smells of fish. And I hear waves. Are you going to dump me in the Hudson?"

"Oh for the love of…" Danny sighed. "No, for the millionth time, I'm not going to kill you."

"Are you sure? Because I've been to crime scenes where…"

"Lindsay!" Danny grumbled. "Please, just trust me… Okay, no one is going into the Hudson."

"Promise?" She whimpered.

"Yes, I swear to you. Now I'm gonna take that blindfold off, so I need you to stand still, a'right?"

She sighed.

"Oh Jesus." Danny muttered. "Lindsay, relax."

"I'm pregnant and you blindfolded Me." she grumbled. "You're lucky I didn't bitch slap you into next week."

"Are you done?" Danny asked with his hands in mid position to untie her. "Really? Are you quite finished."

Lindsay sighed. "Yes."

"Good." Danny smirked as he removed the blindfold.

"I KNEW IT!" she gasped as she smacked him in the chest. "WE ARE GOING INTO THE HUDSON…"

"No." Danny smirked as he took her hand and turned them. He pointed towards a spectacular Yacht that sat in the harbour. "Actually, we're sailing over it in that."

"That?" Lindsay gasped with her jaw nearly touching the floor.

"Yes." Danny smirked at her reaction. "That."

Lindsay blinked. "A yacht?"

"Yes." Danny snorted. "A yacht… Are you okay? You need me to carry you up there? Call an ambulance? You gonna go all fangirl on me?"

"That?" She blinked. "We're going on that…?"

"Have you suddenly developed a phobia for Yachts or something?" Danny laughed. "Yes, that… Why do we keep repeating that?"

"Because…" Lindsay blinked back tears as she turned to face Danny. "I can't believe you would do this for me… Danny. It's… it's like a fairytale… The prince getting the princess a yacht and taking her out…"

"Well," Danny smirked, "I am a pro when it comes to princesses."

"You can thank our daughter for that." Lindsay smirked as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a lingering and loving kiss to his lips.

He smiled as he turned them around and pointed to the skyline. "Hey Montana, seen a view like this, beats the wheatfields, no?"

Lindsay snuggled into his side and smiled as she gazed up at him. "You know a few years ago, I would have snorted at you and asked you if you'd ever even seen a wheat field."

"You did do that." Danny huffed. "And I said…"

"But I think this time…" she said cutting him off, "I'm gonna agree. A view like this with you, definitely beats the wheat fields."

"I like that answer." Danny smiled.

"Good job aswell." Lindsay smirked. "Otherwise I would have pushed you in."

"Ships ahoy." Danny smirked as he pulled away. "They're gonna leave without us, Montana."

"It's bad that I thought you said chips ahoy and looked around."

"Didn't you eat a grilled cheese before I picked you up?"

Lindsay nodded. "But I'm hungry again."

"Good job we're about to have dinner then." Danny smiled brightly as he took Lindsay's hand. "After you, princess."

Lindsay smiled as she padded across the deck of the harbour. "Have you ever thought of changing your name?"

"To what?"

Lindsay shrugged. "I was thinking Danny Sapper. Sappy. Messer. Sapper. Get it?"

"Ha ha." Danny snorted. "Get your wiseass up those stairs now... And be careful. Don't fall. I mean it Lindsay be careful when you're…"

"Will you hush, Danny? I'm pregnant. Not stupid."

"Well, I'm just saying, I don't want you…"

"Waiting on you." She smiled from her position at the top of the deck.

Danny smirked at her as he joined her at the top deck and placed a hand on the small of her back. "Party for Messer." Danny smiled at the maître d'.

The waiter nodded and led Danny and Lindsay through the extravagant yacht. Lindsay was astounded at the venue Danny had chosen in which to celebrate her birthday in. The décor inside was breathtakingly beautiful. Among the polished wooden floors and the artfully placed furniture and signature pieces, Lindsay smirked to herself as she decided she could quite happily live here.

"Your table." The waiter smiled as he indicated down to a table, laid for two with a view of the New York skyline and the Hudson as the sun set behind the tall skyscrapers.

Lindsay glanced around the huge room that they had just entered and cleared her throat. "Are we early or something?"

The waiter merely raised his eyebrows and shrugged as he handed them a menu each and walked away.

"Danny…" Lindsay furrowed her brow at him. "Where are all the other diners?"

Danny licked his lips and shrugged animatedly at her before covering his face with the menu.

"Danny Messer." Lindsay snapped as she snatched the menu from his hands and hit him with it. "Who did you kill to snag this yacht?"

Danny sighed as he rubbed the side of his head. "What would you say if I told you that Mac knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knew the guy that owned this and owed Mac a favour."

"I'd say you lost me at the first Mac knew someone."

"Long story short…" Danny shrugged. "We've got it to ourselves for the night."

Lindsay shook her head as she opened up her menu. "You're somethin' else… you know that?"

Danny winked at her as he fixed her legs around hers, effectively playing 'footsie' with her underneath the table. "I can't let my baby girl down on her birthday."

"I'm surprised you remembered it. Aren't you supposed to forget, and I'm supposed to buy my own flowers. I'm sure I saw that in the marriage contract."

Danny winked at her. "Never underestimate my love for you, Lindsay."

Lindsay blushed slightly as she played with her curly hair, all the while thinking that it was her best birthday ever.

* * *

Lindsay wanted to die.

Either that or she wanted to kill Danny.

"… HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR LINDSAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU."

Lindsay glared at Danny as she blew out the single candle on the M&M cupcake; he had the chef make specifically for her.

The round of applause from the waiting staff died down and they all went back to their workstations, leaving Lindsay to throw death glares at Danny.

"You love it," he smirked as he sat back in his chair. "You wanted me to have them sing happy birthday to you."

"I hate you." She glared as Danny unwrapped the cupcake and handed it to her. "I can't believe you did that." She huffed as she bit into it. "Oh my god."

"What?" Danny gasped. "What? Is it the baby?"

"No!" She gushed. "This cupcake. It's to die for."

"Jesus, Montana… Don't scare me like that… I thought we were going to have to make a dash back to the dock and get you to the hospital."

"No such luck," she uttered as she bit into the cupcake again while rubbing her tummy. "Oh god, this is so good."

Danny cleared his throat and licked his lips. "Linds, you need to stop that…"

"Uh…" she groaned. "So good."

"Linds…" Danny repeated.

"Oh my god, Danny." She groaned again.

"LINDSAY!" Danny bellowed.

"What?!" She gasped, dropping the cupcake to her small plate.

"Stop it!" he whined. "The noises!"

"Oh." She giggled, turning bright red. "Oopsies."

"Oopsies?" Danny glared. "I can't get up now, Montana…"

She licked her lips. "Shame I'm in no position to disappear underneath the table and…"

"Don't…" Danny grumbled. "Don't fill me with fantasies you can't fulfil."

She smiled as she licked the melted chocolate from her fingertips. "Seriously, get that recipe." Lindsay begged him.

"That good?" Danny mused.

"It was that good, that if I had a choice between the cupcake and a day with you, alone, no children and no pregnancy. I would pick the cupcake."

Danny didn't know whether to be amused or offended for life.

"Thanks." He muttered. "I think."

She took a sip of her orange juice and grinned brightly at him. "You finished there, cowboy?"

Danny glanced down at his cheesecake and nodded. "Eyes were bigger than my… whoa there Montana…" Danny laughed as she reached across the table and grabbed his plate. "Where you going with that?"

"You're done. I'm hungry."

"You just had a four course meal, Lindsay."

"Pregnant. Hungry. Sue me."

Danny rolled his eyes at her as she dug into his nearly untouched dessert with her fork. "Shall I get my main back? I think there was a lettuce leaf on there from my salad I didn't eat…"

"Please." Lindsay smiled sarcastically. "What's on the agenda after this?"

Danny smiled and tapped the side of his nose. "Me to know, you to find out."

"Don't you think I've had enough surprises, Danny? Tiffany's… A new dress. A yacht… What else did you buy me?"

"Nothing else." Danny assured her. "Mr. Bank of America is coming to hunt me down as it is. It's more what I'm doing than anything."

"What are you doing?"

"You'll see."

"Please tell me." she sniffed with her bottom lip quivering. "I don't like all these secrets."

"Wow, you look like Amanda." Danny laughed. "Like really. I looked at you and saw Amanda then."

"Well, she is my little girl. Of course she looks like me."

"What am I? Chopped liver?"

Lindsay laughed. "No. What I'm saying is, she looks like me. I would be willing to bet this yacht on Joshua being the spitting image of his daddy."

"So when are you going to introduce us?" Danny teased. "Your baby daddy?"

"You know him well actually. Does the name Adam ring any bells?"

Danny glared at her. "Flack I could understand. Adam. Montana, what were you thinking?"

"You'd be surprised what he can do with…"

"You know what…" Danny said as he cut her off, "Even thought I started this conversation, and as much as I know you're kidding and I love you teasing me… Really... I do… it's just… I'm not feeling this conversation – or at least the direction it's headed in."

"I'm just screwing with you." Lindsay smiled as she gently stroked his hand over the table. "You know how much I love you."

"All in the same." Danny let out a breath. "Can't say I'm a fan conversations like that…"

Lindsay rolled her eyes. "Like you said…" she smirked as she dropped her fork to the table. "You started it."

"And well, I'm finishing it too." He declared. "You done?"

Lindsay let out a breath and sat back in her chair. "I think so."

"Good." Danny said as he stood up. "No time to sit and let food settle. Got a tight schedule to adhere to."

Lindsay let out a huff as she stood up with the help of Danny's hand. "No walking marathons." She pleaded. "My ankles are like the size of your biceps."

"Just think of Josh." Danny smiled as he wrapped his arm around her and pressed a kiss to her temple. "One month to go."

She scoffed as he held the door open for her, leading to a spectacular and breathtaking ballroom, with a grand piano placed effortlessly in the centre of the room.

"Danny? What?"

"I know you're ankles are the size of my biceps, which by the way, I'm taking as an extreme compliment… But, we've never been dancing and I thought it would be something we could do to celebrate your birthday. I promise I won't whip out the Tango or the Fox Trot, so I think you're gonna be okay."

"But there's no music." Lindsay observed. "Unless you can play the piano and dance at the same time."

"See, this is where I called some more favours in."

Danny pointed to the door and smiled. Lindsay turned, and in the doorway there was a man smiling brightly at the couple stood at the centre of the dance floor.

"Anything you didn't cover?" Lindsay asked as she smiled at the man making his way to the piano.

"No, I think I covered everything." Danny smirked as he placed his hands on Lindsay's sides, bringing her as close to him as possible.

She rested her head on his chest and nuzzled her nose into his neck placing small kisses on the column of his neck. Quickly, the sweet sounds of the grand piano was filling the ballroom, and Lindsay could feel Danny rubbing her lower back in soothing motions as he buried his nose in her soft hair.

The music seemed familiar, but she couldn't place it. Either way, it was a beautiful song, and perfect for their dance, with or without lyrics.

"When I look into your eyes, I know that's where I wanna spend my life."

"Hmm?" Lindsay breathed against his neck.

Danny pressed a kiss to her ear before continuing his whispering, "You're my lazy Sunday afternoon, my crazy New Year's Eve, my parachute."

"Danny?"

He continued his whispering into her ear as he fought the smile on his face. "And I love your innocence, I wouldn't change anything about you."

Lindsay smiled and pressed an opened mouth kiss to his neck. The song had finally twigged. He was singing the second verse of the song to her as they held each other swaying softly in time to the music.

"I wanna be the man who zips your dress, that holds your hand, that's there when you wake up in the night."

Lindsay wrapped her arms around his neck as they swayed to both the soft sounds of the piano and Danny's thick accent, whispering into her ear along with the music.

"I wanna be the one to kiss you 'til you come undone, that makes you laugh when you wanna cry."

She shivered at the goosebumps that chilled her spine with how perfect the lyrics were for them. She let out a happy sigh as she buried her head further into his neck, moulding them together as one.

"And puts a ring on your left hand, I wanna be that man."

She pulled away finally and smiled at him. "You are that man."

"Damn right I am." Danny smiled proudly as he dipped his head and placed a soft, loving and lingering kiss to her lips. "I love you."

She smiled and shuffled towards him and met him in another, equally loving kiss, "Thank you."

"For what?" he laughed, amused.

"For being everything I've always wanted."

He kissed the tip of her nose as he took her hand, and spun her round slowly and carefully, before pulling her back into an embrace. "Don Flack may have no game, Danny Messer however is full of it."

"You're full of somethin'." Lindsay giggled.

"Love for my wife?" Danny shrugged.

Lindsay licked her lips and smiled at him. "I hope so."

"Never doubt that." Danny smiled. "I'll always love you."

"You know you could really make a girl go weak in the knees, Daniel Messer."

"You could really make a guy for in love, Lindsay Monroe."

Lindsay giggled at his use of her maiden name. "I try."

"Happy birthday baby girl." Danny said softly as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Lindsay smiled up at Danny and kissed his jaw, wishing she could stay in this fairytale moment forever.

* * *

_**Thank you guys for all your continued support with the epic! I really hope you're all still enjoying it! Please drop me a review - they never cease to bring a smile to my face! **_

**_My leftover M&M cuppycakes to..._**

twinkeyrocks

Petite Poppy

muchmadness

iheartcsinewyork

gwen24

afrozenheart412

FoxPhile

vikkilynne93

Hope06

JavaJunkie4evr

Jellybeany

ambercsiny

jagnic233

uscrocks

Baby Jefer

aussietasha

dantanagirl411

MeredithandDerekfanforever  
edward-and-bella-forever

Delko'sGirl88

I love danny messer


	169. It's All About The Greater Good

Danny sighed, cursing Lindsay with every step he took down the shopping plaza. He was hot in the June heat and he was cranky having just come off a twelve-hour shift to Lindsay and Amanda walking out the door. He wasn't impressed that they were dressed in Lindsay's heavily pregnant state – let alone walking out the door as if it was nothing.

And, despite him physically having to fight to keep his eyes open, he had succumbed to Lindsay batting her eyes at him and Amanda's cheeky smile to accompany them to the store, because not only did he insist on Lindsay driving nowhere – he wanted to be with her at all times just in case something happened and she went into labour.

And now, here he was, being the devoted Daddy he had become so accustomed to with his wife and daughter.

"Me really want a puppy daddy." Amanda sighed heavily as they journeyed down the footpath, father and daughter hand in hand.

"I know." Danny sighed as they walked in time together slowly. "You tell me everyday."

"Me want puppy."

"I know you do." Danny sighed again, "But me and mommy talked to you about this. Mommy and daddy don't think it would be such a good idea having a puppy around Joshy. Joshy is gonna be really small and delicate honey, and puppies can get silly, when Joshy gets bigger mommy and daddy will think about it."

"But me want puppy now."

"Well sweetie, we decided to have another baby instead."

"Me want puppy 'stead."

"Well, I don't think M&M gets that choice." Danny laughed as he tightened his grip on the little girl's hand as she slowly padded in her pink toddler converse next to his own bright blue converse. "Daddy promises he will get you a puppy. Not now. But I will."

"Puppy." Amanda sniffed as she gazed up at Danny through her honey brown bangs that were too long and irritating her eyes.

"Honey, when I say no, I mean no. We're not getting a puppy." Danny said as he brushed her bangs out of her face.

Amanda huffed as she slowed her pace. "Where mommy?"

"She's just getting Joshy's blankie me and mommy ordered from the baby store."

"Me want one." Amanda sniffed.

"You have a blankie." Danny laughed, knowing exactly what his daughter meant. "You don't need a new blankie. You're a big girl now, honey."

"Me want blankie." Amanda huffed.

"Puppy. Blankie. Anything else you want?"

"Mommy." Amanda whimpered.

"She'll be five minutes." Danny said as he gripped onto Amanda's hand again.

"PUPPY!" Amanda shrieked at the cocker spaniel puppy crossing over the street.

"I see the puppy." Danny smiled

"Me want to cuddle puppy."

"Well if the puppy comes onto this side of the street, I'll ask the puppy's daddy if you can cuddle the puppy."

"Me hug puppy." Amanda whimpered as she forked across the sidewalk towards the road.

"On the inside Amanda." Danny scolded as she guided her back to where she was 'protected' by him and the shops around the plaza.

"Me see mommy!" Amanda shrieked as Lindsay emerged from the baby store across the road.

"Alright, well we can cross over and go get her then."

Danny and Amanda took up their places as the side of the road, as Danny prompted Amanda to look both ways, figuring it was never too early to teach her how to cross a road safely, even if she was just shy of two years old.

"Wait Amanda." Danny said, "There's cars coming from both sides."

"Mommy!" Amanda shrieked.

Lindsay waved from across the street, "Keep hold of her Danny."

"I got her." Danny grumbled as he continued to look at the passing traffic.

"PUPPY!" Amanda shrieked as she saw the puppy emerge from a car with its owner trying to cross. Instantly, her little foot stepped down onto the road as she made her way towards the dog.

Lindsay's life flashed before her eyes from across the road as she screamed Danny's name. He had already realised what Amanda was doing, and scooped her up in his arms before she could take another step. His head was light from the adrenaline of grabbing her in time to stop her nearly coming into contact with any passing cars.

"Don't do that!!!!" Danny spat as held her tight in his arms. "Amanda! You scared the crap out of daddy! Don't you ever do that again!! Do you hear me?!"

Tears filled the little girl's eyes and she started squirming in his grasp.

"When daddy holds your hand, I want you to do as I say! Especially when we're trying to cross a road! You're little but you know that when Daddy's holding your hand he means that we're doing something dangerous and daddy needs to make sure you're safe! I said no about that puppy Amanda! I expect you to damn well listen to me! You could have been hurt baby girl!"

By the time Danny's heart had kick started again, Lindsay had joined them with tears in her eyes and breathing heavily. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine." Danny said as he moved her on his hip. "Me? I'm not so peachy."

Lindsay just blinked before moving over and linking her arm through Danny's. "Just keep hold of me for a minute… I'm really light-headed. Standing there, being completely helpless and watching it…" Lindsay edged forward to look at Amanda who was sobbing silent tears. "Sweetie, you can't do that again, okay? You scared mommy and daddy to death. Please don't do that again. For mommy? When mommy and daddy are stood at the roadside with you, please do as we say."

Amanda sniffed and nodded.

"I should have had her in my arms." Danny scolded himself. "I should have been carrying her. She's only a baby. She's my baby. My baby girl. Why did I think she could walk across the road?"

"You didn't think she would step off the curb though."

"That's no excuse. If she had been in my arms, where she's supposed to be, she wouldn't have been able to."

"Well, let's just be glad you could grab her in time." Lindsay sniffed tears threatening to fall as she wiped a tear from Amanda's cheek that rested on Danny's shoulder.

"Me sowwy." Amanda finally whimpered. "Me just see-ed puppy and me pet puppy."

"I don't care if mommy had turned into a puppy and was running towards you." Danny spat. "When daddy is stood with your hand in his at the side of the road, you don't move until daddy tells you differently. Do you understand me Amanda Mackenzie? I don't know what's gotten into you, but you need to knock it off."

"It's alright, Danny." Lindsay said soothingly as she stroked his arm.

Danny let out a frustrated breath as he affixed Amanda to his hip with a death grip.

"Don't hold onto her so tight – she's not going anywhere." Lindsay teased. "Not with that death grip, anyway."

"Don't even mess with me, Lindsay." Danny spat. "She's my baby girl, and like hell I'm gonna protect her."

Lindsay sighed. "I love your dedication, Danny. Really I do. But I think you're hurting her. Either that or scaring her. Loosen up a tiny bit, please?"

"I just worked a twelve hour shift and then came home to…"

"You need to stop," Lindsay snapped as she prided Amanda from his grip and fixed her daughter in her arms.

"Give her to me, Lindsay. You know for a fact you shouldn't be carrying her when you're edging on nine months. She's heavy. Are you crazy? Put her down."

Lindsay rolled her eyes.

"Don't ignore me." Danny growled at her. "I mean it Lindsay, you need to put her down."

Lindsay let out a breath. "Will you shut up?" She spat over her shoulder. "Seriously, you're driving me crazy."

"Put her down then!" Danny spat. "I'm not talking to myself here, Linds. Do as I say."

"Do as you say?" Lindsay snorted as she carefully placed Amanda on the floor and took the little girl's hand. "Who do you think you're talking to? Do you hear yourself?"

"It seems like I'm the only one that hears myself."

"Go to hell." She spat as he caught up to her. "Seriously, you can go home."

"Go home? What the hell are you two going to do?"

"We're going to go out for lunch like mommy promised Amanda, you can go home."

"I'm going with you. You can't tell me if I can or can't go somewhere Lindsay – I wanna make sure you're okay."

"Oh yeah?" Lindsay asked with raised eyebrows. "Until you find way in which YOU can carry our baby Danny, I think I get to make the decisions. You're not coming."

"Lindsay, I'm sorry." Danny sighed.

"No!" She spat as she unlocked the SUV as they approached it with the key fob. "You can't just say sorry and expect everything to be all fine and dandy."

He sighed as he took Amanda from Lindsay's hand and picked the toddler up. He kissed the little girl's nose before opening the backseat door and placed her in the car seat. He shuddered as he heard the car door to the front passenger side slam shut and Lindsay huff in the front seat.

"Daddy sit on bad chair." Amanda whispered.

"I think daddy's gonna take up permanent residence on the bad chair until Joshua comes." Danny sighed as he kissed his little girl's forehead before shutting the door and moving round to where Lindsay sat on the passenger side.

He sighed as he opened the door and took her hand, "Lindsay…"

She turned and faced the opposite way as she pulled her hand out of his grasp.

Danny smirked to himself. "Mommy, daddy's sorry."

She pursed her lips as she continued to face in the opposite direction. "Yeah well, mommy thinks daddy's a poo head that needs to be nice to me considering I've been lugging around his baby boy since forever."

Danny fought the urge to roll his eyes at her exaggeration. "I'm sorry Lindsay, when she stepped out it just scared me and I was mad at how I reacted. I should have had hold of her. I didn't mean to take it out on either of you."

"Yet you took it out on both of us." Lindsay scoffed.

"I don't think I've told you I love you today." Danny said as he placed a warm hand on her belly. "I'm sorry."

She turned as a tear cascaded down her cheek. "I'm not cut out to be a mother!"

Danny swallowed as he looked at his daughter in the back seat, then to Lindsay's stomach. "Baby… you are."

"I'm not!" she sobbed. "Amanda's already rebelling."

"She's going through terrible twos. She's be fine when she gets to three."

"She'll come home with a tattoo or some odd piercing as a new found sort of rebellion and… and… and… she and Josh will scream that they hate me and they…"

"Linds, breathe." Danny interrupted. "You sound like that character on the CBS show we love. It's okay Lindsay. You can do this. We can do this. We make a good team. We're doing good with our little girl, and no doubt we will be fantastic with our little boy."

She wiped her tears away. "I don't know." She wailed. "I'm scared. One baby I can do. Two children. I can't be a mother to two children."

"You can be a mother to two children with ease Lindsay. You're a natural mommy. You can do this."

Lindsay turned and looked at a nervous Amanda in the back seat.

"Mommy 'tay?"

"Mommy's fine." Danny answered. "She's just a little sad."

"Mommy want lickle bear?" Amanda suggested. "Lickle bear make M&M happy."

"Can I cuddle him?" Lindsay sniffled. "Would Amanda mind?"

Amanda shook her head and tossed the battered teddy into the front seat before sticking her thumb in her mouth and began rubbing her index finger up and down her nose in a soothing motion.

Danny pressed a kiss to Lindsay's temple, then her forehead, then left a lingering kiss to her lips. "Are we okay?"

Lindsay nodded as she snuggled with Lickle bear. "I think so." She sniffed. "I'm just… I don't know."

"Scared?"

She nodded.

Danny bent down so that he was level with her. "Can I tell you a secret?"

Lindsay nodded.

"I am too."

Lindsay raised an eyebrow. "You. Scared? Please now."

"Little girls I can do." Danny reasoned as he wiped a tear from Lindsay's cheek. "I can protect Amanda, speak to Amanda and make Amanda giggle. It's easier than counting to ten – a little boy? How do I do all of that stuff?"

"You're lying."

"I hate liars." Danny reminded Lindsay. "I wouldn't lie. I'm terrified. I'm terrified I'm gonna let him down."

"I don't believe you." Lindsay sniffed as she gripped to Lickle bear. "I think you're just saying it to make me feel better."

"Think what you wish." Danny shrugged. "I'm telling you. I'm scared. I don't want to let you or the kids down."

"You could never let us down, Danny." Lindsay smiled as she gently ran her index finger down the side of his face.

Danny sighed as he rubbed his wife's belly. "My girls hungry? Want to go for something to eat?"

"You wont be able to say my girls for much longer." Lindsay smirked as she rubbed her belly. "My girls and my boy it'll be in a few weeks."

"My little family." Danny smiled down at her.

* * *

Lindsay furrowed her brow as her cell phone let out a piercing shrill. "Hey Mac."

Danny glanced at Lindsay in the passenger side as she let out a sigh. "Really?"

Lindsay rolled her eyes. "Well, we have Amanda with us right now… Well yes, I am aware she attends the day care but… I know… I know… Alright. Thirty minutes. Yeah, yeah, we're lifesavers. We know… We'll see you soon."

"I just got off a twelve hour shift." Danny whined instantly, "You just agreed to me going back to work, thanks Linds."

"Hey, don't get mad with me – I got roped into it too."

"What?" Danny spat, "hell no."

"Danny, I'm fine to work – remember, 9-5 three days a week."

"Today's your day off."

"And? Mac needs my fantastic trace analysis skills. Stella's off somewhere, Hawkes is doing something. Nick's on his own case. Adam's Adam."

"So in comes Danny and Lindsay – the glue that sticks the crime lab together."

"Oh hush." Lindsay spat as she swallowed and touched her stomach.

"You alright?" Danny pressed as he looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm fine." she nodded reassuringly as she cuddled 'Lickle bear' "I'm just hungry, that's all."

"Want me to stop somewhere?"

Lindsay nodded. "Let's run home first though. I want to grab my hospital bag and take it with us. I'm figuring it should be with one of us, just in case."

Danny furrowed his brow. "Are you sure, Lindsay? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She nodded as she ignored the pain in her lower back. "It's nothing. Just a feeling, you know… Can we stop by Wendy's before the lab."

"Wendy's…" Danny shuddered. "Why?"

"Because I'm pregnant, and I'm hungry. Whatever I want, I want you to buy me."

Danny nodded as he stopped at the stoplight. He glanced over to Lindsay and watched her flinch. "I told you not to pick her up. What did I tell you?"

"It's hunger pains." She insisted, "That's all. I'm fine."

Danny sighed as he shook his head. "I'll stop by Wendy's first then."

"It's out of the way," Lindsay reminded him. "Go get the bag, and we'll stop on the way to the lab."

"You may be looking after our son, Montana – but I'm driving this car."

Lindsay sighed as she turned and looked out the window.

_I really don't think I'll be looking after him for much longer. _She thought to herself.

* * *

"Walking into the crime lab not two hours after I left the damn place." Danny muttered as he slurped his chocolate milkshake as his fingers laced through Lindsay's. "I might as well move into the office."

"Just take it easy." Lindsay suggested. "Mac needs you on a crime scene on the Upper West Side with Hawkes."

"How do you know this?"

"He told me." Lindsay furrowed her brow as Danny offered her a drink of his milkshake. She accepted and smirked as she drank the remaining liquid in the cup.

"It's a good job I love you." Danny scoffed.

"Amanda looked to be ecstatic to see Lydia and Lucy today." Lindsay commented. "She's usually a bit shy around them."

Danny sighed. "I swear there's something going on in that playgroup. I don't like the way that Emily looked at Lydia and Lucy when they saw Amanda."

"Oh Danny." Lindsay sighed, "Calm down. No-one's bullying Amanda – and if there was a bully, it's not Lydia or Lucy – they're absolutely adorable children."

"I know Linds… I do… it's just… I can tell. She wouldn't let go of my hand when Emily looked at her. I'm convinced there's something going on."

Lindsay nodded painfully, trying to shy away under Danny's close stare, "All we can do is keep an eye on it." She said through gritted teeth.

"Are you okay?" he pressed. "You don't look as if you're feeling too good. Maybe I should take you home. Tell Mac to call someone else."

"I'm fine." Lindsay waved it off. "I'm just uncomfortable – what with my due date coming up. It's fine."

Danny glared at her as the elevator doors opened and he grabbed her packed suitcase. "For the record, I'm fully aware that you're lying to me."

"I'm not lying." Lindsay scoffed as she slowly waddled down the hallway. "I'm fine. Really."

"Mhmm." Danny nodded. "You suck at lying… it's 'cause you picked Amanda up earlier. You strained yourself. I knew I should have just taken her from your arms."

"You're right." Lindsay sighed. "I probably just strained myself. I'll pop down to see Sid and see if he do a quick check up."

"I could get Hawkes to…"

"You're leaving…" Lindsay smiled as she pouted her lips, hinting she wanted to meet him in a kiss. "Goodbye."

"We won't be leaving yet." Danny assured her but kissed her anyway. "I'll get you settled at your work station then find Hawkes."

"I'm fine." Lindsay sighed, exasperated. "Danny, please stop fussing over me. I'm fine."

"I hear you, but it's not working, Linds. I'm daddy. I fuss."

"You're a pain in my ass, is what you are." Lindsay growled. "Go on. Go leave me alone," she winked as he set her suitcase in their office. "I want to go earn a living."

Danny kissed her forehead, and then her nose, before meeting her lips in a soft and loving kiss. "Just don't wear yourself out, alright?"

"I promise." Lindsay nodded.

Danny dropped to his knees as he placed feather light kisses on her floaty green shirt. "Be good for mommy, baby."

"He always is." Lindsay smiled down at Danny.

"Alright, I'll call you when we leave." Danny said as he got back up on his feet. "No dangerous chemicals without the…"

"Danny, I've done this twice now, alright? I know what I can and can't do."

"I still just need to say it for my own piece of mind."

"Go." Lindsay shooed him away. "Leave."

Danny chuckled as he headed down the hallway.

_Just don't go too far. _Lindsay pleaded with his back as he walked away from her.

* * *

She took a deep breath as she gripped the workstation in front of her with her hand.

She was fine. She wasn't going into labour. It was completely physiological. It was self-inflicted.

_Except it really isn't. _She thought to herself. _You've been here and done this before._

She took a deep breath as she continued with swabbing the latest piece of evidence brought in from Nick's case he was working on. "You're fine." she breathed through gritted teeth. "He's just sitting funny."

She let out a breath and took a sip of her bottled water that sat on the work surface next to her.

Lindsay bit her lip and swallowed. "Oh crap," she sighed as she reached for her phone. "Crap. Crap. Crap."

She frantically held down speed dial one and held her phone to her ear while gripping her belly with her free hand. "Answer your phone, damn it."

_Typical. _Lindsay grumbled as she pushed back from the workstation and waddled into the hallway, phone pressed to her ear. _I pick up the fucking water bottle and my fucking water breaks and the fucking husband refuses to answer his fucking phone. _

_Fuck my life. _

She frantically searched up and down the hall looking for someone she knew.

No Danny.

No Stella.

No Mac.

No Hawkes.

No Nick.

No Flack.

"Hey Linds."

"Adam!" Lindsay gasped. "Have you seen Danny?"

"Danny? Yeah…" Adam nodded as he pointed in the general direction of the elevators. "He left around twenty minutes ago with Hawkes to their scene on the Upper West Side? Why?"

"No one else is around?"

Adam shook his head. "Not that I know of. Looks like you're in charge Mommy Lindsay. Like, it's so weird… Me and you… Only people in the crime lab… Overseeing everything."

Lindsay sighed as she gripped her belly and waddled to her's and Danny's office. "Adam will you do me a favour…"

"Anything?"

"Shut up."

Adam blinked. "What? Why? What I do…"

"Oh god." Lindsay gasped as she looked down at the cell phone she was clutching in her hand. "I swear to god. Adam… I need you to focus."

"Why?"

"Because!" Lindsay spat as she gripped onto his shirt with her fists. "I want you to go and get the keys to the car – any car – meet me in he garage in five minutes."

Adam furrowed his brow. "Why?"

"My water just broke!" Lindsay cried. "You're driving me to the hospital."

Adam's eyes widened. "Crap. Crap. Oh Crap."

"Yeah, my sentiments exactly." Lindsay spat. "Go!"

Adam backed away from her as he darted off in the completely wrong direction. Lindsay sighed as she watched Adam turn on his heel and dash past her smiling with reassurances everything was going to be okay.

Lindsay grabbed her suitcase and took a deep breath, composing herself before lugging the light item behind her. She jabbed her finger onto speed dial one. She held the phone to her ear and sighed as she got Danny's voicemail.

Lindsay grumbled as she listened to Amanda's giggling in the background and Lindsay's soft singing from the kitchen. "I told you to change that voicemail message months ago." She barked. "Why aren't you answering your fucking phone? Always answer the fucking phone. You need to get to the hospital. My water broke, Danny. I'm scared. I need you. Why aren't you answering the phone? Adam's taking me to the hospital. Please just – god, please get this message. Please? I love you."

* * *

Hawkes furrowed his brow as he listened in the silent house, "Hey Danny?"

"What?"

"That your phone, buddy?"

"I dunno, I don't hear it."

"I'm sure I heard Tanya Sway." He smirked. "That's not mine."

"It's Taylor Swift, actually." Danny corrected, "And it was Lindsay." He defended himself. "She did it. She set the ringtones."

"Whatever." Hawkes laughed. "You might wanna go check it… It's been ringing pretty much on and off for the last five minutes."

Danny dug into his pocket and grabbed his phone and looked at the screen. "Eight missed calls and a voicemail? Shit."

"It's nothing." Hawkes assured him. "She probably just needs to ask you something."

"I think she's gone into early labour." Danny gasped as held his phone to his ear, listening to his voicemail. "I've got a feeling ya'know?"

Danny's heart increased rapidly at the urgency in Lindsay voice. Clearly with her angry ramblings there was something not quite right – and this was confirmed when he heard the words; _"You need to get to the hospital. My water broke, Danny. I'm scared. I need you."_

"Shit." Danny swallowed, causing Hawkes to look up at his friend.

"Everything alright buddy?"

"We need to secure this scene. We need to go. We need to go now."

"What?" Hawkes gasped as he stood up. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Lindsay's gone into labour. I need to go. I need to go now."

Hawkes motioned for the uniform stood at the door to come into the apartment. "There will be a CSI here within the hour. We've got to go."

"But… I've been told."

"I don't give a shit what you've been told – his wife's in labour." Hawkes bellowed at the young uniform. "We're going. Secure the scene and don't move from your position at the door."

"But…"

"Wife. Labour. We're going." Hawkes said simply. "Is that easy enough for you to understand?"

The uniform nodded and glanced at Danny who was pacing with his phone pressed to his ear. "He gonna be okay?"

"His wife is only just going into her ninth month – he wasn't expecting this today."

The uniform nodded. "Best of luck."

Hawkes smiled and placed a hand on Danny's shoulder. "You can keep trying her cell in the car – come on, we're going. Trinity?"

Danny nodded. "I can't get hold of anyone. There's no one answering the phone. Amanda's still at day care."

"I'll drop you off at the hospital, run by and get M&M. Keep her in my office. Don't worry Danny," Hawkes assured his friend as he grabbed both their cases and followed a jogging Danny out of the crime scene. "Don't worry about Amanda, we'll all pitch in and take care of her. You go and focus on Linds and your boy."

"My boy. He's coming."

"Eager to make his entrance." Hawkes smiled.

* * *

"Adam!!!" Lindsay bellowed. "Holy shit, will you… Are we here?"

"I'm not a moron, Lindsay." Adam spat as he jerked the SUV into Park on the side of the curb. "I've got this covered. We're good."

"Mac isn't answering his phone."

"He said he was dealing with something when I ran into him in the parking garage." Adam said as he opened the driver's side and jumped down. He quickly opened the back and grabbed Lindsay's suitcase before grabbing a wheelchair from the path and fixing it by Lindsay's door. He opened it and helped her into the chair. "Let's go and get you checked in, mommy."

"Will you call Danny? Or Hawkes. He can't miss this." Lindsay pleaded tearfully.

"I'm on it." Adam assured her as he rubbed her shoulder. "Just focus on what you're doing, Linds."

"I'm not having this baby until he gets here." Lindsay informed Adam as he wheeled her into the hospital. "So you know…"

"I'll take note." Adam replied calmly. "I'll go speak to the receptionist. I'll be right over there, Lindsay – okay… Keep trying Danny."

Lindsay nodded and held her stomach as a contraction kicked in. _Hold on kiddo. Just let daddy get here first. _

_

* * *

_

"Why isn't she answering her phone?" Danny cried as he sat in the passenger side of the avalanche. "Doc, take 57th right there, it'll be faster."

Hawkes sighed, "Danny, I got it."

"Voicemail. Again…" Danny sighed into the phone as he listened for the beep. "Baby it's me – I got your message, everything's going to be okay. We're close. Don't panic. Just… Hold on till I get there, okay… Tell him to hang on. Daddy's not there - I don't want to miss this... I love you, I love you, okay."

Hawkes quickly turned the SUV into the hospital's entrance and slammed on the brakes, letting Danny jump out right at the entrance. "Thanks, Doc." Danny smiled as he jumped from the still moving vehicle.

"Don't worry about M&M – I'll take care of her."

Danny smiled brightly before turning. "Thanks Doc."

"Hey Danny!" Hawkes called, calling him back. "Congrats brother."

Danny smirked proudly as he pumped his fist against Hawkes'. "I owe you."

"Damn right you do."

Danny rolled his eyes and darted into the hospital with his phone in his hand. He quickly searched around the waiting area to try and spot Lindsay. He turned and gazed down the next hallway and instantly he let out a sigh of relief as he saw Adam wheel Lindsay into her room.

Their eyes met across the busy hallway and instantly everything else melted away.

This was it.

Time for baby number two.

* * *

_**Heeeeh!!! - What can I say? TPTB inspired me. *giggles***_

_**Special thank you's to -**_

twinkeyrocks

Petite Poppy

iheartcsinewyork

gwen24

Hypedupash

afrozenheart412

vikkilynne93

crazymoo97

BEG75

Simplelove3663

JavaJunkie4evr

jagnic233

Hope06

uscrocks

Jellybeany

ambercsiny

Baby Jefer

edward-and-bella-forever

MeredithandDerekfanforever


	170. It's All About The Greater Good, part 2

**_A/N: Sorry it's been so long. I had to tend to real life for a few days. However plus side , we have a new chapter - AND - the CSI:NY fanfiction awards are goin' on - which i'm sure you're all aware of - but you can now go and cast your vote for your favourite stories/authors! Go on, it takes two ticks! Join in the fun! Go vote for your favourite epic! Please? *smiles* _**

**_And, so you're aware. Our - mine - DL's - whoever's -M&M has been nominated in the category of Best OC - if any of you decided that you... ya'know had the urge to vote she's there... I'm just kidding. Have fun and vote for your favourite stories/authors! _**

* * *

"What do you need?" Danny pressed from his position by the bedside.

"Nothing." Lindsay sighed. "Nothing, I need someone to just have this baby for me. Your son is a pip. Amanda – hell, she was nice to mommy- this child of yours… He hates me."

"He does not hate you." Danny laughed as he kicked his converse from his feet and reclined in the chair as he placed his feet on Lindsay's bed.

Lindsay furrowed her brow as she stared at his feet. "Um, what?"

"I said he doesn't hate you." Danny repeated as he sat back and closed his eyes.

Lindsay laughed softly before shoving his feet off of the bed with an almighty force, jerking him awake.

"Christ Linds, be nice."

"BE NICE!?!" She bellowed. "I'm in labour and you look as if you're on a Greek beach somewhere catching the rays. Go get me some ice chips."

"But…"

"GO!" She bellowed.

"A'right." Danny grumbled as he thrust his feet into his converse and tied them up. "But Linds, I'd like to take this opportunity to remind you that you decided to go into labour when I've been working a twelve hour shift with no sleep. And by the looks of it we'll be here a while, I'd really appreciate it if you could give me a few minutes to sleep."

Lindsay blinked. "Excuse me, what now?"

"I'm really tired." Danny whined.

"I'm in labour, Danny." Lindsay patiently reminded him. "You are not fucking sleeping until your child is sleeping this side of life, alright? So we're clear. I don't sleep – you don't sleep. You got me into this mess, I insist you wait it out with me."

"But…" Danny sighed as he relented. "Ice chips. Anything else?"

"Amanda."

"She's with Hawkes right now, Lindsay. I didn't want her here."

"This is her brother, Danny. She's our daughter."

"Well, when you're dilated more than two centimetres, we'll consider getting someone to bring her over."

"Don't get shitty with me." Lindsay snapped. "Otherwise you can go and get some divorce papers with those ice chips."

Danny blinked as he stood up and pressed a kiss to her temple. "I love you."

"Yeah, yeah." Lindsay grumbled. "Ice chips. Scoot."

"I'm going." Danny laughed as he straightened up and rubbed Lindsay's belly softly. "I'm gonna miss you being pregnant. You're a real cute pregnant mommy."

"Are you calling me fat?" Lindsay implored. "Really?"

Danny swallowed. "No. What I was saying was…" he sighed. "So ice chips and divorce papers?"

"Go." Lindsay glared at him. "Just go."

"Going." Danny swallowed as he made a mental note to never, ever, ever come off of a twelve-hour shift, with a dire need to sleep while pregnant Lindsay in labour was in the same room.

* * *

"Where mommy Uncle Shel?"

Sheldon Hawkes smiled at his niece. "Mommy and daddy are bringing Joshy into the world, sweetie pie."

"Huh?" Amanda giggled as she swung her legs staring at her pink converse.

"You would probably understand better if I said she was in labour, right?"

Amanda giggled half-heartedly as she sighed heavily while looking down at her hand.

"S'matter munchkin?" Hawkes asked as he tickled her belly as she sat in front of him, facing him on his desk. "Aren't you excited, you get to meet little bear. Finally!!! You've been waiting for months and months!"

Amanda sniffed and blinked as she stared down at her hand.

"Sweetie, what's the matter?"

Amanda looked up at him with tears in her eyes and her bottom lip quivering. "Me no have lickle bear."

Hawkes' eyes widened. "Did I forget him at daycare?"

Amanda shook her head.

"Does mommy and daddy have him?"

Amanda shook her head; her bouncing curls hitting her cheeks. "Wemily took-ed him."

"What?!"

"Wemily. She took-ed lickle bear from me! Me no have lickle bear anymore."

Hawkes blinked and swallowed the raging urge to punch something because of the tears his niece was crying. "Sweetie, what do you mean?"

"She took-ed him, Uncle Shel!" Amanda sobbed. "She took-ed him from my hand and pushed-ed me to the floor. She no give him back. Me missed him so much. Me wub lickle bear. He my bestest friend, Uncle Shel and he go bye bye."

Hawkes shook his head as he quickly picked the little girl up from the desk and affixed her to his hip.

"Where we go-ed?" Amanda pressed as she rubbed her cheeks on Sheldon's shirt, wiping her tears away.

"To go kick some pre-k butt."

* * *

Lindsay gripped the material of the bed sheets as she breathed through the contraction that had hit her body.

Where the hell was Danny when she needed him?

"Breathe through the pain." She reminded herself through gritted teeth. "Think about the greater good."

"Ice chips as requested." Danny smiled brightly as he pushed through the door before he realised Lindsay was slowly working her way through a contraction. "Oh baby, you're alright - breathe…"

"Easy for you to say." Lindsay growled as she took his hand and squeezed it while he sat the ice chips on the bedside table.

"It's okay…"

"Okay?" She spluttered. "Okay? You want to try this for a minute? Would you like me to move the fuck over?"

"No, no I'm more than happy with the death threats and the squeezing of the hand, actually."

"I thought so." Lindsay let out a breath as she relaxed on the bed. "I see no divorce papers." She observed.

Danny's eyes widened.

"I'm kidding." She laughed despite the contraction. "Although the look on your face – priceless."

"I'm going to get a doctor – see if you're dilated any more… Find out whether you get crueller with each centimetre."

"Oh sit down." Lindsay growled. "You know I'm just messing with you."

He huffed as he walked around the bed and plopped down in the chair before scooting towards the bed and taking Lindsay's hand. "I do love you, you know that, right?" he asked her.

"I do know." She nodded. "And I love you too - I don't want to divorce you, for the record."

"Good to know," he yawned.

She slid across the bed cautiously, and made sufficient room for him to lie down next to her. "Come on, climb in."

He blinked as he rubbed his eyes. "Huh?"

"Lie down. You'll be no use to me when I need you if you're half asleep. At least lie next to me so on the off chance I fall asleep, you're snuggled next to me."

"Linds… You really think you're gonna fall asleep?"

"I'm gonna damn well try – you wanna try pushing a baby out of you – it's seriously really tiring."

"I love the way you phrased that." Danny sniggered as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close as he kissed her temple. "You're so brave."

She gazed across at him and raised her eyebrows and shrugged, "I don't think I have much choice at this moment in time."

"All in the same." Danny shrugged as he pressed another kiss to her temple.

"Go to sleep – I'll wake you up." She smiled as she kissed his rugged cheek.

"Contractions are still a ways apart?"

"I've got them down to seven minutes." She shrugged. "I can see us being here a while."

Danny sighed as she settled his left hand on her belly and rubbed it softly. He then took her left hand with his right and laced their fingers together. "You squeeze when the next one hits. I can't promise that I will wake up, but I'll be dreaming about you."

"Oh go to sleep." She snorted as she reached for the ice chips on the bedside table. "I'll chomp on these for the time being." She said as she set the cup on her belly and fished inside of the said cup with her right hand.

He nodded and settled on the pillow next to her, inhaling her fading perfume as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"Sharing's caring?" Sheldon spat. "Sharing's caring? What the hell – it's her teddy bear. She does not have to share that teddy if she doesn't want to. It's her teddy from home. If it was a toy from this facility then fair enough. It isn't. I need the bear back."

"Well, I'm afraid I don't know which teddy we're talking about."

"Lickle bear." Hawkes growled. "He comes dressed differently everyday. Brown fur. Brown eyes. Today he was in hello kitty pyjama's and one hello kitty slipper because she's lost the other one."

"A lot of our kids bring in brown bears, detective."

"It's doctor, actually." Hawkes barked. "And this bear is loved – he's worn – smells of washing detergent because I know for a fact her mother washed him not two days ago and to make him smell like a boy her father sprayed some cologne on the bear, so a Danny Messer smelling bear dressed as Hello Kitty would be the bear in question. How many of those do you have?"

"Well, what would you like me to do – a line up?"

"Amanda told me a girl called Emily took the teddy."

"With all due respect, Doctor – Amanda's twenty months old."

"And?"

"And she's a toddler. Hell, she's practically a baby – you go down a long and winding path if you begin to listen to toddlers."

"Humour me." Hawkes suggested. "I'm wrong – I'll be the first to apologise."

Megan sighed. "Who?"

"Emily." Hawkes repeated with a smug smile.

Megan rolled her eyes and called the little girl over to where both she and Hawkes stood. "Sweetie, where's your teddy bear?"

"Over there." The little girl pointed.

"Can you go get her? I want to have a look."

Emily smiled up at Hawkes and skipped off towards her cubbyhole and grabbed the brown bear.

"I don't see any Hello Kitty pyjama's." Megan observed.

"A chimpanzee could undress a teddy bear." Hawkes snorted. "It doesn't take a child genius."

Megan shrugged as she crouched down and examined the teddy. "And what's the teddy's name."

"Bob."

Megan smiled at the little girl. "That's a fantastic name."

"For a teddy bear?" Hawkes snorted. "Can I look at the label there, sweetie?"

Emily snatched the bear from Megan and shoved it behind her back. "No."

"Just a little look." Hawkes pressed as Amanda gripped to his trouser leg with her thumb affixed in his mouth. "You see, Amanda seems to have lost her teddy, and I think maybe you mistook hers for yours."

"This is mine." The four year old barked. "Mine."

"Well, if it is yours, you won't mind me just taking a quick look at the label to make sure it doesn't say M&M, no?"

Emily blinked as she turned and looked at the bear behind her back. "Um…"

"Just a little look." Hawkes assured her as he prised the teddy from the girl's hands and looked at the label.

Low behold – in Lindsay's mommy-fied, cursive writing, staring back at him in permanent marker was _Amanda Messer, along_ the top of the bear factory label, and _M&M _running along the bottom and up the side.

"See, clearly there was a misunderstanding, because it says Amanda's name on teddy." Hawkes smirked as he showed Megan the teddy before ruffling Amanda's curls as she stood, hiding behind him.

"Oh," Megan said simply.

"Emily, do you know where the pyjama's are that you took off of the teddy?" Hawkes pressed as Amanda slowly moved around his ankles and leant against his leg with a timid disposition.

Emily slowly shook her head and locked eyes with Amanda.

"Think about the question, Emily." Megan said.

Emily lunched forwards and shoved Amanda, sending her flying. Hawkes however managed to grab her arm, and pulled her into the air, and quickly affixed Amanda to his hip. "I want the teddy's clothes." He growled as he rubbed Amanda's arm before handing her a naked Lickle bear. "Right now."

Megan stared at Emily who was stomping her foot on the floor and crying. "Doctor, I'm sorry. I… I don't know what to say."

"My niece's teddy bear clothes?" Hawkes pressed.

"I'm terribly sorry." Megan apologised.

"Don't apologise to me – you can apologise to her father when he comes in sometime after his paternity leave is up, wondering why the hell you have failed to explain to him why his two year old daughter is clearly being bullied by a four year old. He'll get a kick out of that."

"Yes, Me and Mr Messer have had some words about Amanda."

"It's Detective Messer, actually and you've had words about Amanda?" Hawkes implored. "You mean Emily, surely."

"Amanda and Emily."

"There is no Amanda and Emily," Hawkes scoffed. "Now, if you wouldn't mind – I'd like the teddy's outfit and we'll be on our way."

"Can I have a look around and bring them to your office, doctor?"

"No, that won't be necessary." Hawkes assured Megan as he pulled a tiny chair out from underneath the drawing and colouring table. He perched on it and sat Amanda's on his knee. "We'll sit here. Her mother is in labour. We have time to kill before I can head over to the hospital."

Megan nodded nervously as she ushered Emily off and sat her on a chair in the corner of the room before searching through the dress up clothes that was in the corner of the toy area.

"This, pretty girl - is your first protest." Hawkes said as he sat her on the table so that her feet were dangling and she was facing him. "I want big things from you, Amanda Messer. Do you hear me? I want to be proud Uncle Sheldon that can post the banner up on my apartment building that says; 'The proud uncle of Amanda Messer lives here.' Like my Uncle did for me. Stand up for yourself, honey – don't settle when someone tells you no. Kapish?"

Amanda gazed at Lickle bear and grabbed the teddy as he lay on the table and placed her thumb in her mouth as she nodded.

Hawkes ruffled her curls as he turned and looked over his shoulder at Megan who sat on the floor going through the ominous amounts of pink clothes.

"I wub you Uncle Shel."

Hawkes turned and smiled at Amanda. "I love you too, kiddo."

* * *

"ARGGHHHH!" Lindsay cried as she gripped to Danny's hand. "Owwww!"

"Breathe through the pain, baby – you can do it." Danny assured her. "I believe in you. You're doing good. Breathe through the contraction. You can do it."

"I never said I couldn't do it." She growled through gritted teeth as he dabbed her brow with a damp cloth. "It just hurts."

"I know honey, I'm sorry."

"You're not sorry." She said, trying to take her mind off the pain. "You just want to take Joshy to little league." She gasped for a breath. "I can see it in your eyes. That's all you're thinking about." She swallowed as she squeezed his hand. "I'm screeching and you're thinking about him getting his first home run in the minors."

Danny smiled. "You know me too well."

"You're my husband, of course I know you. I'd be… Crap." She gasped through gritted teeth. "That hurt!" She growled at her stomach. "Knock it off, baby. Be nice to me."

"Maybe we should go for a walk?" Danny suggested. "Don't they usually say that helps the process?"

Lindsay blinked at him.

"No?" Danny answered, "It's just in what to expect I'm sure it said… you know what – you're the one in labour – we can do what you want."

Lindsay let out a breath of frustration. "I guess we could try and go for a walk."

"Just around the maternity ward. We don't have to go far. I'll hold your hand each step of the way." He promised.

Lindsay smiled painfully at him as he stood up and carefully helped her from the bed. "We can go slow, right?"

"We can waddle at your pace." Danny promised as he kissed her forehead.

Lindsay smiled and took his hand as she padded towards the door. Danny opened the private room, and almost smacked into Stella and Mac who was about to enter.

"Hey guys!" Danny greeted. "Me and Montana were about to go on a walk… But I guess we could…"

"I actually need to borrow you for a second, Danny." Mac admitted.

"I'll do a round with Stella." Lindsay shrugged. "We can partake in some girlie talk."

Danny smiled and kissed the top of Lindsay's head. "Don't go far, munchkin."

She turned and looked at him with a furrowed brow. "Munchkin?"

Danny shrugged. "I'm trying a new name."

Lindsay rolled her eyes and smiled brightly at her friend as she walked out into the hall and shut the door.

"So, what's the matter?" Danny asked as he folded his arms over his chest.

"I called Lindsay's parents…" Mac smirked at the look of sheer horror on the CSI's face. "I thought you might have forgotten. I also took the liberty to call yours. Lindsay's parents are catching the next flight out, and your mom and dad have asked me to call them once Lindsay's had the baby."

Danny nodded and patted Mac's shoulder. "Thanks, boss. I appreciate it. It completely slipped my mind."

"That's not what I came about though." Mac admitted. "I've been doing a little bit of research - almost like a project, if you will."

"Oh yeah?" Danny pressed, intrigued at what Mac was talking about. "Go on."

Mac reached into his slack's pocket and pulled out a number with a name, written in Mac's trademark capital letters. "It's your call, Danny. You make the decision."

Danny stared down at the piece of paper and nodded. "Wow, thanks Mac… I don't even know how you got the number."

Mac waved it off. "Lindsay means a lot to me, and I think she would want this. But like I said – this is your call, Danny. Do what you think is right."

Danny nodded. Trying to take in Mac's words as he stared down at the small piece of paper, weighing up his options. "I'm gonna think about it – I think I have some time either way."

Mac nodded and patted the young man on his shoulder before taking a seat in the chair by the side of Lindsay's bed. "So, how's she doing?"

* * *

Lindsay heaved a breath as she gripped onto the nurse's station and Stella's hand with her other hand. "It would be so much easier if I just sneezed, and it was like boom – here's a crib, enjoy your baby boy, mommy."

Stella shook her head. "You don't mean that, Linds. Just wait till you get to tell them that Amanda was nicer to mommy that Joshy. Amanda will love that and snuggle up to you, while Joshy feels all proud he was a naughty boy even before mommy and daddy knew him."

"My son's going to be naughty?" Lindsay gasped in sheer terror at the mere thought.

"No, no." Stella laughed. "I didn't mean that – what I meant was – look, alright, picture Danny as a little boy."

Lindsay smiled. "Okay."

"Now, imagine the cheeky grin."

"Okay." Lindsay smiled.

"Now add that cheeky smile and his personality with your beautiful eyes and wisecrack and witty personality and what do you get?"

"My cheeky little boy." Lindsay smiled at Stella.

"That's what I meant. The boy's gonna be a knockout. And a heartbreaker."

"Not if his mom's gonna have anything to do with it. We're raising Joshy with good values. I won't be having Danny encouraging such behaviour."

"All you need to say is Amanda and he'll quickly reassess that decision of encouraging Joshua to score."

Lindsay took a breath. "God, this is it, isn't it. Our lives are about to change forever. We're going from a family of three to a family of four."

Stella nodded. "Are you excited?"

Lindsay swallowed. "I'm scared Stella. I mean – what if I'm not cut out to be a mom to two kids. I know I can give Amanda everything she needs, but with another baby – what if I accidentally ignore her, or don't give her the attention she deserves, or…"

"I'm gonna stop you there, Linds – you've already thought about all of this – therefore you're already making a conscious effort not to do it. I believe in you – I believe that when it comes to your kids, you're the best version of yourself. I don't doubt that you will be nothing short of a fantastic mommy to your children, Lindsay."

"I'm losing it, aren't I?" Lindsay laughed. "Thinking I can't do this – I can do it, right?"

"You can." Stella nodded. "And yeah, you are losing it a little bit."

Lindsay drew a sharp intake of breath as another contraction hit her. She reached for Stella's hand and gripped tight, waiting for the pain to subside.

* * *

Hawkes let out a yawn as he slowly followed Amanda around Bear Factory. "Come on, Amanda. Pick a teddy."

Amanda giggled as she pointed at the exact same style of teddy bear as to hers.

"Are you sure," Hawkes pressed. "Do you really want Joshy to have the same teddy as you, M&M?"

Amanda considered that idea for a second, before pointing to the next teddy and nodding. "Dat one."

Hawkes smiled at the teddy Amanda had chosen and nodded in agreement, "That's the one I was thinking. Good choice, sweetie. Shall we go stuff him?"

Amanda nodded and took the un-stuffed teddy as she padded in her baby converse over to the stuffing machine. She smiled at the assistant before grabbing a heart out of the basket. Amanda smiled as she rubbed the heart in her hands, and then held it to her heart, brought it to her lips and kissed it, closed her eyes as she made a wish, and handed it to the assistant, who placed the heart in the teddy bear.

"Oh you're a pro." Hawkes smiled as he ducked down to Amanda's level. "I had all the prompts ready and you just stole the show baby girl."

Amanda smiled at Hawkes briefly before turning her attention to the stuffing machine and Joshua's teddy as the fluff flew down the pipe and into her brother's teddy. She shrieked and clapped her hands together excitedly as the teddy gained a shape.

"This okay for you, sir?"

Hawkes shrugged. "I'd have gone to the Disney store and bought him a baby Winnie the pooh, but the little one insisted on making one."

"Is it your second baby?"

Hawkes blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Is this your second child?" the assistant asked as he sowed the seams together, keeping the stuffing inside the teddy.

"Oh no – no Amanda's not mine." Hawkes laughed. "No, I'm just partaking in a little honorary godfather role. Her mom and dad are at the hospital."

"Oh." The young man laughed. "Sorry about that – I just assumed… Well, I don't know what I assumed. You don't usually get kids without their parent's in here."

Hawkes shook it off. "Don't worry about it. I'd be quite happy to steal this little girl off of her parents. What do you say honey?" he prompted as the assistant handed Amanda the teddy bear.

"T'anks." She giggled before toddling off in the direction of the clothes and accessories on the other side of the store.

Hawkes followed her slowly, watching her every step. He found that he was in awe of the way she meticulously looked at every single piece of boy clothing, trying to pick the perfect outfit for Joshua's teddy. He laughed to himself as he saw her crinkle her eyebrow, and scrunched up her face – exactly like Lindsay when she was concentrating.

She picked up a Speed Racer pyjama set and Hawkes smiled. "You know sweetie, I think that's a fantastic choice. Mommy will love that."

Amanda beamed at him. "Rweally?"

"Really, really." Hawkes nodded while thinking. _Daddy might not be too impressed, considering his Team Batman status, but well – he's not having a ten tonne Messer baby. _

Amanda smiled as she handed the teddy and outfit to Hawkes before padding towards the cash register. Hawkes followed her slowly as he dug in his pocket for his wallet, but stopped mid-position as he watched Amanda's eyes light up at the sight of the outfit she was staring out.

She reached out, and ran her index finger over the Yellow silky material and sighed heavily, as she picked up the plastic shows. She looked at Lickle bear that was tucked securely under her arm, and patted the teddy's head before carrying on and heading to the checkout, thinking Hawkes was right behind her.

Instead, Hawkes stalled and looked down at the ball gown that resembled Belle's from Beauty and the Beast. He quickly glanced at Amanda who was slowly padding through the store, while giggling to Lickle bear, before looking back to the outfit. He picked it up, along with the matching shoes and darted towards the checkout and placed the items on the counter.

_If I can't spoil them now, _he thought, _when can I spoil them? _

_

* * *

_

"So they'll be back?" Lindsay asked as she gripped onto Danny's hand.

He nodded as he and Lindsay slowly padded down the hospital ward hand in hand. "I'm texting him when it's time."

"Don't say that." Lindsay huffed.

"What?" Danny asked as he affectionately rubbed his thumb along her hand. "I thought you'd be looking forward to that. Means he's coming."

"I don't want him to." Lindsay admitted. "I want to keep him safe. He's safe in my belly."

Danny chuckled and pressed a kiss to her temple. "It's alright, Linds."

"No," she sobbed. "It isn't. I don't want to – I don't… I don't know."

Danny squeezed her hand, and offered her an encouraging smile. "I'm here for you – you know this right?"

She nodded.

"For anything." He assured her. "Everything. If you feel like you want to cry, I want you to cry. You want to just sob while I hold you – that's fine, Linds. Don't feel like you can't."

She nodded.

"I just want to make this postpartum stuff as easy as I can for you. I've read about what it can do to you, and I don't want you to go through that alone. I'm here for whatever you need."

She nodded again before resting her head on his shoulder. "Thanks."

"Anytime, kiddo." Danny smiled as he kissed the top of her head. "I wonder how M&M is…"

* * *

"Amanda." Hawkes sighed, "You can't call Joshy's bear lickle bear too. Your bear is called lickle bear."

"Lickle bear." Amanda nodded as she pointed at the keyboard.

"No sweetie, you can't have two lickle bear's. There's only one lickle bear. Come on – let's think."

Amanda sighed as she stomped her foot in her position stood next to Hawkes, who was sat on the small child's chair at the 'birth certificate computer' wherein Joshua's teddy could be officially 'born'.

"M&M." Amanda grinned. "Me teddy."

"There's only one M&M, baby." Hawkes told her.

"Lickle bear is Joshy. Mommy and daddy tolded me."

"That's different." Hawkes smiled. "Lickle bear isn't little bear."

Amanda flailed and rested her head against Hawkes' leg as she stared at the computer screen. "Spam!" she gasped as she looked up at him with her sparkling eyes.

"Spam?" Hawkes laughed, "As in the 1970's sandwich stuff? How do you even know about that?"

Amanda shrugged. "Spam."

"No, no we shan't go with Spam, dear." Hawkes laughed, highly amused. "Come on M&M – think."

Amanda sighed.

"We need your daddy – he comes up with the best nicknames."

"talk Daddy!" Amanda shrieked.

"You want to talk to daddy?" Hawkes asked.

Amanda nodded. "Me talk to daddy. Me miss daddy."

Hawkes smiled as he grabbed his cellphone from his pocket and quickly dialled Danny's number. He pressed it to his ear and affixed it in position with his shoulder.

"Hey man – everything okay?"

"Hey Danny – how's Lindsay?"

"Lindsay? She's fine. Tired, exhausted but she's all right. How's my baby-"

"Hi daddy!"

"Amanda?" Where did uncle Sheldon go?"

"She stole the phone from me." Hawkes barked in the background. "The little munchkin climbed up my leg and stole the damn phone from my hand and-"

"Daddy, me need help." Amanda interrupted as she spoke down the line. "Me need nickyname for Joshy's teddy bear."

"What?"

Amanda sighed. "WISTEN! Me need nickyname for Joshy's teddy, daddy."

"Don't get smart, Amanda." Danny scolded down the line. "I am listening to you. What do you want me to do, you want daddy to think of a nice nickname for Joshua?"

Amanda nodded.

"Are you nodding?" Danny asked his daughter.

Amanda nodded.

"She's nodding." Hawkes called in the background.

Danny laughed. "Okay sweetie. How about… Eager beaver?"

"NOOO!" Amanda giggled.

"Alright, um, stinky." Danny teased.

"NOOO!" Amanda shrieked.

"Um, cheeky chops?"

"Baby brother?"

Amanda glanced down at the teddy bear and giggled. "Bye daddy."

"Amanda?"

"Bye!" She giggled down the phone before sliding it shut and disconnecting the call. "Baby."

"Baby what?" Hawkes laughed.

"Baby."

"Brother?"

Amanda nodded frantically and pointed at the keyboard. "Rype! Rype it Uncle Shel!"

"I'm typing!" He laughed as he filled in the details. "Do we put Amanda or M&M?"

"M&M!" Amanda giggled excitedly.

"Alright." Hawkes nodded as he completed the task and then sat back. "Want me to read it to you?"

Amanda nodded, her bouncing curls hitting Hawkes in the face as she sat on his knee.

"Okay. It says. My furry friend is special, I brought it to life, I chose it, I stuffed it and I made it my own. I promise to love it and give it a home. His name is Baby bro and he belongs to – Little bear. He was made with love by M&M. Do we think that's okay, sweetie pie?"

Amanda giggled and nodded frantically. "Me wub it! YAY!"

"Good." Hawkes smiled.

* * *

"I'm scared." Lindsay cried as she held onto Danny's hand. "I don't think I'm strong enough to do this, Danny."

"You are." He promised her. "You're my brave baby girl, Lindsay. You can do this. You know you can."

She shook her head. "I don't know Danny, I'm really not convinced. I'm terrified."

"If I could do it for you, I would do it over and over again to take this pain away. You know that, right?"

She nodded slowly. "I'm just… Oh god…" she spluttered. "Another one."

"I've got you." He whispered. "I'm here. You're alright."

"No." She cried as the pain danced through her and overtook her person. "Danny, it hurts so bad."

"I'm so sorry, baby. I am. I'm here though. I'll do whatever I can to stop it hurting."

"Make it stop." She cried.

"I would if I could sweetie."

"I want my baby."

"He's on his way, Linds."

"No." Lindsay sobbed. "Amanda. I want my baby girl."

"Hawkes is bringing her over right now. Are you wanting her in here?"

Lindsay nodded frantically. "I do, Danny. I want her. I want to cuddle her, I miss her."

"Alright, I'll text him and have him come straight up." Danny assured her as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and began creating the text message.

Lindsay lay back in the bed and turned her head as she gazed at Danny sat in the chair next to her bed.

"Can I help you with something?" He laughed softly as he felt his eyes on her.

"You're an amazing father." She whispered breathlessly as she reached out and cupped his face softly. "I really, really love you."

Danny smiled as his hand moved to her's that was cupping his cheek, and rubbed it softly. "And you're an amazing mother, Lindsay. And honestly – you have no idea how much I love you. Nor do you have any idea how much I respect you for being so brave."

She smiled shyly before rubbing her thumb on his cheek softly. "When did Hawkes say he and Amanda were setting off from the mall?"

"Thirty minutes ago." Danny told her as he gazed down at his phone and completed the message. "They must be here by now."

Lindsay nodded.

"I'm gonna leave you and M&M alone for a little while when she gets here, alright?"

Lindsay looked at him. "Why?"

"Well," Danny started, "It's just been you and her for a long time, and I think it's gonna take you both some time to get used to having another baby in the mix. You have this incredible bond, Linds, and I love it. I want you to bond over this baby. My wife and my baby girl, snuggled up on your hospital bed. Call me stupid, but I love the idea of that."

"I'll call you anything but..." Lindsay smiled softly. "Thanks, Danny."

Danny shrugged it off as he saw the handle on the door being yanked and an extremely familiar set of honey brown curls bobbing up and down at the windowpane of glass.

"What are the bets she ran?"

"Oh I'd be willing to bet a Benjamin."

Danny laughed as he stood up and made his way over to the door and opened it. "Well hi there." He beamed at Amanda and Lickle bear. "Long time no see, partner. How's it hanging?"

"Good." She giggled as she gazed around the room as Danny scooped her up in his arms.

"You been a good girl for your Uncle Sheldon baby girl?"

"Always." She smirked as she squirmed in his arms.

"I see Lickle bear had a makeover." Danny laughed. "He looks pretty."

Amanda smiled brightly at her dad and thrust Lickle bear in his face. "He Belle today, daddy."

"I see that. I hope you said thank you to Uncle Sheldon for spoiling you rotten, angel face. And you showered him with kisses and huggles."

"Me did." Amanda nodded adamantly as she peered into the room and saw Lindsay. "MOMMY!" she screeched as her brown eyes finally fell upon Lindsay in the hospital bed. "MOMMY!"

"Hey baby girl." Lindsay smiled as Danny carried Amanda over to the bed and set her carefully next to Lindsay.

"Mommy sick?" Amanda asked as she prodded Lindsay's nose with her tiny index finger. "Mommy 'tay?"

"Mommy's fine sweetie." Lindsay smiled as she ruffled Amanda's curls.

"Mommy look sick and 'ired."

"Mommy's a little tired." Lindsay admitted as she wrapped an arm around a slightly scared and timid Amanda. "But she's fine. I promise sweetie."

"Pinky." Amanda sniffled as she held out her tiny pinky finger.

Lindsay hooked her pinky with Amanda's and smiled. "See, we never break pinky promises."

Amanda shook her head adamantly.

Danny smiled and excused himself silently out of the room and shut the door to join Hawkes outside the room, as Amanda settled into Lindsay's side with Lickle bear tucked under Amanda's arm.

"Have we had a good day?" Lindsay asked her daughter.

Amanda sighed. "Wemily mean-ed to me again, mommy!"

Lindsay sighed heavily. "Really? What did she do today honey?"

Amanda gripped onto Lickle bear and slowly placed him on Lindsay's belly. "She took-ed him. AGAIN mommy!!"

Lindsay bit her lip as she rubbed Amanda's back soothingly.

"Mommy tell daddy?"

Lindsay shook her head. "No, mommy hasn't mentioned Emily picking on you to daddy yet, sweetie."

Amanda nodded. "Daddy get mad."

"Daddy will get mad." Lindsay nodded. "Very mad. He doesn't like it when people upset his M&M."

Amanda let out a delicate breath of air as she rest her head on Lindsay's arm. "Mommy…"

"What sweetie."

"Me no want to be M&M anymore-ed."

"Why?" Lindsay gasped, slightly taken aback.

"Wemily makes people laughed at me."

"She what? She laughs at you about your nickname?"

Amanda nodded sadly. "Me no like M&M anymore. She calls me rubby."

"She calls you chubby? Why sweetie, why does she call you that?"

"She says me eat-ed candy wots cause I'm a M&M."

"You don't eat lots of candy though sweetie. And mommy and daddy only call you M&M because we love you. You're our little M&M. You always have been and you always will be. No matter what that mean little girl says."

"Me no like Wemily. Me want her to go away! Me want to be happy with Wucy and Wydia!"

"I know you like playing with Lucy and Lydia. I know you do." Lindsay sniffed as she fought back a tear. "I want you to be happy, baby girl."

"Me wish Wemily not hated me mommy." Amanda sobbed as she dropped her head onto Lindsay's shoulder.

Lindsay turned Amanda's little head and wiped her tears away with the pad of her thumb. "Listen to me, sweetie. Are you listening? Stop crying so you can hear mommy."

Amanda blinked tearfully at her.

"Baby, you're my brave little girl. Don't you let that bully get you down. You're my little girl and I refuse to let my beautiful little girl get beaten down by a mean bully. You can take on this world, Amanda. I know you can. Mommy knows you're going to be a special girl. Mommy is going to make this better for you, all right? We're not going to let this go on anymore. Mommy will make sure of that. You don't have to go back for a while, a'right. Me you, daddy and Joshy can spend lots of time together. But you give Emily hell, sweetie. You stand there with your head held high with Lickle bear in your hand, with mommy and daddy stood behind you, and we'll stand up to Emily. Mommy knew there was something wrong, when that special sparkle you have in your pretty eyes when you get home from daycare disappeared. I promise I will make this better for you sweetie. I promise, Amanda."

Amanda sniffed and kissed Lindsay's arm and then rubbed her head against Lindsay's arm. "Joshy here?"

"He's on his way." Lindsay nodded as she felt a contraction slowly wave through her. "Baby, will you hold mommy's hand?"

Amanda nodded and offered her tiny hand to Lindsay tentatively, as Lindsay tried to hide the contraction as best as she could. She bit down hard on her lip, not wanting to scare Amanda at the image of her mother fighting a contraction.

"Mommy 'tay?" Amanda pressed as Lindsay gripped a little harder to the little girl's hand.

Lindsay nodded unconvincingly.

"Mommy need daddy?"

Lindsay closed her eyes and nodded. "Come straight back if you don't see him." she instructed as Amanda hopped off the bed and placed Lickle bear next to Lindsay.

"Lickle bear make you happy." Amanda said as she padded quickly across the room and tugged the heavy door open with all her might.

"DADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Amanda bellowed into the hospital ward.

Lindsay, despite her contraction and already red cheeks, she felt herself burn with a slight tinge of embarrassment at her daughter's antics.

"S'matter?" Danny gasped as he scooped Amanda up in his arms as he ran into Lindsay's hospital room. "Linds, you okay?"

She shook her head.

He walked over to the bed and sat Amanda down on the chair, before kneeling by Lindsay's bed and taking her hand. As soon as he did so, Lindsay let out a cry and gripped his hand.

Amanda blinked and swallowed as she watched her mother cry out and grip onto her daddy. "Mommy 'tay?"

"She's fine, sweetie." Danny said as he turned and squeezed Amanda's knee lightly. "She's okay… Don't worry."

Amanda swallowed as Lindsay yelped, "it hurts so bad." She cried.

"Breathe, Linds… you can do it."

Lindsay heaved a breath as her nails dug into Danny's skin. "I can't – I need some type of medication, Danny."

"Hold my hand, Linds – remember what the book said – we're not supposed to make decisions through contractions. We're more vulnerable, more likely to go down the route. You're doing fantastic, Linds. The contraction's nearly done now. You're okay. You can do it. I'm here. Amanda's here."

"I'm so tired." Lindsay cried as she flailed back on the bed. "I can't do this. How long are they apart now?"

"Four minutes." Danny told her as he glanced at his watch. "Give or take."

Lindsay let out a breath as she lay on the bed. "Can you go and get the doctor?"

"Why? What's the matter?" Danny pressed frantically. "You're alright, aren't you?"

Lindsay shook her head. "I really think it's time. I do."

Danny blinked and turned. "Don't go anywhere." He quickly stood up, grabbed Amanda bent down, so that she could kiss Lindsay's sweaty forehead.

"Mommy 'tay?"

Lindsay nodded as she lifted her arm up and ruffled Amanda's curls. "I will be honeybunch."

Amanda pressed a kiss to Lindsay's lips before Danny set her on his hip and rushed out the door to Hawkes who sat in the family room down the hall. He quickly dropped Amanda off and explained to Hawkes that it was time, so Lindsay thought, and he was getting her doctor.

"I'm thinking about her." Hawkes told his friend. "Me and M&M are gonna go get something to eat, but we'll stay close."

Danny nodded as he ruffled his daughter's curls and leant down to where he had placed her on the floor and kissed her lightly before giving her an Eskimo kiss. "Be good, alright?"

Amanda nodded. "Me be big sister yet?"

"Soon sweetie – real soon."

* * *

"That her I can hear in the background, Danno?"

Flack laughed amusedly as he leant on his desk. "How many times has she threatened to kill you? None? I don't believe you…" He paused as he waited for Danny's response. "Well, to be honest, that does seem like a Lindsay reasoning. How much longer are we thinking?" Flack pressed. "No shit – seriously? I'll round up the troops. No it's fine, Daddy. You want to be there as opposed to calling every Tom, Dick and Harry. I'm on it. Don't worry – how much time do I have? Now? You're going to delivery now? Fuck. Alright. I'm there. We'll all be there. Don't worry. Good luck, daddy. Tell mommy I'm thinking about her."

Flack chuckled at Danny's frantic response as he hung up with him.

He pulled up his text messaging and composed a message.

_It's time, guys. Hawkes and Amanda are already at the hospital. We've been summoned. Haul ass!!_

Flack grabbed his wallet from his desk as he made his way through the busy precinct selecting the various team members from the phonebook on his phone.

Jessie

M. Taylor

S. Bonasera

N. Stokes

A. Ross

Send to all.

_Boom._ Flack thought as he dashed out of the precinct and headed for his car. _Baby Messer two. Here we go. _

* * *

_**A/N: I know - I know. Another chapter. Just - bare with me. We'll get there, I promise. **_

**_Huge thank you to - _**

twinkeyrocks

Petite Poppy

gwen24

muchmadness

iheartcsinewyork

Dani Hope

Colie04

afrozenheart412

JavaJunkie4evr

Hope06

Baby Jefer

MeredithandDerekfanforever

ncisabbylover

vikkilynne93

ambercsiny

uscrocks

edward-and-bella-forever

aussietasha


	171. It's All About The Greater Good, part 3

**OH MY GOD - OH MY GOD - OH MY GOD - OH MY GOD. **

**THE RESULTS OF THE CSI:NY AWARDS**

HOLY FUCKING CRAP

**AMANDA GOT BEST OC RUNNER UP** - WHAT? WHERE? WHEN? OH MY GOD.

**BEST FAMILY STORY - WYHTG **

**BEST D/L STORY - WYHTG **

**RUNNER UP FOR BEST EPIC STORY/WORK IN PROGRESS = WYHTG **

**BEST DL AUTHOR - LAURZZ. **

**RUNNER UP FOR BEST AUTHOR - LAURZZ **

**BEST DL ONESHOT - LEFT BEHIND **

**BEST ONESHOT - JOINT FIRST - WE DID IT. **

I GENUINELY CAN'T FREAKING BELIEVE IT. I'M FREAKING OUT!!!

FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART -THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO VOTED/NOMINATED ME. I never expected to get anything on that type of scale.

Huge congratulations to all of you other nominees and winners!

Seriously guys, thank you so much for voting for me.

Shall I let you read the chapter and stop subjecting you to my fangirl freak out? Yes?

Okaydoke.

* * *

"You can do it baby! Good!"

Things in Lindsay's room had quickly progressed once the doctor had come in to check on Lindsay's status. Realising that she was in fact fully dilated, they had wheeled her into delivery, giving Danny little time to breathe before he was given a chair and was told to sit next to his wife.

He was currently sat with his hand being gripped in a vice by Lindsay as she screeched in pain next to him. Trying not to focus on her tears and cries of pain, he held onto her propped up leg squeezing her knee every so often as a form of reassurance, along with his constant praise and encouragement.

"How long?" Lindsay cried as she heaved a breath.

"Twenty nine minutes – it's alright Lindsay." The doctor answered her. "It's nearly over, you're doing great."

She let out a shrill cry, as she hunched forwards as she tried to push.

"Good!" he cried as he glanced back and forth to check the progress of Joshua's delivery and then moved right back to Lindsay's side. "You're doing great!"

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Lindsay cried as she flailed back to the bed before letting out another shrill scream. "OWWWWW!"

"You can do it baby, you can do it sweetheart." Danny cajoled as he gripped her hand, equally as tight. "Go on – come on!" Danny cried, his voice faulting from emotion as he caught a glimpse of his son. "There he is! There he is!"

Lindsay heaved a breath, feeling a new sense of adrenaline somewhere deep inside of her at the words, 'there he is.' She hunched over and took a deep breath, listening to Danny's cries, spurring her on.

"Go ahead, push – just one more push!"

Lindsay fell back to the bed, and then pushed herself up as she took a breath, gaining momentum for the last and final push.

"ARGHHH!" She cried as she heard, what she thought was the first ever cry coming from their baby boy. Her baby boy.

"There he is!!! There he is!!" Danny screeched in a high-pitched voice, so unlike anything that was usually emitted from him.

Lindsay let out a tearful cry as she fell back to the bed as she heard what she now knew was her son's – her Joshua's cries.

"Oh my god." Danny cried as he quickly scrambled up Lindsay's bed. "He's perfect." Danny whispered as he buried his head in her neck pressing kisses to the juncture of her neck before moving to her face and showering her with kisses.

"I love you. You're alright." He beamed at her as he softly took hold of her face with his hands. "You were so brave, baby."

Lindsay gripped his hand and laced her fingers through his as she let tears slip down her cheeks.

"Daddy – would you like to cut the cord?"

Danny swallowed as he turned to face Lindsay's doctor. "Can I?"

Lindsay's doctor smiled; "Of course you can." She spoke softly while handing him the scissors.

Danny took a deep breath as he blinked as he kept hold of Lindsay's hand with one of his own, and the scissors in his other. He blinked back tears as he gazed down at his son. "He's perfect." He smiled at Lindsay as he listened to him crying. He carefully snipped the cord, connecting his son to Lindsay and squeezed her hand softly, never taking his eyes from his son.

"Hey buddy." He sniffed tearfully as he watched his son squirm and cry in the doctor's arms. "It's daddy."

Instantly, Joshua's sobs and wails subsided significantly as Danny carefully ran his finger along the baby's cheek, trying to stay out of the way as the doctor wrapped him up in a soft baby blue blanket before standing up on her stool and handing Lindsay their baby. "Say hello, mommy."

Lindsay finally let go of Danny's hand and opened her arms as she accepted Joshua as the doctor laid the baby on her chest. "Hey little bear." Lindsay sobbed tearfully.

Danny sat on his chair and gazed at Lindsay and their son, memories flooding his mind from when his daughter was born, as he looked into Lindsay's sparkling eyes; the telltale signs that she was already in love.

"Mommy loves you so much." She cried as she gazed down at the baby in her arms. "You're so perfect."

Danny smiled inwardly as she confirmed what he already knew. She was madly in love with her baby boy.

"Your big sister is just dying to meet you," Lindsay sniffed as she ran her finger across Joshua's tiny arm. "And your daddy, he's dying to hold you."

Danny swallowed as she looked up and glanced at him. "Me? Now?" He gasped.

She nodded and looked to the doctor.

"We really need to take his vitals," the doctor hinted. "We'll be minutes, if that."

Lindsay sighed as she pressed a kiss to her son's forehead and hesitantly passed him to the doctor. "Be careful – he's really tiny." She cried tearfully.

The doctor laughed as she walked across the room, leaving Lindsay and Danny in a moment together.

Danny smiled softly as he watched her eyes fill with tears as her son disappeared from her sight.

"We did it." She whispered as a tear fell down her cheek as she laced their fingers together. "He's here."

"No baby, you did it, I was just here to screech like a girl. You did it."

She let out a small, weak laugh as she fell back to the bed. "I'm exhausted."

"You just gave birth," Danny, whispered as he knelt on the ground next to her bed, and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. "I am so proud of you baby. You were incredible. I know how you were hurting and how tired you were, but you never said you couldn't do it and you kept going. I'm so proud. And I love you so much."

She smiled weakly at him. "I did it for little bear and M&M – I know how badly she wants her baby brother."

Danny smiled and dropped a kiss to her forehead. "I don't want to ever hear the words you're a bad mother leave your lips again."

She furrowed her brow. "Hmm? What?"

"I just don't wanna hear it." He said as he kissed her lips softly. "Mommy to my two babies."

Lindsay returned the kiss lightly as she hitched herself up in the bed. "We have two kids." She whispered against his lips.

He smiled at her, his grin stretching his cheeks. "Shall I go check on our baby boy?"

Lindsay nodded as her eyes fluttered shut.

Danny pressed a kiss to her forehead as he stood up and headed towards the cluster of nurses. "Room for a daddy over here?" He gazed down at his son and smiled proudly at him. "How much does he weigh?"

"Seven pounds, eight ounces. He's a healthy baby boy."

Danny smiled brightly but gasped in horror as they stabbed his son's foot with the routine vitamin K shot. He let out a shrill cry and instantly Danny had placed a comforting hand on his belly as he ran his finger up his son's body and prodded his button nose.

The doctor turned and smiled at Danny.

"I'm in the way, aren't I?"

The doctor smiled again, "You can watch though."

Danny nodded as he stepped back and folded his arms. He watched, almost without blinking the various different procedures and tests being carried out on his son.

Danny furrowed his brow as he watched them drop eye drops into his son's eyes. "Hey whoa, what's that?"

"It's alright; it's nothing bad. Every baby gets eye drops in their eyes. It's just to prevent any bacterial infections that could have been contracted through delivery." Lindsay's doctor smiled. "He's fine."

Danny nodded as he flinched, watching his son squirm and let out a shrill cry at the sensation of the eye drops. His arms ached to hold his little boy, and it was cutting him deep that so many people had held his son before he had.

"Eight on the APGAR test." Lindsay's doctor informed the nurse writing the vitals on his record. "Once we get him swaddled, I think it's time for mom and dad to meet baby."

"It's Joshua." Danny smiled. "My baby boy – his name is Joshua. Joshua Daniel."

Lindsay's doctor smiled as she ran a finger down the baby's cheek while she swaddled him before handing him to Danny. "Say hello to Joshua, daddy."

Danny's arms enclosed around his son tightly as he cuddled him to his chest in the middle of the delivery room. "Daddy loves you so much, Josh." Danny sniffed as he stared down at his little boy as he rocked him gently in his arms.

Danny slowly headed towards Lindsay's hospital bed and sat next to her as he cuddled Joshua. "Look mommy," Danny smiled as he jiggled the baby gently in his arms. "It's little bear."

Lindsay opened her tired eyes and beamed down at their son. "Our baby bear."

"Your sister is going to ecstatic." Danny smiled as he ran a finger down the baby's cheek as he offered Joshua to Lindsay. "Here, buddy, say hello to mommy for a minute. Daddy's going to go and see your sister, while you and mommy go to recovery."

"Tell her I love her." Lindsay smiled as she gazed down at the baby in her arms, "Tell her we love her."

Danny pressed a kiss to her temple before lowering his head down and removing Joshua's blue hat from his forehead as he pressed a soft kiss to the area before replacing the hat. "I will."

* * *

Amanda sighed heavily as she sat snuggled into Mac's chest. "Me tired grandpa!"

"I know M&M." Mac said as he jiggled her on his lap. "You can have a nap in a little while, sweetie."

"Me go play."

"You can't, baby." Mac told her. "We have to stay in here, daddy will be here any minute to whisk you away and meet your brother."

"Joshy?" Amanda gasped.

"Yeah, honey. That's what we're waiting for. Daddy will be here any minute to come get you and you can go and be a big sister to your baby brother."

"He here?!"

"Quite possibly," Mac nodded. "If not he's definitely on his way."

"Rweally?!" Amanda gasped. "You no fib, grandpa?"

"True story!" Mac laughed at a giddy and excited Amanda. He glanced up briefly and saw a grinning Danny stood in the windowpane of the door gazing into the room. "M&M – look who's stood outside."

Amanda glanced up and her chocolate eyes widened at the sight of her daddy. She launched herself out of the seat and sprinted across the generous sized family waiting room and jumped into Danny's arms. "HE HERE?!?!"

"Joshua's here." Danny nodded as Amanda threw her arms around Danny's neck. "He's dying to meet you, baby girl."

"Me big sis!" Amanda shrieked in excitement and clapped her hands together. "YAY!"

The room of adults erupted in laughter at Amanda's reaction. "Think she's excited?" Danny asked the room.

"Think?" Stella snorted. "You see those footprints on the wall…" Stella laughed as she pointed at actual footprints that graced the blue walls. "Yes, that was her."

"As was this…" Hawkes chipped in at the magazines scattered on the floor.

"And this…" Flack chirped as he sat on the floor tidying up the children's toys. "I was trying to have them sedate her. Apparently that's frowned upon."

Danny's eyes widened.

"Kidding." Flack assured him. "Just kidding. I wouldn't sedate our little girl."

"You wanna go meet your brother, you little monster?" Danny asked his daughter, who was jiggling anxiously in his arms.

She nodded frantically, kicking her legs in time to the nods.

"Careful there, pretty girl." Hawkes laughed. "You're awfully close to daddy's… never mind." Hawkes snorted as he watched Amanda nail Danny in the crotch. "That's gonna hurt."

Danny swallowed as he set Amanda on the ground and doubled over. "Is that some kind of karma? Holy moly baby girl, you got me good."

"It's karma getting you back for the pain you just put upon Linds." Nick snorted from his seat next to Stella. "Speaking of which…"

"She's getting cleaned up and moving to recovery." Danny breathed as he tried to focus on dealing with the pain shooting through his lower regions. "Doc, go get me some drugs."

Mac snorted. "Now, now Danny. Lindsay didn't have the drugs, I'm sure you're going to be just fine."

"Need us to set up a bed next to Linds?" Hawkes teased. "Amanda and Josh can look after mommy and daddy?"

"Shut up." Danny growled as he took Amanda's hand and turned on his heel. "I'm'a make you wait now." He drawled. "Say see ya later, Amanda."

"WUB!!!" Amanda shrieked as she skipped off next to Danny down the hallway. "Daddy, Joshy wants to pway?"

"I don't think Joshy can play just yet, baby girl."

"Why?"

"He's not even an hour old, baby. He's really little."

"Why?"

"Cause mommy just gave birth to him." Danny explained as they walked down the hallway leading to Lindsay's recovery room.

"Why?"

"Because she had to."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

"Why?"

"Because I do."

"Why?"

"Amanda!" Danny snapped as he bent down to her level and took both her shoulder's in his hands. "Baby. Calm down, alright? I know you're excited and you're probably hyped up on sugar, juice and god knows what else, but Joshua is really delicate, and daddy needs to make sure he's safe. You can't be rough with him, sweetie, 'cause you could really hurt him, and I'm positive you don't want that –right?"

Amanda shook her head adamantly her light brown curls hitting her cheeks as she did so.

"I didn't think so." Danny nodded. "So, can we take a breath and calm down?"

Amanda nodded.

"Mommy's really, really tired sweetie, alright? So we've got to be careful with her too."

"Mommy need a nap?"

Danny nodded as he pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, "A really long nap, I think."

"Me be good girl, daddy, me pwomise. Daddy sleepy?"

"Daddy's running on empty, baby girl."

Amanda nodded as she took Danny's hand and attempted to pull him up in the middle of the busy hallway. "Me miss mommy."

"Shall we go and see her then? Her and baby bear?"

Amanda nodded as Danny stood up and tugged her along the brightly coloured hallway. "Can me cuddle baby Joshy, daddy? Me want to tell him I wub him."

"I think we can do that." Danny smiled down at his daughter as she padded next to him, "We might even let you give him a baby kiss."

Amanda's eyes widened with excitement. "Rweally?"

Danny nodded as he stood outside Lindsay's room. "Now, baby voices, okay Amanda… We have to be really quiet."

Amanda put a finger over her lips. "Shhh."

"Exactly." Danny smiled as he placed his hand on the back of her head leading her into the room as he opened the door with the other hand.

Amanda's eyes glistened at the sight of her mommy and brother lay on the bed, Joshua wrapped tightly in Lindsay's arms. "Baby." She whispered from her position in the doorway.

"That's right." Danny smiled as he bent down to her level and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Shall we go and say hello?"

Amanda nodded slowly as she padded softly towards the bed. "Hi mommy." She whispered as she stood on her tiptoes gazing up on the bed.

"Hi muffin." Lindsay giggled at Amanda's whispering tone. "How are you?"

"Good." She answered absent mindedly as she gazed at the blue blanket. "Is that baby bear?" she whispered in a tiny voice.

Danny scooped Amanda up and set her on Lindsay's bed. "It sure is." Danny smiled at his daughter. "Take a look baby girl."

Lindsay moved the blanket that surrounded Joshua's face so that Amanda could see the little boy wrapped in the swaddling. Amanda edged closer to Lindsay as she knelt up on her knees and peered at the baby from her now higher position. Danny smiled as he sat at the side of Lindsay and pulled Amanda into his lap. "What do you think baby girl?"

"He cuter than a puppy!" She exclaimed excitedly before turning back to her brother. "Hi baby." She chirped. "Me M&M."

Lindsay giggled as she leaned forwards and pressed a kiss to Amanda's lips. "What do you think then, sweetie. Shall we keep him?" Lindsay asked as she gave Amanda an Eskimo kiss.

Amanda nodded. "He baby. He small mommy."

"He is." Lindsay nodded in a tiny voice. "He's very small. So we have to be super careful."

Amanda nodded as she gazed at the baby. "He talk to me?"

Both Lindsay and Danny let out a small laugh. "Not yet, sweetie." Lindsay explained. "It'll be a while before he talks to you. You can talk to him though. You can tell him anything and everything and he'll listen to you."

Amanda gazed up at Lindsay with her bright eyes twinkling. "Rweally?"

"Really, really." Danny nodded. He gazed at Lindsay for a second who nodded at him.

He scooped Amanda up off of the bed and carried her over to the huge oversized chair in the corner of the room.

"No! NO!" she cried, all the while kicking her little legs. "Me no go on naughty chair. Me no do bad thing. Me good."

Danny laughed and jiggled Amanda on his hip. "No baby girl, no – you've been so good today, but daddy and mommy thought you might want to hold Joshy. And you need to be sat down to do it. Do you want to hold him?"

She blinked at Danny. "Me?"

Danny nodded. "What do you say?"

She nodded frantically as he placed her on the seat. "Stay here." He instructed before moving over to Lindsay's bag and grabbing a blue blanket from the hospital bag. He took it out and laid it over Amanda's legs, before tugging the chair across the floor and settling it by the side of the bed. "Ready?" he asked.

She nodded slowly as Danny took Joshua from Lindsay's arms.

Danny jiggled the fussy baby in his arms for a minute, trying to get his soft wails to subside.

"Can you see how daddy is holding Joshua, baby?" Lindsay asked from the bed. "He has his arm underneath his head… I want you to try and do that… Daddy will help, but let's see if Amanda can be a big sister and do it too."

Amanda nodded as he tongue licked her lips in concentration as she held her arms out in anticipation as Danny laid the baby in her arms. He bent down in front of her and held onto Joshua's head, holding him carefully.

"Me have him, daddy." Amanda told him as she held Joshua in her arms.

"Well, daddy's just gonna kneel here, sweetie."

Amanda rolled her eyes at Lindsay before looking down at Joshua and smiling. "Hi baby." She whispered with her nose inches from his face. "It's M&M."

Danny let out a small chuckle at how Joshua instantly stopped being fussy the moment he was placed into his sister's arms.

"Me wubs you wots." Amanda giggled, "remember me, Joshy – me talked to you when you were baby in mommy belly."

Lindsay blinked away a tear at how careful and delicate Amanda was being with Joshua and how Amanda drew the connection to Lindsay being pregnant and Joshua being the baby in her belly.

"You remember talking to Joshua, sweetie?" Danny asked as he smoothed down his son's light hair.

Amanda nodded carefully, her eyes not leaving Joshua's face. "I tolded him my secwets, daddy."

"You did?" Danny gasped, humouring Amanda, "I bet that made him feel so special."

Amanda smiled brightly before lowering her head to the baby's nose and pressing a feather-light kiss to the tip of his button nose. "I wub you baby bro." She whispered, sparking tears in both Danny and Lindsay's eyes.

Amanda gasped in realisation. "Daddy! Daddy! Me left teddy in dat room!"

"It's a'right. Grandpa will look after it."

"NO!" Amanda sniffed. "No! Joshy need now. Right now!"

Danny turned to look at Lindsay and sighed as he heard the first signs of Amanda wailing.

"Pass me Josh." Lindsay sighed, trying to hide her amusement.

Carefully, Danny extracted their baby from Amanda's arms and pressed a kiss to his cheek before handing him to Lindsay carefully.

"Right, now set Amanda on the bed."

Danny furrowed his brow.

"Just do it." Lindsay sighed.

Danny shrugged silently and placed Amanda on the bed.

"Take Josh." Lindsay instructed.

"What is this, musical kids?"

Lindsay glared at him before carefully pulling Amanda across the bed and setting the toddler between her legs. "Alright." Lindsay smiled as she removed a pillow that had sat behind her, propping her up. Lindsay scooted back and brought Amanda with her so that he little girl's back was pressed into Lindsay's front. Lindsay then placed the pillow she had removed from behind her, onto Amanda's lap and held her arms in a way so that Danny could place Joshua back into their daughter's arms.

"You sure, Linds?"

"I'm here." Lindsay nodded. "I've got them both. Go get the teddy before we have two crying babies on our hands."

He smiled as he carefully laid Joshua on the pillow. "Be careful, M&M – remember what we said."

"Mommy need nap." Amanda nodded absentmindedly as she carefully looked down at her brother. "Me knows."

Lindsay looked up amusedly at Danny and nodded, eyes sending a silent message between them.

He pressed a kiss to Lindsay's cheek before ruffling Amanda's curls and retreating to the door. "I'll be back in a little while, a'right?"

He received no answer from his family on their bed as they bonded together.

* * *

"Back so soon?" Nick laughed as Danny pushed into the family room.

"We forgot Baby Bro."

Hawkes smiled as he grabbed the bear factory box that stood in the corner of the room. "We took off everything that could be deemed harmful for a baby."

"I owe you." Danny smiled as he patted Hawkes on the back. "Me and Linds really appreciate you lookin' after her today, Shel. I don't know what we would have done had it not been for you."

"Oh please, it was a pleasure." Hawkes shrugged it off. "It's not like I've had any loving in the past five years – least I can do is spend my savings on my honourary nephew and niece, effectively spoiling them rotten."

"You were spoiling Josh before he was born." Danny sniggered.

"Here nor there." Hawkes scoffed as he opened the box and handed Danny the teddy bear.

"Speed Racer?" Danny gasped. "What?"

"Your daughter picked them. Clearly like mommy like baby girl."

Danny shook his head. "I'll be going to fix that. My son's batman all the way. Not crappy Speed Racer. The batmobile had a field forensics kit for the love of…"

"Danny, time and place." Stella gently reminded him. "Don't you have a wife and children to head back to?"

Danny tucked the teddy bear underneath his arm and shrugged. "I actually wanna talk to Flack for a minute or two before. You still playing with the toys Don or can you give me a few minutes?"

Flack sighed heavily as he shoved the small kitchenette play toy away from him and stood up; letting the plastic teacup he had balanced on his knee to tumble to the floor. "Whoops."

"What was in that?" Stella pressed.

"Grape juice." Flack smirked. "Stick a teddy over it, no-one will know."

Stella rolled her eyes as she reached for Amanda's bag and grabbed the baby wipes from the container. "Move, you douche."

"Did Stella Bonasera just say douche?" Mac gasped as he walked through the doorway with a carrier of coffees and pastries from the cafeteria on a tray. "Am I in the right room?"

"She spends too much time with Lindsay watching that cop show." Flack smirked as he dodged the flying hand Stella was sending in his direction.

"I haven't got all day." Danny grumbled.

"A'right, a'right," Flack grumbled as he picked up his chosen donut and followed Danny out of the room.

Stella sighed as she mopped up the grape juice on the floor, "I swear, sometimes I have trouble figuring out which one of them is worse."

"Who, Flack and Danny?" Nick asked as he grabbed his white coffee and added two sugars.

"No, Amanda and Flack."

* * *

"As flattered as I am that you wanted to go for an evening stroll, Messer, you're really not my type."

"Wiseass." Danny spat as he whacked Flack with the teddy bear he was holding. "Sit." He motioned to a nearby bench.

Flack sighed as he tossed his napkin from his donut into the trash that sat near the bench. "So, what's so pressing you needed to get me on my own. Kid's not mine is he – cause I swear Danny, it was just one night…"

Danny glared at him before shaking his head. "Actually he has my nose," Danny informed him. "And my hair, and my blue eyes."

"Even I know that babies are always born with blue eyes."

"Regardless." Danny scoffed. "Me and Linds have something we wanted to run by you."

Flack shrugged as he sat back on the bench, "A'right."

"Well, it's two things really. One Lindsay doesn't know about."

"Would you please stop talking in riddles?"

Danny let out a nervous chuckle. "Right, first of all, there's something that I wanted to talk to you about. It's about Sam."

Flack bit the inside of his cheek and raised his eyebrows. "Right?"

"Mac managed to track her down."

"Okay…"

"And I was wondering if you would mind me calling her and letting her know that Lindsay's had the baby."

"Why would I care – Lindsay and Sam was tight for a long time, Danny. I'm over it. Sure she cut me deep when she left, but there are no hard feelings. I'll always have feelings for her – some good, some bad."

Danny raised an eyebrow. "You sure? I didn't want to call her and have her turn up and not run it by you first."

Flack shook his head. "Call her. See if she wants to come and see Linds. I'm sure she will."

"You're seriously alright about it?" Danny asked.

"Yes." Flack laughed. "I forgive her for what she did. I'm over it – what she did to me. I don't think I'll ever get over what she did to Linds and Amanda, but that's something I have to deal with. It's not her fault. That's just me being protective. I'd do anything for your girls." Flack told Danny. "Linds is a best friend, and Amanda is like my own kid, I'd kill for them if I had to."

Danny smiled. "Which leads me onto question number two. Will you be Joshua's godfather?"

Flack blinked at him. "What?"

"Would you consider being my boy's goddaddy?" Danny repeated. "Thing is – me and Linds – you've always been there Flack, good and bad, and if something was to happen to me…"

"Danno…"

"Hear me out…" Danny asked. "If something was to happen to me, Flack – the only two people in the world I'd want looking after my family is you and Mac. I trust you guys with my life. My life is my kids and my wife, and it just gives me a feeling of reassurance that if anything ever did happen to me, you'd be there for Linds, because I think she'd need someone, Flack."

"You plannin' on dying on us, Mess?" Flack joked trying to diffuse the serious side of the conversation.

"Me? No. God no." Danny shook his head, "I just want to make sure that if – if anything happened, I'd be able to leave them tomorrow knowing they would be safe."

"Does Linds know you're planning her support system in the case of your untimely death?"

Danny laughed. "What do you think?"

Flack chortled.

"It was Lindsay's idea though. She had different reasoning though."

"Oh yeah?" Flack pressed as he crossed his leg. "What did she come up with?"

"She saw how you were ready to be a dad." Danny admitted. "She saw the light in your eyes and she thinks that when Sam – well, when everything went down, that light died. She thinks that if you're Joshua's godfather, you'll get that light back. Her reasoning. Not mine." Danny stressed. "I don't think she wanted me to go into that much detail either actually."

Flack licked his lips. "You know Danno, I'm genuinely touched you too care as much as you do. No sarcasm included there. I appreciate all what you've done for me – how you were there when she left. It pains me to admit this, but I needed someone, and in those two months, you guys were there."

"It's what we're here for."

Flack smiled and nodded his head slowly, "I would be honoured to be your little boy's godfather."

Danny smiled and clasped Flack on the back.

"But for the record – godfather ain't no code word for diaper change, is it?"

"We'll see." Danny smirked. "Wanna meet him?"

Flack nodded. "But before that… can I just say something."

Danny nodded. "Have at it."

"Ask Lindsay about Sam. Ask her whether she wants to see her, Danny. Sam didn't just hurt me. She hurt Lindsay too. Going back to how Lindsay was when she had M&M, she's gonna be emotional, I really think the last thing she needs is to have Sammie on the scene – when they meet up again it's going to be emotional. I know you think Linds would want it, and she probably does – don't get me wrong, but you and I both know Linds's emotions are going to be out of whack. She's going to go all mama bear, and seeing Sam – I don't know Danny. I would honestly leave it for the moment. You've got a lot on right now. Don't worry about calling her. She knew Lindsay's due date, granted she had him a little earlier than we all expected but it should not be your responsibility calling her. She wants to see Lindsay - she knows where you live."

Danny nodded in taking Flack's honest opinion. "I hadn't thought of it like that."

"If you want to call her, Danny – don't let me stop you. Just think about it. Think about Lindsay. You know your wife better than anyone in this world. What would she want?"

Danny thought about it for a second. "Well, I have the number – it won't go anywhere. And maybe I could drop it into conversation, get some indication of what Linds wants."

Flack nodded. "I think she'd appreciate you wanting to surprise her, Danny – for the record. I'm not criticising you. Or trying to be patronising for that matter - not for a second."

"Oh no, I know that…"

"Just practicing in my goddaddy role." Flack smirked. "Looking after Josh."

"We better get back, I left Amanda holding Joshua on Lindsay's lap."

Flack chuckled. "It actually warms my stone cold heart at how close your kids are, Messer. Not even an hour old and he has her wrapped around his baby finger."

"Who, Lindsay's wrapped around Josh's finger?"

"No!" Flack laughed as he tossed his coffee cup in the trash. "Amanda."

Danny smiled. "They're my kids."

"Does it feel weird saying that?" Flack asked. "Kids?"

Danny shook his head. "It feels perfect."

"Sap." Flack said as he mocked a coughing fit. "Ugh, sorry." He smirked. "Hairball."

"That's disgusting." Danny declared as he stood up off of the bench.

"Gotta get my godfather jokes lined up for my godson."

Danny smiled as he clasped Flack on the back before drawing him into a hug. "Thanks Don, I appreciate it."

"No Dan, thank you. I'm honoured you asked me."

"Let's break this bromance fest up, shall we?" Danny teased as he clapped his hand on Flack's back.

Flack cleared his throat and nodded as he pulled away. "Yeah, yeah…"

* * *

"Nose." Amanda whispered as she lightly touched Joshua's nose.

"Very good." Lindsay smiled as she kissed her daughter's temple. "Now show – _show_ - me where Joshy's eyes are. Don't touch his eyes."

Amanda licked her lips in concentration as she carefully held her index finger over Josh's eyes, but made sure her fingers didn't touch his eyes. "Eyes."

"Very good!" Lindsay squeaked happily. "Show me Joshy's cheeks."

Amanda giggled as she softly prodded Joshua's chubby cheeks. "Chubby."

Lindsay laughed softly as she traced her own finger down Joshua's cheek as the baby cooed at his mother and sister.

"How much do you love him, M&M?" Lindsay asked her daughter.

"As much as daddy." Amanda giggled.

Lindsay tapped Amanda on the shoulder and Amanda turned her head and shrieked with laughter at Lindsay's raised eyebrow. "Really?" Lindsay pressed. "'Cause I thought you didn't love anyone as much as you love daddy."

"Me wub mommy as much as daddy." Amanda shrugged honestly before turning back to Joshua and prodding his belly with her index finger. "Squishy."

Lindsay giggled as she tucked Amanda's curls behind her ear and pressed a kiss to the top of her daughter's head. "Mommy loves you too. Mommy loves both of you."

"What about me?" Danny pressed from the door.

"SSHHHH!!!" Amanda glared at her father as she pointed at her brother still on her lap. "Joshy!"

"Sorry!" Danny whispered as he held his hands up. "I brought someone to say hello."

Amanda and Lindsay glanced up and smiled brightly at Flack who was stood in the doorway. "Any room in here for a goddaddy?" Flack smiled.

"Hi Uncle Flackie." Amanda giggled. "Dis Joshy. He my brother."

"He is?" Flack gasped as he moved towards the bed. "That is brand new information, M&M."

Amanda smiled brightly. "Flackie hold Joshy?"

"Is that okay, mommy?" Flack smirked at Lindsay.

Lindsay mirrored Amanda's bright smile and carefully lifted Joshua into the air, and passed him to a crouching down Flack.

"Hey Josh." Flack sniffed, the baby in his arms bringing tears to his eyes. "I'm Uncle Don."

Lindsay pulled Amanda into her chest and held her tight as Flack sat in the chair next to her bed, while Danny stood at the bottom of Lindsay's bed, watching the scene unfold.

Lindsay whispered in Amanda's ear, eliciting a giggle from the toddler. Lindsay then whispered Danny's voice, gaining his attention as her arms draped over Amanda's shoulders. He turned to face them and both girls blew Danny a kiss before giggling.

He caught both the kisses and gobbled them up before blowing two back – the action between the three Messers going completely unnoticed by Flack, who was whispering promises to Joshua of weekends in upstate New York, fishing and camping with Uncle Flack and daddy.

"You promising him the world, Don?" Lindsay smiled tiredly at him.

Flack glanced up and smirked. "And then some."

* * *

**_He's here!! Fun times!! I'm still trying to get my head around working Josh into the dynamic, because i'm really struggling, but we're working on the next chapter - bare with me! LOL. Hope this one didn't disappoint. _**

**_Keep R&R'ing guys! I really love all of your reviews. (Who wouldn't - you guys are awesome!)_**

**_Special thank you too... _**

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I LOVE DANNY MESSER


	172. Exhausted Late Night Phone Calls

_**A/N: Thank you to everyone for the congrats on the CSI:NY Awards '09 – I swear, I'm still in shock that our M&M got Best-OC runner up. Seriously, I didn't realise a two-year-old toddler qualified in that category! Truly, I sound like a broken record, but really, I'm in shock – over every single one! Thank you to all who voted for me and nominated me in the first place! I really, really, appreciate it! **_

_**Now, :( we have an announcement – I've got TWENTY ONE DAYS!!!! Before I go on vacation, so posts are likely to slow down for a little while after these twenty-one days pass! I've not forgotten about the story –Just wanted to forewarn you all and make you well aware that I'm not abandoning the epic – just… I'm just getting an actual life – and having lots and lots of fun! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!**_

_**Huggles to Kellan and Kerrie for looking over the chapter and correcting the grammar fails. :( **__**Thanks chickas! :)**_

* * *

Danny slowly opened his eyes as he felt his arm effectively die from the dead weight that was laying over him.

"When the hell did you get so big?" He asked a sleeping Amanda as she snuggled and tucked herself into his side on the oversized chair in Lindsay's hospital room. He blinked and tried to rub his tired eyes, but realised he must have fallen asleep with his glasses on.

He turned as best as he could with his sleeping daughter snuggled into his side, as he looked outside and realised it was pitch black – and had been for a good few hours.

Danny presumed a nurse had dimmed the room's lights low hours ago, as he licked his lips and squinted with his tired eyes. He pressed the light on his watch, lighting up the clock face.

1:01 AM

He let out a breath.

Honestly, if his life depended on it – he could remember the last time he slept.

Like actually slept.

Like in an actual bed.

He blinked and yawned as he shifted Amanda across his body as he gazed to his sleeping wife and son in their own respective beds.

"I think it's time me and you took ourselves home, kiddo." Danny whispered as he grabbed his leather jacket from the chair arm, and placed it over Amanda's sleeping body, effectively snuggling her in a cocoon. "Me and you can pick mommy and Joshy up tomorrow afternoon."

He slowly stood up with the sleeping toddler as she wrapped her arms around his neck and moved towards Lindsay's bed and carefully knelt down before pressing a kiss to her forehead, then moving to her nose, and finishing on her lips.

"Mhmm?" Lindsay blinked.

"Baby, I'm gonna take her home."

Lindsay's eyes snapped open. "You're leaving?"

"I'll be back first thing in the morning." He whispered. "She's tired, Linds. It's 1AM. She didn't go to sleep till god only knows when."

Lindsay blinked sleepily. "Where's Josh."

"In his crib." Danny pointed at the sleeping baby next to Lindsay's bed. "You two gonna be okay?"

She nodded in the dim light of the room. "I don't want you to drive, Dan."

Danny shook his head, "I'm gonna get a cab. I wouldn't trust myself making a cup of coffee right now, let alone driving my baby girl home."

Lindsay smiled as she peered up at Amanda. "Out like a light, isn't she."

Danny nodded as Amanda breathed lightly against his neck as she snuggled further into his embrace. "I'll leave my cell on the side, okay baby? That way you've got it, and I can call you."

She smiled sadly. "I'm gonna miss you guys."

"We'll be back." Danny smiled. "Probably after lunch, but I'm pretty sure you'll be sleeping."

Lindsay nodded sleepily. "Will you promise to call me when you get home?"

Danny nodded. "On my kids. The second I get through the door and put Amanda to bed."

Lindsay smiled. "Love you."

"I love you." He whispered as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You were so brave, baby. I'm so proud of you."

She reached up and grabbed his hand that he wasn't holding Amanda with and laced her fingers through his as she squeezed said hand softly. "Thank you for being here."

"Where else would I be?" He asked her with a smile as he let go of her hand and affectionately ran his hand down her cheek. He then moved around the bed to Joshua's crib. Carefully, with Amanda in his arms, he leant down and pressed a soft kiss to Joshua's delicate lips before running his finger down his son's cheek. "Look after your mommy, buddy."

Danny glanced up to the bed to say one last goodbye to Lindsay and smiled as his eyes fell upon her. In the mere seconds it had taken him to say goodnight to his sleeping son, she had fallen asleep.

He stood up and hitched Amanda securely onto his hip and fixed the leather jacket on her sleeping body. "Come on, kid." He whispered. "Let's get you home."

* * *

Danny cursed the broken porch light as he held Amanda with one arm, balanced the screen with his thigh, all the while attempting to find the keyhole to shove the key in the door.

Finally after a solid three minutes of fumbling around, he felt the key slip into the grove and he twisted it quickly.

"Uh, daddy?"

Danny let out a frustrated sigh, "Go to sleep, princess."

She sniffed as she gripped to his neck with a tiny arm as she removed her thumb from her mouth. "Where mommy?"

"She's with Joshy, sweetie. Go to sleep. Daddy will put you in bed."

"Where lickle bear?"

Danny inwardly cursed himself. "He's with mommy, sweetie."

Amanda let out a little gasp. "But me no sleep without lickle bear."

"You managed to sleep for hours in my arms, across town in a cab and while I unlock the door." He grumbled as he dropped Amanda's bag with all her things in and his coat on the hallway floor. "How about we use a dolly tonight."

"Me no sleep without lickle bear." Amanda cried. "Me need him daddy."

"Amanda it's a quarter to two, daddy is not going back to that hospital to get you lickle bear. I'm tired baby, be a good girl for daddy."

"But daddy…"

"Amanda. I know you love him, but daddy isn't going to get him." He stared into his little girl's brown eyes, "I'm sorry, but it's not happening."

A tear escaped from her eye and slipped down her cheek that Danny caught with the pad of this thumb. "You break my heart, baby." He told her.

Her bottom lip quivered as he quickly carried her through the house and headed towards the stairs. "Me miss him daddy."

"I know." Danny nodded as he unfastened the baby gate and stepped onto the stairs. "But baby, mommy's in the hospital all by herself. Lickle bear wanted to protect mommy, I didn't think you would mind."

Amanda considered it for a minute before she settled her head on his shoulder. "Lickle bear keep me safe, daddy."

"I know he does." Danny nodded as he opened the gate at the top of the stairs. "That's why I trusted him with mommy."

Amanda giggled as Danny fastened the gate up.

He travelled down the hallway with his little girl in his arms and sighed as he got to her extremely messy bedroom. "You're a little terror." He grumbled as he flicked the light on and tiptoed across the room, trying to dodge the teddies, dollies, crayons, colouring books and her tea party set that was scattered over the floor. "What happened to the play with one toy then put it away rule?" he asked as he set her on the bed and went to grab a pair of pyjamas from her dresser.

She shrugged as she stood up on her bed.

"Don't you even dare start jumping, Amanda." He glared at her. "Don't even think about it."

She stared at him as he flung her sleeping beauty nightdress over his shoulder and grabbed her brush with his hand.

"Don't do it." He warned.

Amanda blinked and bounced once on the bed, trying to determine his reaction.

He merely raised an eyebrow at her.

She jumped again and giggled.

His eyes widened and shook his head. "I'm not playing with you, Amanda." He warned her. "Daddy's being serious here – I'm very tired, Amanda – I truly don't have the energy. Just be a good girl for daddy."

She fell to the bed and sighed heavily.

"Thank you." He said with a relieved sigh as he moved across the room from her dresser and grabbed her little arms and pulled her up into a sitting position. "Arms up."

She held her arms in the air as Danny tugged her pink and white striped top over her head. He made sure he trapped her arms over her head and tickled her belly, making her squirm and shriek with giggles.

"DADDDDEEE!!! NOOO!!"

He laughed and pulled the shirt off of her little body and removed her skirt before slipping the nightdress over her body and pulling her into his lap as he brushed her hair. "How does it feel to be a big girl now, sweetie?"

She turned and smiled up at him with a cheesy grin.

"You're a silly chicken." He laughed as he tucked a curl behind her ear. "Do you like Joshy then? Is he a good brother?"

Amanda nodded as she let out a huge yawn. "Me wub him."

"That's good." Danny nodded. "Mommy and daddy love him too."

"Mommy and daddy wub me too?" Amanda asked.

"With all of our hearts." He informed her as he stood her up on the bed and pulled her Disney Princess duvet cover down the bed. "Climb in."

She looked at him hesitantly and refused to move.

"Amanda?" Danny mused. "Climb in baby girl… Time for bed."

She furrowed her brow as she looked down at the bed.

"Amanda…" Danny cajoled. "Climb in to bed, baby."

"Me sleep in mommy's bed."

Danny closed his eyes. "Amanda…"

"P'ease daddy?" she sniffed. "Me miss mommy."

"She'll be home with Joshy tomorrow."

"Me miss her now."

Danny sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do you promise that you won't be a wiggly worm and kick daddy a million times?"

She nodded adamantly.

"Pinky swear." Danny said as he stuck him pinky in the air.

Amanda took his pinky with hers and smiled brightly at him.

He scooped her up and carried her across the messy bedroom and switched the light off. "Before we go to the hospital tomorrow," he started, "we're tidying that bomb site."

She giggled as he nudged open his bedroom door with his thigh and went to reach for the light switch. Amanda scrambled across his body and flicked the light on before he could, eliciting a giggle from the toddler as he set her on the floor, letting her run to the right side of the bed.

However, before she could get there, he scooped her up and dropped her on the bed. "Climb in but don't get comfy." He instructed. "Daddy's gonna get gonna go get changed into his jammies, and he'll back to brush your teethies."

She grumbled as she snuggled into Lindsay's pillow.

"No." he glared at her. "Mommy got you the nice bubblegum toothpaste. You're having them cleaned, mini Messer."

She grumbled and stuck her thumb into her mouth. "No t'anks."

"You don't get a say." He told her as he grabbed a pair of shorts and an NYPD gym shirt from his dresser. "Daddy WILL wake you up."

She sighed as she turned onto her back and kicked her legs into the air. "But dadddddddeeeee…."

"I don't wanna hear it." He told her as he disappeared into the bathroom.

She looked around the large room and tentatively stood up on the bed and giggled softly as she bent her knees.

"Jump on that bed, Amanda and you'll be back in your own room."

She instantly fell to her bottom and sighed heavily. "Mean."

"I'm not mean. I just know you so well." Danny informed her as he emerged from the bathroom. "You're getting your teethies brushed then it's straight to bed, M&M. you're going to be the devil incarnate tomorrow with how tired you're going to be."

"You debil." She retorted.

"Hey!" Danny scolded. "Don't say that – it's not nice."

"You said it!" She sniffed.

"Daddy was just kidding, baby." He explained.

"Me kid." Amanda giggled. "You debil!"

"I'll remind you that you called me the devil when I'm handing mommy my credit card when you're a teenager to buy you clothes at the beginning of the school year."

She giggled, despite having no idea what he was talking about.

He leaned down to grab her and she squirmed into the middle of the bed.

He shook his head and hitched a finger in the air and made a "come here" gesture with his finger. "I'm not playing."

She giggled.

He fought back a grumble of frustration as he flopped onto the bed and grabbed her leg and pulled her towards him. "Teeth. Now."

She squirmed and flailed around. "NOO!!!"

"Yes." Danny spat.

"NO!"

"Yes." Danny nodded as he hitched her on his hip and carried her to his and Lindsay's bathroom while she kicked and cried.

"It will take two minutes." He told her. "Just sit here and daddy will do the work."

Amanda sighed and kicked the cabinets as he placed her on the sink area while he grabbed her toothbrush.

"Do you really want to go on the naughty chair?" he asked as he squeezed some bubblegum toothpaste onto her tiny toothbrush. "Really?"

She shook her head.

"Behave then." He told her as he teased her lips that were clamped shut with the toothbrush. "Open baby."

She shook her head.

He let out an extremely frustrated sigh. "Now – I swear to god, Amanda. You're driving me to the brink of insanity."

He watched her lips wiggle as she considered opening her mouth to the toothbrush. She let out a breath and Danny shoved the toothbrush in.

She smacked her hands on the counter in protest as he quickly brushed her teeth. "Atta girl!" Danny praised. "See, who's a good girl?"

Amanda stopped her protests and simply sat with an opened mouth as Danny quickly brushed her teeth. "Swallow." He instructed as he removed the toothbrush from her mouth. She did as she was told as he stuck the toothbrush back into her mouth, making her roll her eyes.

"Don't do that." He scolded. "I'm going to have words with your mommy."

Amanda huffed as she pulled her head back, making it harder for Danny to brush her teeth.

He sighed and rinsed the toothbrush before scooping her off the counter and wiping her mouth with a towel. "Go away, you whiny baby."

She glared at him before stomping off into the bedroom.

He laughed at her before turning back to look at the huge mirror in front of him and removed his glasses as he rubbed his tired eyes. "You look a mess." He told himself as he grabbed his toothbrush. He sighed heavily at the lack of Lindsay's toothbrush, despite the fact she was only gone for a night.

"Daddy. Me need help."

He peered out of the bathroom and watched Amanda successfully pull the comforter off of the bed and land on her butt as she tried to use it as some type of rope to get her onto the bed.

"Give me strength." He grumbled as he slammed his toothbrush onto the counter. He stormed into the room and picked Amanda up and dropped her onto the bed. "Lay there." he told her as he picked up the comforter and re-made the bed. He covered her head with the comforter, making her giggle.

"Silly daddy." She shrieked as she reappeared but couldn't see him. "Daddy?"

"In the bathroom." He told her.

"Me come?"

He appeared into door way and pointed his toothbrush at her. "Do not move." He glared with a mouth full of toothpaste.

"But…"

Danny spat into the sink and washed his mouth out quickly before switching the light off in the bathroom. "Move and I will throw you outside. I swear to god, Amanda Messer."

Amanda gasped.

"Lie down." He grumbled as he switched the lamp on and the bedroom light off.

Amanda sighed as she snuggled into Lindsay's pillow in an upright position.

"Lie down." Danny instructed as he climbed into bed.

She shook her head and turned to face him.

"Lie down." He told her as he reached over her and turned a pillow sideways, acting as a barrier. "Lie down, Amanda."

She shook her head.

"I'm turning the light off." He informed her. "Lie down."

"No!" She giggled, quite enthralled by the game they were playing.

"Fine." Danny shrugged as he reached for the lamp. "I'm going to sleep. Night Amanda."

"Night!" She squeaked, but refused to move.

He shrugged, deciding she'd soon follow suit. However, she soon proved him wrong as she sat upright with her arms folded across her chest for a good five minutes.

"Amanda, baby…" he sighed as he turned the light back on and looked to his baby daughter staring at him with wide eyes. "Please lay down and go to sleep honey."

Her bottom lip quivered as Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Daddy doesn't want to put you in your own room, honey – so please do as daddy says. I genuinely cannot remember since I last slept and I'm trying so hard to be patient with you, so please… you love me don't you…"

Amanda nodded.

"Well then, please – please can you just do as daddy says?" he reasoned with the toddler. "Please? I'm resorting to begging here, Amanda. Do as daddy says."

She sighed and wiggled down in the bed as she squirmed across and rested her head on Danny's pillow. "Mmmkay."

"Thank you." He sighed in relief as he kissed her forehead and turned to switch the light off. "Good girl M&M. Night baby girl. Sweet dreams."

She snuggled her nose into his side and wiggled it, as she got comfy burying herself in his side, effectively tickling Danny's sides through the material of his shirt.

He let out a small, relaxed sigh as he felt Amanda's eyes flutter shut, knowing that he himself could finally go to sleep.

And, as soon as his eyelids covered his blue eyes, the shrill sounds of the landline startled both him and Amanda wide awake.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" he growled as he grabbed the phone and turned the lamp on. "Karma, why are you being such a glorified bitch?" Danny spat as he jabbed the talk button with his thumb. "Hello?!"

"You're home then?"

"Oh fuck – I'm so sorry baby… I completely forgot to call you." Danny apologised, ridding the venom and hatred in his voice that he probably had when he had originally answered the phone. "Amanda's being a terror – I accidentally woke her up as we walked through the door and she's been giddy since."

"I've got lickle bear with me."

"Yeah, we discovered that. She's laying tucked into my side as we speak because she declared she couldn't and wouldn't sleep without him."

"Want me to talk to her?"

Danny sighed. "Nah… actually… wait - she's looking… wanna speak to mommy, baby girl?"

Amanda nodded as she removed her thumb from her mouth and reached for the phone and held it to her ear. "Mommy?"

"Hi baby." She chirped. "Are you okay?"

Amanda sighed.

"Why are you being such a meany poo to daddy, M&M?"

Amanda shrugged in response.

"Baby, remember mommy can't see you shrugging at me." Lindsay giggled down the line. "Use your words sweetie."

"Me miss mommy." She sniffed tearfully as she looked up at Danny. "Me wub daddy, but me miss mommy."

"I'll be back tomorrow sweetie." Lindsay reassured her. "Me, lickle bear and Joshy."

"But me miss you now."

"I know you do honey," Lindsay sighed, "But mommy had to stay here for the night."

"Why?" Amanda wondered.

"Because it's just what mommies have to do."

"But why? Me and daddy miss you mommy."

Danny let out a breath as he wrapped an arm around his upset daughter. "Mommy will be home baby, alright?" he reassured her. "Just talk to mommy."

"Me want to sweep, mommy. Me tired now. But you pwomise you be home tomorrow?"

"I pinky swear you I'll be home tomorrow with Joshy, alright baby girl. Mommy promises. Now you go to sleep. You're gonna be a tired M&M in the morning."

Amanda sighed as she snuggled into the pillow with the cordless landline still in her hand. "Me wub you mommy."

"I love you too, sweetheart. Put daddy on the phone for me."

Amanda carefully handed him the phone before turning and snuggling into Danny's side with her butt, so that she was facing away from him.

"Hi sweetheart." Danny whispered.

"She's sleeping?"

"Trying to." He laughed softly. "She's snuggling into me."

Lindsay let out a giggle, but then sighed.

"Are you alright?" Danny asked tentatively. "You sound upset."

"I can't sleep." She admitted. "Josh woke up earlier on and I haven't been able to sleep since."

"Aww, baby." Danny sighed. "Can't you get comfy?"

"No." she sighed. "It's not that… I just miss you and your warmth. Usually when I can't sleep I listen to you snoring and it sends me to sleep."

"I don't snore." Danny scoffed.

Lindsay let out a 'pffft.' "You fancy betting on that, cowboy?"

Danny chuckled as he turned on his side so that Amanda was tucked into his body and he balanced the phone between the pillow and his ear, so that he didn't have to hold the phone in place. "Not particularly." He finally answered. "You tend to do well in bets. With two kids, I sense me betting isn't exactly the best thing in the world to be participating in."

"Whoever has the money between us, we're going to be spending it on them, so really, what does it matter?"

"Ahh see, the difference is, money I spend will be in the trust fund for college, you will be spending it on clothes, toys and everything else Amanda just _has_ to have."

"Would you like to try and say no to her twinkling eyes and cheeky smile?"

"Why do you think I don't go shopping?" Danny asked her rhetorically. "Because I can't say no to either of you. Now with Josh in the mix – so help our bank account."

"We can always sell you on the black market." Lindsay suggested. "I'm sure some NYPD fangirl would buy you."

"Screw you." He muttered. "You love me and want to keep me."

"I guess." She sighed dramatically.

Danny let out a huge yawn that lasted a good few seconds. "Sorry babe." He yawned again. "What were you saying?"

"Just that I couldn't, and didn't want to sleep without you."

Danny closed his eyes and swallowed. "Do you want us to come back?"

"What!" Lindsay gasped. "No! God no! Just…"

"Just what?" He asked, patience running low, even with his wife.

"Will you stay on the line till I go to sleep?"

"What if I fall asleep first?"

"Even better." Lindsay assured him. "I can go all stalker and listen to your snores… I might feel a little more safe then."

"Why don't you feel safe?" Danny asked, slightly alarmed. "Everything's okay, right… there's no creepers on your ward or…"

"No. No…" Lindsay laughed. "It's just me, Danny. I guess I depend on you more than I like to admit sometimes."

"I just give you a sense of safety." He replied as his eyes fluttered shut. "No big, if it was me, I'd be the same."

"Really?" Lindsay asked, disbelief evident in her voice.

"Swear to god." He mumbled as sleep was quickly overtaking him.

"Are you humouring me?" she asked.

He blinked his eyes open. "Baby, no – I want to stay up and talk to you, I'm just so tired."

"Is Amanda asleep."

"Yeah." He answered.

"Are you asleep?"

"Nearly."

She let out a sigh and a sniff. "I'm sorry baby, I know how tired you are… I just… I miss you."

"And I miss you too, Linds."

She let out a sad sigh.

"Want to know what I'm thinking about?" he asked as he peeled his eyes open.

"Sleep? Fluffy bunnies and meadows?"

"No actually." He laughed despite his heavy eyes. "How much I love you. And Amanda. And Joshua."

"You always think about that." She giggled down the line. "Well, at least that's what you say you do."

"Well, I do… But I'm also thinking about how you told me you were pregnant with Josh."

"You remember that?" she asked.

"Remember it? I'm gonna treasure the memory for the rest of my life."

She giggled. "So go on then, Cowboy – how did I tell you?"

"Well, we had been in the hotel for our anniversary, right?"

"Tarrytown… God I loved that hotel."

"You and me both…" He smiled fondly at the memory. "We'd gone down to breakfast and you were about six hundred miles away."

"I was pregnant."

"I didn't know this."

She rolled her eyes at the banter and sighed. "You were saying…"

"We decided to go out to the lake with the bank of sand around it. Absolutely freezing. All I can remember is me cursing myself for it being so damn cold."

"It was February." She teased lightly, "I was in a jersey, sweat pants and Uggs, it wasn't as if I was dressed for summer."

"Here nor there, baby girl." Danny smirked. "I knew you were doing something ya'know… Playing in the sand. Granted I thought it would be more along the lines of 'I love you' but, you know…"

She smiled down the line, as her eyes grew heavy. "What else do you remember?"

"I remember you standing up." He continued. "I watched you walk away from me, thinking how beautiful you were and how I wanted to make things better for you, with you being so down."

She giggled.

"And then I glanced down at the sand, looked to you as it registered, then did a double take."

"I'll always remember that double take." She giggled. "Your eyes sparkled as realisation hit you."

"My eyes don't sparkle." He scoffed.

"You don't look at them as much as I do." She teased.

"And there was me telling you a lovely bedtime story and you just steal my thunder." He whined playfully. "Telling me my eyes sparkle."

"Hang on a second… You're thinking about all of that while you're deathly tired."

"Man of many talents." He chuckled. "I've been thinking about it all day."

"He looks so much like you, Danny." Lindsay said softly, changing the subject. "I'm gazing at him now, and he's just so beautiful."

"Well then he looks just like you."

"With blue eyes and blonde hair? Yeah that's me all over."

"I meant beautiful. If he's beautiful then he looks just like you."

She yawned lightly.

"Close your eyes baby. Stop fighting it… I'll be here on the other end of the line when you wake up, 'kay? Go ahead and close your eyes."

She yawned again. "I love you."

"Sweet dreams baby." He whispered as his own eyes fluttered shut.

* * *

**_As always thank you for all of the reviews and love you send my way with the epic. It really keeps a constant smile on my face! _**

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I LOVE DANNY MESSER


	173. Bringing Home Baby

**_A/N: I feel it's just customary for the chapter to have an A/N, but I don't really have anything to say to you guys! Nothing for me to squee about - nothing for me to inform you of.. I don't think. I've thanked you all a bazillion times for the nominations and votes for the CSI:NY awards - so that can be ticked from the list. _**

**_Thanks to Kellan and Kerrie? Yup, thanks to them. Correcting my grammar and giving me the a'okay! _**

* * *

Lindsay woke groggily the next morning to the muffled giggles of her daughter. She grabbed the cell phone and held it to her ear. "Mommy? You 'dere?"

"Amanda?"

"Wisten!" Amanda giggled.

"Amanda?"

"Uhn."

Lindsay bit her lip as she tried to figure out what was going on.

"Guh"

_What the hell? _She thought.

"SWEET JESUS, AMANDA!" Danny bellowed suddenly, so much so, Lindsay dropped the phone. "MY STOMACH IS NOT A TRAMPOLINE!"

Lindsay burst out laughing as she grabbed the phone that lay on the bed and held it to her ear.

"GIVE ME THAT PHONE YOU TERROR!" Danny snapped. "The quicker you come home Lindsay, the quicker I can sleep!"

"Good morning to you too, darling." Lindsay giggled.

"How did you sleep?"

"Restless. But we got some sleep. Can you say the same?"

"Didn't you feel sympathy pain over the amount of times she hit me or kicked me? Or you know… jumped on my belly as a trampoline."

Lindsay could hear Amanda shriek with laughter somewhere on the bed.

"I'm glad someone finds it funny." He spat. "Linds, I'm'a put you on speakerphone, give me a sec."

She laughed as she snuggled into the bed and rested the phone on the pillow, so that it was fixed in-between her ear and the said pillow.

"RIGHT!" She heard Danny bellow. "That's it… you're going down!"

She heard Amanda's shrieks as Danny had obviously grabbed her foot or arm and pulled her towards him.

"NO!" The toddler shrieked. "NO DADDY! NO TICKLE!"

"Oh no!" Lindsay gasped, joining in. "Not the return of the ticklemonster."

"Yes!" Danny confirmed. "Tickle, tickle… TICKLE."

Amanda shrieked. "MOMMEEEEE!!! Save me!!!"

"You fight him, M&M… You can do it… tickle him back."

Lindsay listened contently until the small, yet shrill cries of Joshua broke her from the reverie of listening to her husband and daughter battle it out.

"Guys! GUYS!!! Mommy has to go."

"DADDEEEEE NO TICKLE BELLY!"

"Guys?" Lindsay called into the phone as she sat up out of bed. "I'm going…. I'll see you later…?"

"No Amanda!" Danny laughed. "Amanda!"

"Love you." Lindsay called down the phone before hanging up and placing the phone on the side, as she scooped Joshua out of his crib and snuggled him to her chest. "You feeling left out too, baby boy? I bet you want to play with daddy like that… Just you wait." Lindsay started as she sat on the bed and undid her pyjama top so she could nurse Joshua. "Daddy will make sure you've got all this to come. Mommy promises you that."

* * *

"A'right! A'right!" Danny cried as he held his hands in the air; "I surrender."

Amanda shrieked, while jumping on the bed. "YAY!!! Me woned!"

"Changed my mind!" Danny exclaimed as he grabbed her little legs, making her fall flat to the bed. "I gots you now."

Amanda screamed and squirmed away from him. "No daddy! No!"

He pounced and pinned her to the bed and tickled her belly, making her little eyes fill with tears from laughing hysterically.

"DADDYYY!" She cried as she tried to squirm away. "Daddy woned. Daddy woned."

"You give up?" he pressed with his fingers poised over her belly.

She nodded. "Me need potty."

Danny scooped her up and carried her into the bathroom. "Good girl for telling daddy." He praised. "You hungry baby?" as asked as he cleaned up the counter and toiletries that lay on the counter.

She nodded as she grabbed one of Lindsay's pregnancy magazines placed down the side of the toilet and chucked it at his back, hitting his legs. Before he could turn and scold her, she had folded her hands in her lap and grinned innocently at him.

"I have eyes in the back of my head." He informed her. "All daddies do. I saw that."

Amanda's eyes widened. "Rweally."

Danny nodded.

"Can me see?" she asked.

He rolled his eyes and continued cleaning up the counter. "Just hurry up and concentrate on what you're doing."

* * *

"And that, my beautiful baby boy… Is the difference between DNA and RNA." Lindsay smiled as she softly burped him and sat back in the bed as she cradled him to her chest.

She was so focused on her baby boy in front of her; she completely missed the couple that had walked in the room a little over three minutes previous.

Finally, deciding to make their presence known, the female smiled and cleared her throat. "Look at our baby girl, Jack…"

Lindsay's eyes filled with tears as she blinked at the two people stood at the foot of her bed. "Mom? Daddy?"

"Baby girl." Jack Monroe smiled. "Just look at you. Look at her Emily."

"I'm looking." Emily Monroe smiled brightly down at her daughter as she wiped a tear that had quickly fallen from her cheek. "He's beautiful, Lindsay."

"I…" Lindsay failed to get out another word before she promptly burst into tears. Emily took Joshua as Jack sat on Lindsay's bed and pulled her into a comforting hug, smoothing her hair down and pressing soft kisses to her temple as Lindsay sobbed into his chest.

Emily smiled as she carefully bounced her grandson around the room, making cooing noises as she did so.

"Come now, sweetie. Why all these tears?" Jack asked as he wiped another tear away. "We don't look that old do we?"

"No." Lindsay spluttered as she shook her head. "I'm… I just can't… How… Who?"

"You're emotional." Jack answered. "You can't believe we're here. We took a plane, and your wonderful boss gave me and mommy a call yesterday afternoon, and we got the next plane out."

Lindsay blinked, before promptly bursting into tears again.

Jack pulled his daughter into a hug and buried her head in the juncture of his neck as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "We've missed you too, sweetie."

"And we're so proud of you." Emily added. "He's beautiful, Linds… He looks just like Danny."

Lindsay spluttered as she wiped her eyes on Jack's shirt.

"Hey!" He scolded at his wet patches, which effectively got a giggle from Lindsay.

"I can't believe you're here. I've missed you both so much." She finally said. "Danny didn't say…"

"His son was on the way… I hardly think his parents in law are the top of his things to think about list." Emily laughed softly as she walked round the bed and handed her grandson to Jack. "Say hello to grandpa, Joshua."

Jack Monroe stood and instantly tears glistened in Lindsay's eyes as her father softly bounced her son in his arms. Jack turned with tears in his own eyes and glanced down at Lindsay and smiled. "You did good kid. You did real good."

Lindsay wiped a tear away as her mother wrapped an arm around her and hugged her tight. "We're so proud of you honey… When Detective Taylor…"

"Mom!" Lindsay giggled. "Amanda calls him grandpa – call him Mac. He's said this millions of times."

"When Detective Taylor called and told us everything had gone alright when we were on our layover, he made a point of telling us how hard it was on you. How exhausted you were. How you had no drugs." Emily added. "Just the gas and air... We're so proud of you. And Danny. Mac got to talking about Amanda, and how big she's gotten, and we're just kicking ourselves we're not around more. We miss her."

Lindsay smiled proudly. "She's my not so little baby girl anymore."

"What's her latest escapade?" Emily smiled. "I showed your dad the email you sent me last week about the little witch in her day care. He wants to go have some words."

"No buck knives on the four year old, dad. I've got it under control. I'm going to go and speak to the co-ordinator and lay the law down… I just – well, Joshua decided to prolong the woman's pain of me or Danny going in."

"Wasn't for waiting around, was he?" Jack asked as he ran a finger down the boy's cheek. "I see Chris in him."

"Blue eyes, blonde hair?" Emily laughed, "There's no Chris in him, Jack. Joshua is a mini Danny. We have a mini Lindsay and a mini Danny."

"Where is Chris? I would have thought my dear brother would have wanted to see his only nephew."

"He got tied up with Amy. Couldn't pull her out of school and he wasn't about to leave her. He's going to call."

Lindsay waved it off. "It's fine. I'm just glad you guys are here." She smiled as she snuggled into her mother's side.

"We wouldn't be anywhere else in the world."

* * *

"Pop tart! No! Froot Loops! No! Pancakes! No!!! MUFFIN!"

"Make your mind up," Danny instructed as Amanda gazed into the pantry looking at the various breakfast foods while he loaded the dishwasher. "Otherwise I'll decide for you. And it will be the easiest."

"Pancakes at Wonalds?" she gasped hopefully.

"No we're not having Pancakes at McDonalds."

"Awww!" Amanda sniffed. "Sad day, Daddy!"

"Yup." He nodded, sarcasm evident in his voice. "It's so sad. Pick what you want."

"BLUEBERRY MUFFIN!!!" She shrieked as she attempted to jump up and down as she saw the packaging and container they were in.

"Move!" Danny instructed as he carried her to the table. "Don't move."

She furrowed her brow. "Huh?"

"What you huh-ing at?" as he unwrapped the muffin from it's packaging.

"Move? Me no move? Me confuddled."

Danny sighed as he grabbed her Dora the Explorer plate and placed it in front of her and broke the muffin into two – the fluffy gooey topping on the left, the 'silly stumpy bit' on the right.

"Daddy!" Amanda gasped as she swapped their positions. "You did it wronged."

"Oh they're going to the same place." He growled as he headed to the fridge and got the milk out as he filled her Winnie the Pooh cup up and handed it to her.

"Me can't eat it now." She sobbed.

"Get over it." Danny grumbled as he teased her lips with the gooey muffin. "Come on… Don't you want to decorate the living room with balloons for Mommy and Josh?"

Amanda opened her mouth and chomped on the muffin Danny was holding before taking it in her own chubby hands.

"Nearly took Daddy's fingers' off then," he grumbled as he headed to the counter to grab his cup of coffee.

Amanda merely grinned at him.

* * *

Lindsay smiled as she felt the bed dip down as the figure sat next to her.

"Hey Linds."

"Hi," She chirped as she snuggled into the arm he had placed around her shoulders.

"How's he doin'?"

"Ask him yourself." Lindsay smiled as she handed him Joshua. "Have you told the whole world yet?"

Flack laughed. "That I'm a goddaddy? No – I haven't been able to get hold of my Uncle and Aunt in the Artic, but we're getting there."

Lindsay smiled as Flack held Joshua with one strong arm and kept his other around her shoulders. "Where's Jess? I've barely seen her around."

"Talking to the Captain." Flack grinned.

"The NYPD captain?"

Flack nodded.

"Why?"

"She might be staying." Flack smiled brightly at her. "She's used up all her vacation time, so we decided it was time we pulled our heads out of our butts."

"Very good." Lindsay giggled.

"You like that… We're cutting down on cursing." Flack smirked. "But we're finally deciding to make it official. Well, she's not officially got her job back, but we're hoping."

Lindsay smiled as she turned and kissed his cheek. "I'm glad you're happy, Don."

He kissed her temple in return and rubbed her shoulder, before turning his gaze back to his godson. "Time's Danno getting here?"

"Who knows?" Lindsay giggled. "So long as he is here by four."

"I'm sure he will be. He's probably contemplating throwing himself into the Hudson. Amanda is driving him mental with her giddiness."

"I don't know why this has come as such a shock to him." Lindsay laughed. "She's no different."

"He's a little all over the place. His wife just had a son."

"No!" She gasped. "Really? That's brand new information, Flack!"

"That's my line. Wiseass."

She stuck her tongue out at him as she ran her finger over Josh's cheek. "Am I biased or are my children the most beautiful kids you've ever seen?"

"You didn't see me as a baby." Flack teased.

She shoved him lightly in the side.

"Hey! Ow!" he grimaced. "Baby boy in arms here."

"My baby boy." Lindsay added. "So be careful."

"There's something I need to talk to you about, Linds." Flack admitted as he handed her Joshua.

"Oh yeah?" Lindsay nodded as she rocked Josh in her arms softly. "Shoot."

"Well, see… I've been thinking."

"Oh hell, Flack's been thinking." Lindsay teased.

"Will you hush? I'm being serious, Linds."

"Sorry." She said solemnly. "Do continue."

"I've been thinking and I thought you might be the best person to get these thoughts out to." He started. "It's about Sam."

Lindsay nodded as she kept eye contact with Flack. "Okay…"

"I was thinking to myself yesterday – how would I feel if I saw her again, and what I would say to her."

"I'm sure you've thought about that a lot."

Flack shrugged. "I couldn't decide whether I would want to see her, and seen as you two were really tight for a long time, I wondered what you thought about it."

Lindsay considered it for a second. "Honestly… I think I'd quite like to see her. Make sure she's alright… See how she's doing. That kind of thing. Introduce her to Joshua maybe?"

Flack nodded.

"I mean, what she said about my daughter still upsets me, considering Amanda was sick and all she wanted was her mom. She wasn't being a brat. She wasn't trying to be a brat. Sam knows Amanda and she knew she wasn't being a brat."

Flack rubbed Lindsay's arm comfortingly.

"So in that respect, I am still a little upset about that. You take things to heart when it's to do with your kids, you know… What she said about Danny. I can get over that. I know who he is, and I love him – her opinion doesn't necessarily matter on that… But what she said about my baby girl." Lindsay shook her head. "Call me crazy, but I took it to heart and it hurt."

"It hurt me and she's just my honourary niece."

Lindsay smiled.

"But that aside…" Flack continued, "You'd want to see her."

Lindsay nodded. "Yeah, even if it was just to apologise and part on good terms, if that happened to be what she wanted. I hated how it ended so abruptly. Things weren't said that needed to and that's sad and unfortunate that it happened like that."

"I agree." Flack nodded.

"Does that help?" Lindsay smiled.

"Help what?" Flack asked, clearly puzzled.

"Help you decide whether or not you'd want to see her." Lindsay reminded him. "Jeez Flack, you're asking the question. That brain of yours shut down after you spent time thinking?"

"If you didn't have my godson in your arms…"

"What the hell would you do?" Lindsay snorted. "Give me a good seeing to?" she teased. "Please, the lord knows you wouldn't hurt a fly."

"I'll add it to the list of 'Flack's a good boy and doesn't curse' that Stella's got goin' on."

"You do that." Lindsay teased. "Whatever helps you sleep at night,"

"How does Danny put up with you?" Flack implored. "I've been sat here fifteen minutes and I'm ready to question my sanity."

"How do you think I deal with Danny on a daily basis?"

"We all know how in love you are, Monroe. Don't start that rubbish. 'Oh he drives me crazy' – No he doesn't. And even if he did, you'd love it."

She merely smiled at him in response before they both turned their attention to Joshua.

* * *

"Now, M&M…" Danny started as he headed along the hospital ward with a bag in his hand. "I spoke to mommy and she said there was a surprise for you in her room."

"You gots me a puppy?" she gasped dramatically, stopping dead in her tracks in the middle of the busy hallway.

"No." Danny laughed. "No puppy."

"Aawww!" Amanda sulked as Danny tugged her down the hallway. "Why?"

"Because you can't have puppies in hospitals."

"Why?"

"Amanda…" Danny warned as he gripped her hand. "Listen to daddy. It's a better surprise than a puppy."

"Santa?"

Danny snorted as he dropped to his daughter's level and lifted her up. "No and it's not the Easter bunny either."

"Who?"

"Holy moly." Danny laughed. "Look, here, we'll see now…"

Danny pushed the door open and placed his daughter on the floor.

Lindsay watched her daughter's eyes light up at the man stood in the centre of the room.

"POP-POP!!!!!!!!!" she cried as she sprinted as fast as she could to her grandfather. Jack caught Amanda and swung her round before setting her on his hip. "Hey munchkin. How are you?"

"Me missed you so much!" She gasped as she flung her arms around his head.

"I've missed you too, munchkin."

"Me miss you more." Amanda giggled.

"No I've missed you more." Jack teased.

"No, me!" Amanda glared at him. "Me – I miss you more!"

Jack smiled as he tickled her softly before sitting down in his chair. "What do you think about Joshua then?"

"Me wubs him, pop-pop. Me wubs him so much!"

"Aren't you the best sister in the world?" Jack implored. "Joshy is really lucky to have you, munchkin."

Amanda smiled brightly as she noticed Lindsay sat in bed. "Oh, hi mommy."

Lindsay let out a hearty laugh. "Oh hi. You remember me then?"

Amanda nodded, but instantly turned her attention back to Jack.

Lindsay rolled her eyes at her father before smiling at Danny. "Hey."

"Hey baby."

"What's in the bag?"

Danny smiled and placed the paper bag on her bed.

"Rice kripsy squares? M&M's? Reese's pieces? Marry me?" she gasped.

"Sorry." He said, as he played with his wedding ring. "Someone beat you to it."

"That's sad." She snorted as she ripped into a rice kripsy square. "You truly love me, don't you?"

Danny laughed as he picked Joshua out of the crib and smiled at his son. "I do love you." He nodded. "One heck of a lot."

Slowly Danny turned and smiled at Jack Monroe. "Hey Jack."

Jack snorted and Amanda giggled. "Daddy! You siwwy!" Amanda shrieked. "He Pop-pop."

Danny smiled as he grabbed Lickle bear from Lindsay's bed and carried him over to Amanda who had her arms outstretched. "Mine!" She shrieked.

"Holy moly – have him!" Danny smirked as he chucked the teddy, all the while, mindful of Joshua in his arms. "Catch Pop-pop."

"DON'T DROPPED HIM!" Amanda shrieked. "HE LICKLE BEAR!"

"Hey! Hey now!" Lindsay scolded. "We're in a hospital guys, chill out and calm down. You can't be shouting like that daddy, daddy and M&M."

The three hung their heads in shame as Josh fussed in Danny's arms and let out a shrill cry.

"See. Look." Lindsay huffed. "You scared him, daddy." Lindsay glared at Danny. "Give him to me."

"I have him." Danny scoffed. "He's fine with me."

"Can you produce milk and nurse him?" Lindsay asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Um…"

Lindsay smirked at him as she stretched her arms out. "Didn't think so."

"I have an idea." Jack started. "Have you two had lunch?"

"We had breakfast not long ago." Danny told his father in law.

"Well I think it's about time we head to the cafeteria and have a snack on Pop-pop. I haven't seen my baby granddaughter for forever and I've missed her bunches and bunches."

Amanda giggled and looked up at Danny. "Can we daddy, can we?"

Danny sighed. "Why not… Come on princess."

* * *

Four o'clock had soon crept around, and before Lindsay knew it, she was stood watching Danny fasten their son in his car seat in the SUV.

"I can't believe he's been nine months in the making." Lindsay said as she shook her head. "And now, that's it…"

Danny turned from his position sprawled across the seat as he hooked Joshua into the middle of the SUV. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Well, that's it for me… he doesn't need me anymore." She told him as she picked up the diaper bag and placed it on the floor underneath Danny's knee in the back of the SUV

"You kiddin'?" Danny laughed, "You're his meal ticket. He needs you for a good while yet, Montana."

She rolled her eyes as she gazed over to Amanda, her mom and dad as they said their temporary goodbyes at their rental car.

"I can't believe you won't come and stay in the guest bedroom mom – daddy. I'm offended." Lindsay scoffed loud enough to cross the distance between the two.

Her mother made her way across the parking lot and pulled her daughter into a hug. "Lindsay, please."

"No." She glared. "I had Danny make the bed up and everything."

"Young lady, do not make me feel like a terrible mother with your guilt trips. The only reason we don't want to stay with you…"

"Thanks." Danny snorted from inside the SUV.

Emily smacked his visible leg that was hanging out of the Truck. "If you'd allow me to finish you smarty pants, you would hear me say that your father and I want to sightsee and spend a bit of time coming and going as we please. We don't want to constantly be interrupting you two while you adjust to your new addition."

"I don't care." Lindsay scoffed. "You wouldn't be interrupting. You're part of the family. You're my mom and dad."

"We're coming round everyday, Lindsay." Emily told her. "Your daddy has already assured me of that. He loves his baby girl so much."

"I love him too."

Emily bit her lip.

"You didn't mean me." Lindsay chuckled as she gazed at her father chucking her baby girl in the air. "Dad! Be careful with her! Dad! Daddy! Be careful!"

Lindsay let out a frustrated breath as she stomped away from Emily and Danny to scold her father for throwing Amanda in the air so high.

Emily laughed softly as Danny emerged from the SUV. "He's in," he declared. "S'happening?"

"Lindsay's in full blown mommy mode."

Danny laughed. "When isn't she?"

Emily smiled before turning and pulling Danny into a tight hug. "Thank you."

Danny returned the hug eagerly, but laughed nervously, "what for?"

"Making her eyes sparkle. Loving her and taking care of her like you do. You ease Jack and I's restless nights worrying about her, because we know she's save with you. That you wouldn't let anything happen to her or your children, and we love you for that Danny."

"Well, I love you guys for giving me my wife." He returned as he kissed her on the cheek. "She's my whole world."

Emily smiled and rubbed his cheeks affectionately before laughing at Lindsay being tickled by Jack with Amanda sat on the bonnet of the SUV clapping her hands together excitedly.

"Our family is crazy." Emily declared.

Danny laughed as he whistled loudly getting Jack and Lindsay's attention. "Can we get this show on the road? Joshy's in the car, waiting on the girls. Welcome to the next eighteen years of my life!"

Jack laughed as Lindsay scowled at Danny before picking Amanda up and jogging across the lot with Amanda giggling in her arms, bouncing in her mother's arms.

"Definitely crazy." Emily concluded. "But wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

Danny sighed heavily as he gazed down at Joshua, taking his delicate features in.

"You're so tiny." He admitted to his son. "I'm terrified I'm going to break you."

Josh blew a bubble in response as he grasped Danny's index finger with his tiny, chubby hand.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around in the past day. I bet you know your goddaddy more than you know me. But your big sister needed her daddy, ya'see, that's why I wasn't around as much as I would have liked to have been."

Danny wigged his finger in the baby's hand, eliciting a small "uhh" from Josh as he smiled up at Danny.

The shower in the bathroom was brought to an end abruptly and Danny smiled. "It sounds like mommy's getting out of the shower, baby boy… I bet this has been the longest you've spent away from her."

Joshua blinked.

"I'll take that as a yeah." Danny smirked as he pressed a soft kiss to his son's forehead. "God I love you. Your mommy and I did real good with you and your sister, buddy. Let me tell ya. You guys are knockouts."

The bathroom door opened, and Danny smiled, as Lindsay emerged from the bathroom in a pair of fluffy pyjamas. "Hey sweetheart."

"Hey."

"Nice shower?"

She smiled as she nodded and continued to towel dried her hair. "Really, really nice."

He returned her smile before turning his gaze back to Joshua, who was staring up at his father with inquisitive eyes.

"Amanda asleep?"

"Out like a light." Danny nodded. "It's only six thirty. I'm in shock."

"What's up with number two?" Lindsay inquired.

"I don't want him to go to sleep yet." Danny admitted. "It feels like I don't know him. You know… With so many people around- me going here there and everywhere. I haven't spent any time with him yet."

Lindsay laid on the bed and propped herself up with her arm and sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, baby. But you have two whole weeks at home before you have to go back to work."

"I know that." He told her. "But I feel like I've missed a really important time in our son's life."

"Danny." Lindsay said as she sat up on the bed and crossed her legs so that she was facing him. "Look at me."

He looked up.

"You've been there more than you think, honey. You were there when he was born. You cut the cord. You held him. You watched them weigh and measure him. You watched them give him those eye drops. You flinched when they gave him that shot. Those are things I didn't witness – that moment was solely witnessed by you, baby. You have those memories. Those are your very first moments with Josh."

Danny nodded as she reached out and traced her finger down his unshaven cheek.

"I know you want to hold him forever, Danny, but when we have a toddler and a giggly and excitable toddler at that, that isn't always possible. You have the rest of your life to spend time with him. He's going to love you. He's going to love you so much. You're his daddy, and no one – and no amount of time you spend with him will change that."

"I just wish I could have been there the whole time at the hospital." Danny sighed. "Me and Amanda. We should have been there with you guys."

"But that's unrealistic." Lindsay told him. "It worked out fine, baby. We're home. You have your day old son lying in your arms. You've only missed twenty-four hours Danny. You have years- hell - decades with him. I know you wish you could have been there. But Amanda needed her daddy."

"She needed her mommy too. She missed you so much Linds."

"I'm with her more or less everyday. She loves routine, and it was messed up. I think what she really needed was time with her daddy. I know what her little mind is thinking. She's already had the idea of we're not going to want her anymore pushed into her head."

Danny ground his teeth together.

"So to spend that time with you," Lindsay continued, ignoring Danny. "I think has not only reassured her, but meant the world to her. She loves you Danny. She worships and idolises you. You see that, right?"

He nodded.

"Well then, don't think about the time you've missed with Joshua, but think of the time you got to spend with our daughter. Our first baby."

"She'll always be my baby." Danny said as he stared down at his son. "She's my baby girl. Even when she's thirty three and some accountant in Chicago - she'll still be my baby."

"Accountant?" Lindsay giggled.

"Beginning of the alphabet, first profession that popped into my head." Danny reasoned.

"I see her as more of a teacher." Lindsay giggled as she smiled at him. "It'll be alright." She told him as she ran a finger down his cheek before cupping his face. "Mommy promises."

"I know… Daddy just wants to be there, and it's hard because I can't always – what with work…"

"We knew this before we had kids, Danny. You're here more than a lot of other fathers. You don't give yourself enough credit."

"I think you give me too much." Danny retorted.

She smiled as she gazed down at Joshua. "With a daddy like you," Lindsay started. "I can't even begin to imagine the father that he'll be some day."

"Scary – I know…" Danny smirked.

"I didn't mean it like that and you know it." Lindsay nudged him, ever so lightly.

"Well…" Danny started. "If our baby girl is half the mother you are, her kids will have the second best mommy in the world."

Lindsay smiled shyly.

"I mean it Linds." He told her as he leant over Josh and pressed a kiss to her nose. "I love you."

"And I love you, my two beautiful boys." She smiled as she gave Danny an Eskimo kiss, before the new parents turned their attention down to their son between them.

"We did good, didn't we?" Lindsay smiled as she gazed at their son. "Me and you."

Danny reached out and rubbed her arm lightly, before lacing their fingers together and resting them on her thigh, encasing Joshua in a protective shield. "We did amazing."

* * *

**_Feel free to R&R folks! I quite like reading what you like (and don't like if that is the case) about the epic!_**

**_Special big thank you to:_**

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edward-and-bella-forever


	174. The Hoedown Throwdown Well Kind Of

"Mmmpfh, Danny. Stop it!" Lindsay grumbled as she swatted away the finger that was currently being pressed to her nose.

The finger continued its assault on Lindsay's nose, eliciting a sigh. "Danny…"

"Mommy. Me not daddy. Me M&M."

"Amanda?" Lindsay asked as she peeled her eyes open. Low and behold, her daughter was stood on her tiptoes on Lindsay's side of the bed, pressing her index finger on Lindsay's nose repeatedly in a desperate attempt to wake her mother up.

"Mommy…"

"What baby girl?" Lindsay asked as she rubbed her eyes and picked Amanda up off the floor and laid her in the middle of her and Danny. "What's the matter?"

"P'ease can me go to park today, mommy?"

Lindsay thought about it for a second and shrugged, "Alright… I don't see why not. What time is it?"

"Weleven."

Lindsay furrowed her brow, "You slept in till eleven o'clock?"

Amanda nodded vigorously.

"That's funny." Lindsay giggled. "You don't know how to tell the time, my dear angelface. So how do you know?"

"Me only knows how to say weleven."

"Ahh." Lindsay nodded as she turned and flinched at the site of the alarm clock. "Amanda; it's five thirty in the morning."

Amanda merely smiled at her mother.

"The park isn't open yet, sweetie. It's still sleeping."

"Daddy says the park is walways open, mommy."

"Daddy fibbed." Lindsay informed her daughter as her eyes fluttered shut.

"Daddy never fibs." Amanda scolded her mother. "Daddy tolded me so."

"Go to sleep, Amanda." Lindsay growled with her eyes closed. "Either sleep here, or go back to your room. It's not time to wake up yet."

"Me wants to pway with Joshy."

"Joshy's asleep; you should set an example for him and do the same."

"Why? He already sleeping, mommy. He no know me 'wake."

Lindsay bit her lip. "Why are you so clever?"

She felt Amanda shrug dramatically in her position next to her. "Me rweally wants to go, mommy. Me want you to take me."

"I know you do, baby girl. And I promise I will take you. But right now, I'm so sleepy, baby girl… Can you give mommy just one more hour for sleepy time? Please?"

Amanda sighed. "But mommy…"

"Amanda." Danny growled as he turned in his position on the left hand side of the queen-sized bed. "Listen to your mommy. Mommy had a baby not two days ago, I know you don't understand what that means, but when mommy says she's tired, she means she's tired. You need to be a really, really good girl for mommy and daddy while Joshy is a tiny, tiny baby."

"But daddy…" Amanda cried. "Me missed mommy."

"And you just heard mommy promise to take you later on. You and mommy can go together. Just you two, alright, but you need to be a good girl in order for that to happen. Because we don't reward bad behaviour with good things, do we?"

Amanda shook her head 'no'.

"Well then," Danny reasoned. "You need to do what mommy says if you want mommy and M&M time at the park."

Amanda nodded as she took in Danny's words. Amanda quickly turned and snuggled into Lindsay's side and pressed a kiss to her mother's bare arm. "Me sowwy mommy."

Lindsay cracked an eye open and pouted her lips together, and instantly Amanda smacked her lips with her own, and made a kissing sound, before giggling at the dramatic kiss she had just given her mother.

"I've missed you too, baby." Lindsay told her daughter as she wrapped an arm around her.

"Wots and wots?" Amanda inquired.

"To the moon and back!" Lindsay nodded. "Now, can you be a big girl and go back to sleep for a little while until daddy wakes us up?"

"Me can do that for you, mommy." Amanda nodded as she placed a thumb in her mouth.

That's my baby girl." Lindsay smiled brightly.

* * *

Danny rubbed his tired eyes as he powered up his Mac laptop before turning and glaring at Amanda.

She grinned at him as she spooned the soggy Froot Loops in from her bowl into her mouth.

"You better love me more than Santa Clause." He growled. "I can't believe you got me up to do this."

Amanda giggled and clapped her hands together as she sat at the table with her booster seat. "Ready?"

"It'll be ready once you've gobbled up all those Froot Loops."

"You froot loop!" Amanda giggled.

"You're a froot loop!" Danny scoffed as he balanced the laptop on the counter and positioned the screen so that he could see it in his position.

"Ready?" Amanda asked eagerly.

"How many froot loops do we have left?"

"Weleven." Amanda giggled.

Danny peered across into Amanda's bowl and raised his eyebrows. "It's empty."

Amanda flashed him a cheesy grin and shrugged before jumping down from her chair. "Will you sing too, daddy?"

"I don't know the words, honeybunch,"

"But…" Amanda sniffed as she petted her lip.

"I'll try my best," he sighed as he fired up Youtube, "You ready? Got enough dancing space?"

Amanda spun round with her arms spread wide. "Yup!"

"Right." Danny sighed as he typed in the search engine and clicked on the correct link. "I cannot believe I'm about to do the Hoedown Throwdown."

"Wub, wub, wub!" Amanda giggled as Miley Cyrus appeared on Danny's laptop and began explaining the process of the Hoedown Throwdown.

Danny merely blinked at the choreographer with a ridiculous hat, going through the steps one by one.

He turned and gazed down at Amanda who was staring, without blinking; at the screen and attempting to copy everything she was seeing. Danny chuckled quietly to himself as he watched his little girl engrossed in a dance routine.

"Daddy. You not trying!" she cried as she shuffled across the tiles with her bare feet.

Danny sighed as he shuffled, zigzagged and diagonal across the floor, "I'm trying, baby."

"Start 'gain!" Amanda demanded as she stomped her foot.

He sighed and clicked the mouse back to the beginning of the video. "From the top."

With Amanda's eyes boring into him he took a deep breath, sucked up his masculinity and decided to just do exactly what his daughter wanted him to do.

Dance to Hannah Montana.

"Pop it, lock it…" Danny started saying along with his actions. "Polka dot it…"

Amanda shrieked as she watched Danny dance in the kitchen in his sweats and wifebeater, his socks making him slip as he tried the more 'challenging' dance steps.

"I don't see you dancing." Danny growled as he scooped Amanda up in his arms and jiggled her on his hip. "Daddy dancing here alone?"

Amanda shook her head.

"Is that my good friend Hannah I can hear?" Lindsay giggled as she walked into the kitchen with Joshua in her arms. "Hoedown Throwdown at this early hour?"

"She kicked me out of bed… literally." Danny said over his shoulder before wiggling Amanda on his hip while they watched the dancers on the Youtube clip put all the dance steps together.

"Was that what that thud was?" Lindsay giggled as she pressed a kiss to Joshua's forehead while she grabbed a cereal bowl from the cupboard.

"No that was her jumping on me." Danny deadpanned. "While I was sprawled across the bedroom floor, I may add."

"Where was I?"

"Dead to the world." Danny snorted as pressed play again and placed Amanda on the floor, letting her dance on the floor along to the video.

He made his way over to Lindsay and Joshua and took his son from her arms, letting her get her breakfast and he grabbed a bottle of milk from the fridge and placed it in the bottle warmer. He soon joined Lindsay at the cluttered kitchen table and rocked Josh lightly as the baby cooed up at him.

"Have you been up long?" Lindsay asked as she covered her Lucky Charms with the milk with help of her spoon.

"We've had breakfast, discussed the world's economy, the latest DNA sampling system at the lab, and then moved onto stria. We then whipped out Hannah Montana and partook in a bit of Hoedown Throwdown."

"Productive morning then." Lindsay nodded.

"Daddy! Again!"

Danny sighed as he stood up with Joshua and pressed play on the video again. "Say good morning to Joshua, Amanda."

Amanda giggled as Danny bent down to her level. She pressed a kiss to Joshua's lips as she prodded his chubby cheek. "Hi baby bro." She giggled before turning her attention back to Hannah Montana.

"Sorry kid, you've been upstaged by Miley." Danny smiled at his son as he traced a finger down his cheek. "Novelty's warn off."

"Give her an hour." Lindsay giggled as she nibbled on a marshmallow. "She'll soon come running back to him and he'll be the best thing since Reese's pieces."

"Are we developing an obsession there, Montana?"

"Quite possibly." She nodded as she scooped the last spoon of her cereal into her mouth. "Hey dancing queen, you wanna come with mommy and get dressed so we can go play at the park?"

Amanda gasped and nodded adamantly as she raced across the kitchen and jumped up and down in the doorway.

"Come on then, kid." Lindsay smiled as she followed her daughter who was shrieking with glee. "Let's give daddy and Josh some time to get to know each other."

* * *

"I mean of course I'd love it if you wanted to play in the little league," Danny continued as he sat, feet propped up on the coffee table in their living room with Joshua in his arms staring up at him, as Danny fed him a bottle. "But if you're more of a rock band, skater boy, I'm sure I can get on board with that too… So long as you're happy, ya'know. I mean of course, I'm gonna push the little league on you. That's a given. But if you're wanting to do something else… that's fine too."

Joshua merely blinked in response.

"I guess what I'm trying to say…" Danny continued as he placed Joshua against his chest and began to burp him, "So long as you're happy with your life, that makes daddy happy too, and I'll be there for everything."

Joshua burped lightly and hiccupped.

"Like baseball games; I'm there. Ice hockey games; I'm there. College basketball games; I'm there. I'm gonna be the best daddy, Josh. You're not gonna want for anything. You need me buddy, I'm there."

Josh gurgled, reached out and grasped Danny's index finger with his chubby fist.

"You know, kiddo – the more I look at you, the more I see your mommy in you."

Joshua let out a shrill cry and fussed in Danny's arms.

"Hey! I'll have you know your mommy is the most beautiful girl in the world… Well, her and your big sister."

Joshua let out a small giggle.

"Your sister loves you." Danny chuckled as he wiggled his finger that Josh had a tight grip on. "I think you two are gonna be close like no other… And I know she's the older one, but buddy, I want you to protect her. I want you to go all 'big brother' if she ever needs you. 'Cause chances are, she's going to go to you before she comes to mommy or me. She's our baby girl. You and me… We gotta stick together. Keep our girls safe, you hear?"

Joshua's delicate lips twisted into a small smile as Danny shifted in his position and grabbed the half full bottle sat next to him, and teased Joshua's lips with the nib. "Daddy's Yankees are back on buddy…" Danny nodded towards the television screen. "You and me… we're gonna have season tickets, buddy." Danny smiled down at his son as he eagerly feasted on the milk in the bottle, completely unaware of the plans Danny held for them.

* * *

Amanda giggled as her denim skirt swirled round as she and Lindsay fell to the ground.

"And they all fell down." Lindsay finished the nursery rhyme as she lay back on the grass and soaked up the early autumn sun.

Amanda sighed as she crawled across the grass and rested her head on Lindsay's belly, "Hi baby."

Lindsay smiled and fought a giggle as she threaded her fingers through her daughter's hair, "Sweetie, mommy doesn't have a baby in her belly anymore. There's nobody in there for you to talk to."

Amanda gasped and whipped her head up to face Lindsay. "What?!"

"There's no baby in there." Lindsay giggled as she sat up and pulled Amanda onto her lap. "Mommy had her baby, it's just mommy's belly again. No baby."

"No baby?" Amanda gasped. "Where baby go? Did you lose-ed the baby? Me need to go look?"

"Our baby's at home with daddy."

Amanda furrowed her brow. "Joshy?"

Lindsay nodded.

Amanda blinked as she poked Lindsay's post pregnancy belly. "Joshy in 'dere?"

Lindsay nodded and drew a circle with her index finger on her tummy. "He grew in my belly."

Amanda blinked. "Huh?"

Lindsay giggled and began to tickle Amanda pinning her in-between her legs, so the toddler couldn't escape. "Mommy's got you now!"

"MOMMY!" Amanda shrieked with her giggles. "Mommy! No!"

Lindsay held her fingers in mid air, as Amanda gasped and flinched. "P'ease mommy! No tickle!"

"Alright." Lindsay smiled. "But only 'cause you asked so nicely."

Amanda beamed up at Lindsay before frowning.

Lindsay poked Amanda's chubby cheeks and returned the frown dramatically and petted her bottom lip. "Why are we sad?"

"Me no want to go back to the wab. Me want to stay with mommy."

"You don't want to go to day care? Why? Because of that mean girl?"

"Wemily." Amanda nodded. "Me hates her mommy. She makes me so sad!"

"Don't say hate baby. There are better words than hate. Hate is a very mean word."

"But mommy, me hate her! Daddy say he hate t'ings! Me hate Wemily!"

"Well, mommy is going to have a word with daddy about that. He needs to use his words too." Lindsay told her daughter. "Mommy doesn't say hate."

"You said…"

"Amanda…" Lindsay warned quickly before changing the subject slightly. "Are you still upset and afraid to go to daycare?"

Amanda nodded timidly.

"Why sweetie?" Lindsay asked, "Are the other kids mean too?"

Amanda shook her head.

"Well then, why don't you like it? You love playing with Lucy."

"Me wub Lucy. She wubly."

"I know she's lovely. Her parents are lovely too. So isn't that a reason to go to day care, so you can play with her lots and lots?"

Amanda sighed. "Wemily make fun of me mommy. She makes me cry."

"What does she do, baby girl?" Lindsay asked as she snuggled Amanda to her chest. "What does she say to you?"

"She pushed-ed me when I was with Uncle Shel!" Amanda sniffed. "She pushed-ed me over a lot, mommy. It hurts me when I land on the floor! The mean boys laugh at me and it makes me cry."

Lindsay fought the tears in her eyes as she snuggled Amanda close to her chest. "Baby girl, mommy's so sorry."

"Me try to be big girl mommy, but she bigger!"

"Well you're only a very little girl, Amanda. Emily is four. She's two whole years older than you." Lindsay demonstrated by holding up two fingers and wiggling them for emphasis. "She's a lot stronger than you and she should know better than to pick on you."

"Lucy said-ed that she wonly picks on me because me so little."

"Lucy's a very smart girl," Lindsay nodded, "Because mommy thinks that Lucy is exactly right. I'm sure Emily is jealous of how beautiful you are, and how special you are, sweetie, and that makes her do mean things. She probably doesn't know why she's doing it. But it's not right, and mommy will make sure that daddy and I make sure she gets into trouble about this. We don't want you upset and sad about going to day care. You're supposed to feel safe, and mommy needs to be completely sure that you're safe when you go there, and you're not going to get pushed over and really hurt yourself."

"Me gets pushed over a lot, mommy." Amanda sniffed as a single tear escaped her big brown eyes. "Me try not to cry, but me gets rweally sad when I go. Me wants to stay with you, mommy."

Lindsay rested her head on top of Amanda's and took a deep breath as she inhaled her daughter's shampoo, trying to rid the tears in her eyes. "Is this why you wanted mommy to take you to the park. So you could tell mommy about you being upset?"

"No tell daddy, mommy… Daddy get mad. Daddy mad is scary when me sad. Daddy shout. Sad day!"

"Daddy only gets mad when he knows one of his girls is hurting, baby… Daddy doesn't get mad very often, does he?"

Amanda shook her head.

"It's only when something bad happens to you... Or when you're a naughty girl."

Amanda nodded. "Me want to be a good girl and not make daddy mad."

Lindsay furrowed her brow. "Amanda sweetie, you're a good girl, bar some of your moments, but mommy and daddy wouldn't have you any different."

Amanda sighed as she wrapped her arms around Lindsay's neck. "Me love you, mommy."

Lindsay pulled away and smiled brightly as a tear fell down her cheek. "You just said love…" She smiled as she wiped her own tear away. "You said love properly."

Amanda smiled. "Me love you."

Lindsay wrapped her arms around Amanda's little body and tickled her as she laid across Lindsay's lap, her little body dangling off either side of Lindsay's thighs. Lindsay dipped her head low and smothered her daughter's face with kisses. "I love you too, my beautiful baby girl."

* * *

Danny sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his hair. "I know that, Flack, but have you thought for a second she was sayin' it to make you feel alright if she thought you were missin' Sam?"

"I could see the sincerity in her eyes, Danno. She meant what she was sayin'."

"I know that, Don. I know she wants to see her, I just… Do you really think it's the right time?"

"I think now's a good as time as any." Flack reasoned. "I've been thinking about it, and the longer you put it off, the less likely you are to call her. Stop buryin' your head in the sand, Danno. You know Linds would have dealt with this already if she knew about it."

"I know Flack, I know…"

"Well then… I think you know what to do."

"You're a pain in my ass, you know that right? You tell me one thing, upstage me as you fish for information, and then tell me to call her when you've previously convinced me not to call her. What the fuck springs to mind."

"I hope my godson is nowhere near that potty mouth, daddy." Flack smirked down the line. "You gonna ask me about Jess?"

"How's Angell?" Danny said with a roll of his eyes.

"Back on the NYPD pay roll."

Danny let out a laugh. "I'm happy for ya buddy. You finding her a place?"

"We're wrangling her old place. The other tenant's lease is up, and she wants to move on. Jess was a good tenant, so the landlord's pulling some strings, speeding the process up."

"Will you keep this one, please?" Danny laughed. "You're like a damn yo-yo, try keep a girl, Flack. Please?"

"I am." Flack assured his friend. "I gotta set a good example for my godson."

"Is that your new focus in life?"

"Yup." Flack answered simply. "So you gonna call her?"

"Who?"

"Sam."

"Jeez Flack, give me a minute to catch up. Yeah… I'll call her."

"When you hang up with me?"

"Yes." Danny sighed. "When I hang up with you."

"Good." Flack nodded down the line. "I'm only doin' it for Linds, ya'know."

"I know. Speak to you later,"

"Do it." Flack prepped Danny.

"I am. Get off my phone line so I can."

"Going. Speak soon."

"Yeah, yeah." Danny grumbled as he pressed 'talk' on the landline and pulled the extremely crumpled piece of paper from his jeans pocket. He took a deep breath as he dialled the unfamiliar number and held it to his ear. It rang four times before he heard the Brooklyn accent on the other end.

"Sam? It's Danny. You got a minute? We need to talk."

* * *

"Mommy?" Amanda asked as she turned her head slightly so that she was looking up at Lindsay as they sat on the swing together.

"What baby?"

"Why did Sammie go bye bye?"

"Sammie?" Lindsay sighed as she quickly tried to form an answer. "Why do you ask?"

Amanda shrugged. "Me miss her sometimes. We wub Stellie, but Sammie was nice."

Lindsay nodded as she tucked a curl behind Amanda's ear. "I miss her too."

"Why'd she go?"

"I don't know." Lindsay admitted.

"Why?"

"Well sweetie," Lindsay said as she turned Amanda on her lap so that the toddler was facing Lindsay, as Lindsay held her close with her hands clasped together across the little girl's back. "Sometimes grown up's say mean things and react badly."

"Rewact?"

"Like when you threw the teapot at Daddy's head when he made you tidy up your bedroom before you came to get mommy and Joshy from the hospital and he made you sit on the naughty chair."

Amanda frowned.

"That's reacting. You were mad and you threw the teapot."

"Me said sowwy."

"I know you did, that's water under the bridge, kiddo… What mommy is trying to say is that Sammie reacted badly to something mommy said and then she argued with Uncle Donnie and decided she want to go have some chill out time on her own."

"In her room?" Amanda asked. "Without playing with her toys like me?"

"Sort of." Lindsay nodded.

"When will her mommy let her come back?"

"It's not up to Sam's mommy honey, it's up to Sam."

"'Cause she a big girl like me?"

"Well, she's a bit bigger than you, honey… But that idea, yeah."

Amanda nodded. "Do you miss Sammie, mommy?"

"I do." Lindsay nodded. "She was mean to mommy, but mommy was mean to her too."

"Mommy never mean. Mommy just mommy."

Lindsay plastered a smile on her face, as she pressed a kiss to Amanda's cheek. "Do you think it's time we head home, kiddo? I don't know about you, but mommy's getting hungry."

"My belly grumbled." Amanda sniffed. "Wisten."

Lindsay stood up and held Amanda high in the air, as she pressed her ear to the little girl's belly. "I hear it. It's saying 'feed me!!'"

"Me so hungwy." Amanda sniffed.

"Do you want to go to Subway for something to eat? Get a yummy sandwich?"

Amanda nodded excitedly. "And a cookie?"

"We'll see. Mommy can call daddy and see if he wants us to get him his favourite."

Amanda giggled. "Me sit inside?"

"Can I sit in there with you?" Lindsay smirked as they made their way to the SUV.

Amanda thought about it for a second and nodded. "Mmkay."

"Thanks." Lindsay snorted. "That's nice of you."

"Me try."

* * *

"But Linds, I could really do with you being at home." Danny sighed down the phone. "No, Joshy's fine… I just promised my mother I'd go over to see her with the kids and there's someone here to see you. I know it's short notice… I know you promised her, but I can take her on the way there. Yes on the way to my mom's… Well, what does it matter who takes her, Linds… So long as she…"

Danny sighed as he clicked 'talk' on the cordless landline and sat back on the couch. "She hung up." He explained.

"How's she doing?" Sam asked lightly.

Danny shrugged. "She's fine. Had a baby. Being a mother to two. Finding her feet."

Sam nodded.

"Trying to get over her best friend cutting herself from her life so quickly." He snidely added.

"Look, I get that I'm not exactly your favourite person in the world, but there's two sides to an argument, Danny."

"I know. I was there. You took out whatever crap was goin' on between you and Flack on my wife and daughter, and I don't appreciate that. I let my daughter call you Auntie, for you to call her a brat."

"I could have said a lot worse." Sam reasoned.

"You could have bit your tongue and said nothing at all." Danny shot back.

"Look, I didn't come here for an argument. You called me. You wanted to bitch me out; you should have done it over the phone."

"I didn't call you to have an argument." Danny said with a sigh, "I'm just sayin' that there was a lot of things that went unsaid before you disappeared."

"Have you thought about it from where I'm coming from, Danny? Just for a moment?"

"I tried. Believe me, I've tried."

"But you're perfect." Sam scoffed. "Mr. Perfect with a perfect family."

"If you're gonna start that shit, forget it… A'right, just go. I don't want you upsetting, Linds… If you had let me finish, I would have said 'yeah, I've tried and I understand where you're coming from. Sure, I called you, wanting you two knuckleheads to make amends. You two were so close and Linds really loved you, Sam. She did. I could see it. I think you and Stella have been the closest she's had to a best friend since the girls died when Linds was a kid. And I don't want her memories of you two together wrecked if you're going to start at her. She's just had a baby, Sam. She's emotional and I'm already against doing this as it is…"

"Why did you then?"

"Because my son's godfather talked me into doing the right thing."

"Mac?" Sam sighed.

"No actually." Danny said with a small smile on his face. "Flack."

"Don?" Sam asked, slightly taken aback.

"Yeah." Danny nodded. "Don. He knows he screwed it. He knows he shouldn't have walked out of that locker room. I know he kicks himself everyday for how he acted."

"Would have been nice for him to come and say it to me."

"How?" Danny asked. "How could he have done that? Where's the contact number you left? Where was the address? Sam, we had to have your mail forwarded here because every time he saw a letter with your name on, he cried. I'm not going to lie. He broke you, but you broke him just as bad."

"He had that support though."

"No-one said that you had to leave, Samantha." Danny told her. "No one wanted you to leave. We would have been here for you, just like we were there for Flack. It was down to you leaving like that. And I think you know that."

Sam sighed. "So I reacted. Don reacted badly; I reacted badly. What's done is done."

"But wouldn't you like to make amends?" Danny asked. "Wouldn't you like to walk out of here, knowing that you had made up with my wife? A person who you said, on many occasions was like a sister to you? Sisters argue, Sam… But they put the past behind them and make up too."

"And I'm here, aren't I?" Sam said. "I'm here because I miss her as much as she probably misses me. I'm here because I miss that little girl. I miss Amanda. I do. I reacted badly and it cuts me deep I was cruel to her when she was sick. It was uncalled for. I lost my temper. I hold my hands up to that. And I hope you appreciate the fact that I'm saying I was in the wrong."

"I do." Danny nodded. "She asks about you. Amanda. Now and then. I think she forgets and just needs reminding. Linds still finds it difficult, ya'know? Me… not so much – I can look her in the eye and tell her what happened. Lindsay? It hurts Lindsay. When you called her a brat, as trivial name as that is – it cut her deep. She questions buying her toys and things now, I think… Terrified that maybe Amanda is actually a spoilt brat. If you said it… who else thinks it."

"I didn't mean it."

"You shouldn't have said it then." Danny scoffed. "You're probably thinking I'm being harsh here, but she's my daughter, and I'd take a bullet for that little girl. No matter what. So you'll have to excuse my papa bear riot act because I didn't get a chance to tell you what I felt. I had to seriously bite my tongue that night, ya'know."

Sam nodded. "And I'm truly sorry about what happened. I am. I didn't mean for anything like that to happen. I don't for one second think Amanda is spoilt. She's well mannered, polite, sweet and beautiful. It was on the spur of the moment, and the only insult that I could think of that would hurt Lindsay. There. I said it. I wanted to hurt her. I wanted someone to understand what I was feeling."

"That does not give you the right to call me daughter a brat." Danny spat. "You don't think Lindsay wasn't hurting? Sam, when you hurt she hurts. When you and Flack split up the first time, she sat in the locker room with you and cried. When you walked into that break room and told her what was happening, I can tell you for a fact that Lindsay's heart would have broken for you. And no doubt had she not have had her daughter there and a million and one things to analyse for the case she was working, she would have dropped everything and cried with you. Wiped your tears and made things better."

"I know." Sam said a meek voice.

"But you didn't give her the chance. I know the world felt like it was crumbling around you. I know what it feels like to think you're going to lose the one person that matters most in your life. And it hurts. And you need someone right then and there to cry to. Emotions were running high, and you're women and all that, and I understand all that… I do… but Sam, Lindsay would have been there for you – had you decided that you couldn't live with Flack, she would have had the guest bedroom made up the second you had hung up that phone to tell her."

"I know that now." Sam sniffed. "It's been hard you know… knowing Lindsay was getting closer and closer to having the baby, not feeling welcome to call."

"How did you know you weren't welcome? Because of all the previous times you tried and we told you not to call? You didn't call Sam, because if you did, you would know how much we missed you. We didn't have a number for you, other than your cell, and you never answered. I tried. Lindsay – she tried. So don't try that shit. Despite what you've convinced yourself, you were a part of this family. You distanced yourself… and…"

"This better be the goddamned Queen of England sipping tea from our China set, Daniel!" a voice bellowed from the hallway as two tiny feet padded into the living room.

"Sammie?!" Amanda gasped and ran towards the woman.

"Hi baby sweets." Sam smiled as she picked Amanda up and gave her a hug. "How you hangin'?"

"Good!" She giggled. "You comed home from chill out time?"

Sam furrowed her brow. "Where and what now?"

"Mommy said you wanted chill out time and you were a big girl and your mommy couldn't tell you when to comed home. Can you played with your toys now?"

"Yup." Sam nodded. "Your mommy's right – I was in chill out time."

Amanda smiled. "Me go down. Me need to pway with Joshy."

"Joshy?" Sam asked…

"Joshua Daniel." Danny said explained. "It's what we called him – our son."

Sam smiled nervously, trying to weigh up Lindsay's reaction, who had yet to speak.

"A minute in the kitchen, Danny?" Lindsay said with pursed lips with her hands on her hips.

Danny stood up and followed Lindsay into the kitchen as she shut the door. She turned, and he took a deep breath.

"Linds, I'm…"

He was cut off as Lindsay collapsed into his arms as hot tears spilled onto his neck as she buried her head into the crook of his neck.

"Linds?"

"I don't know how you got in touch with her… But I don't want you to leave me."

"Linds… it's alright…"

"No." she cried. "No, don't leave."

"Lindsay… Linds… look at me." Danny said as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "You're alright baby girl. You're alright. Mmkay, she's not here to argue with you… She's here to say sorry."

"Did you see how she just picked Amanda up as if nothing happened though, as if she's just been working doubles? As if..."

"Linds." Danny said as he kissed her tears away. "Listen… it's alright. If you don't want to do this right now, I can explain that to her and you can call. It can be entirely up to you."

"How?" She sniffed as tears spilled down her face. "How did you…?"

"Mac found her. I don't know how…"

"How long have you known?"

"A few days."

Lindsay swallowed. "Does Flack know?"

Danny nodded.

"Did he fish for information yesterday?"

Danny nodded again. "I'm sorry Linds, I should have just said… I thought you would be happy. I didn't think…"

Lindsay took a deep breath as she wiped her tears from her face. "Just give me a minute, it's just…" she took another breath, "I'm sorry… I don't know why I'm acting so dramatically."

"You're emotional." Danny said as he buried her small frame in his as he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm just sorry I didn't give you enough warning."

The sounds of the front door opening broke the couple apart. "Where are my grandbabies?"

Lindsay closed her eyes. "Daddy."

"Danny? Linds?"

Lindsay wiped her eyes and Danny took her hand as they made their way out of the kitchen. Danny walked straight into Jack who was walking into the kitchen.

"S'going on? Why are you crying, baby girl?" Jack asked with a glare directed towards Danny.

Danny closed his eyes.

"What did you do to her?" Jack asked. "What's he said? Is he not helping with the feeds?"

"I'm gonna take off." Sam said as she popped her head into the kitchen. "Danny, you have my number… I'm sorry, Linds… I hope we can talk soon."

"MOMMY!" Amanda bellowed from the living room.

Jack watched the exchange and Lindsay flinch significantly.

Sam turned on her heel and headed out the door.

"Who was that, Lindsay?" Jack asked.

"MOMMY!"

Under the pressure, and the overwhelming amount of people wanting Lindsay's attention, she promptly burst into tears again.

She snuggled into Danny's chest, gripping to his t-shirt as she buried her head in the crook of his neck.

Jack nodded as Danny explained everything with his eyes. The man turned on his heel and headed out of the front door.

"Pop-pop?" Amanda sniffed as she appeared in the hallway.

"He'll be back in two minutes, baby." Danny said as he smoothed Lindsay's hair down.

Amanda's eyes widened as Lindsay let out a sob. "Mommy!! Mommy okay, Daddy? Mommy okay? Mommy sad?"

"Amanda, will you go and keep an eye on Joshy for daddy. He's asleep in his carrier, so do not touch him… just make sure he's okay."

"Mmkay." Amanda nodded as she gazed at Lindsay as she walked backwards and hit the wall.

"Eyes front and centre." Danny chuckled, before pressing a kiss to Lindsay's temple. "I'm sorry baby. I didn't mean to overwhelm you. I should have thought this through a little better."

Lindsay sniffed as she tried to form a sentence. "I…"

"Just let it out…" Danny soothed. "I know you're crying about a lot of things. Not just this, right?"

Lindsay nodded.

"Keep crying, baby girl." Danny cajoled. "I'll hold you while you let it out."

* * *

Sam ran a hand through her brown tresses as she headed out to her SUV parked down the block.

"That went well." She scoffed to herself as she dug in her purse for her keys. "Wicked witch of the west."

She clicked her key fob as she felt a strong hand on her shoulder. She turned and blinked at the man stood behind her. "Can I help you?"

"You don't know me, but I'm Lindsay's father, Jack Monroe."

"Sam Ross." Sam said with her hand extended, meeting his in a handshake.

"Can I ask what's going on? I'd ask Danny, but he seems to have his hands full."

Sam bit her lip. "You'll have to ask your daughter I'm afraid." Sam shrugged. "I had quite a wasted journey."

Jack nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I'm sorry about that."

Sam shrugged it off. "Not your fault, shit happens."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "Like the shit that happened three months ago?"

Sam sighed.

"She's my little girl." Jack told the woman stood in front of him. "I'm sure you've had a reaming from Danny, but just give me a minute to say my piece."

Sam leant against her SUV. "Go ahead, I'm listening."

"I know my daughter. Probably not as well as her husband knows her, but all the same, she's my baby, and I will defend her no matter what."

Sam snorted.

"That doesn't mean to say she was completely innocent in whatever happened. Her mother filled me in, and from what I've gathered; Lindsay knows she wasn't completely innocent. So before you stomp off cursing her, allow me to assure you, I'm not about to say she's innocent."

Sam nodded.

"However." Jack continued. "My granddaughter; now that is a topic where I take things to heart; admittedly more so than my own daughter. My daughter made her. In Amanda I see Lindsay, and I guess it's like having my baby girl all over again, with a stronger need to protect her, because she is part of my baby girl. Therefore, what you said… that I have a problem with."

Sam sighed. "If you had been there fifteen minutes ago, you would have heard me apologise about that." Sam spat. "I understand where you're coming from, but quite frankly I'm sick to my back teeth of people reaming me out for it. Haven't you ever said something you didn't mean to hurt someone when you didn't particularly mean it?"

"About my granddaughter? No. No I haven't," Jack shook his head. "Don't get me wrong, Samantha, I do see where you're coming from. I do. And why I followed you out here is to tell you that. I see where you're coming from, and I realise that it must be frustrating to see so many people defend Lindsay, and no one defend yourself. It would frustrate me."

Sam raised her eyebrows and chewed her lip.

"And I also realise that it took a big person to come here today – dropping everything, for a completely wasted journey, and being – well, quite frankly bitched at."

Sam let out a small laugh.

"And I think the problem here is lying with Lindsay's hormones. Give her some time, she's upset. I sense this is not just about you. I feel it's a mix of things – call it a daddy's intuition. I can promise you one thing… if you sit back and give her some time, she will be able to sort out everything going through her head, and she will call you, and come to you. It will have meant a lot that you've come to her. And she will appreciate that."

Sam nodded. "It's just this constant thing hanging over my head. I want to sort it out. You know… apologise to her."

Jack nodded as he pulled the petite woman into a hug. "Give her time, Samantha. Everything will fall into place."

Sam smiled up at Lindsay's father as she realised where Lindsay got her comforting and patient nature.

"Just let her know I'm on the other end of the line if she decides to call."

"I think it's more a matter of when she calls, Samantha. Not if."

Sam nodded. "For the record, I am sorry about what I said about Amanda."

"Thank you, I appreciate that." Jack nodded. "Just out of my own curiosity, what is it that you want from making amends with Lindsay?"

Sam took a deep breath. "To be able to move on. I don't want to live in the past. I want to move on, and let go."

Jack nodded. "Drive safe."

Sam took a deep breath and stepped into her SUV as Jack retreated to the Messer household.

* * *

_**I can honestly say that the chapter wasn't the way I wanted it to go; but Fred - the muse - had other plans :( So no bueno. **__**I know a lot of you wanted to see Lindsay and Sam make up, but you're going to have to wait a tiny bit longer. :)**_

**_Thanks to BEG for letting me run some ideas past her and being so supportive! _**

_**Let me know what you thought, please! :D**_

_**Special thank you to;**_

Twinkeyrocks

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afrozenheart412

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Colie04

Milly

Courtney

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queso. con .queso

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edward-and-bella-forever


	175. Domesticated Bliss

**_A/N: C'est moi. Again. You can always tell when I have something more pressing in real life to do - WYHTG reaps major benefits. hahah! We're celebrating the two finals I had going well with an update. It was between this and WIG - and I voted this - leave you hanging a bit longer on that one ;) _**

**_I feel alot happens in this chapter - it's beginning to be a trend I think. But you know... go with it! - And ooh - there's some Finding Nemo-ness in this, I tried to make it clear to keep everyone on the same page, but you know... I get tired when I'm writing this, and I was giddy and... yeah... _**

**_I'm tired. I'm rambling. _**

**_Please don't judge. hahah! _**

**_Also - on an actual A/N note... haha - seriously, I've not been through this postnatal stuff i'm touching on myself - and literally it's just coming out as I type it. So i'm really sorry if we're slighty off for those of you with experiences and what not... Me and the muse are literally using our imagination and going with the flow. I hope it's somewhat believeable and you enjoy it? _**

* * *

Danny and Jack stood together with their arms folded in the doorway to the living room staring at the two most important girls in their life.

"Mommy, me pwomise. It okay…"

Lindsay smiled as she pressed a kiss to Amanda's temple and prodded her nose. "I know baby, mommy just felt upset and needed to cry for a little while."

"You miss Joshy in your belly?"

Lindsay nodded. "A little bit."

"Me miss talking to him." Amanda nodded. "It was funner when he tickled my face."

Lindsay giggled and ran a fingertip across Amanda's cheek. "Shall we get him out of his carrier, baby girl?"

Danny and Jack turned and headed into the kitchen and quietly shut the door behind them.

They sat at the kitchen table in silence before Jack sighed heavily, breaking the silence.

"What should I do?" Danny finally asked his wife's father. "You know her. You've been there through her thickest and darkest times. How do I get her through this postnatal stuff? I've read about it Jack… but I just… I didn't think..."

"Danny," Jack sighed as he pushed his cold coffee mug away from him. "I highly doubt it's depression. She's just emotional. That's all. She wasn't expecting seeing, Sam… At least today. I think that's what she was crying about – we both know how she adores Amanda and what Samantha said upset her. It's still playing on her mind from what we can see. It was her first and only argument with Sam, and it clearly hurt her."

"I thought seeing her would help." Danny sighed as he brushed his hands through his hair. "I'm the reason why she's shed those tears."

"Only because she's had to part with your baby." Jack said. "I really doubt it's Lindsay crying because you went and called Sam up. If she were stable, emotionally she would have really appreciated the gesture. And I mean that in a she's not just had a baby way – not, you know…"

Danny nodded.

"When me and her mom walked into her room and Lindsay finally saw us, she burst into tears. Like flowing tears. She's emotional, and while I don't intend to treat her any differently, I think we have to tread a little lighter around her for a few days, just till she finds her feet. Talk to her and make sure she understands that seeing Sam is her call. And, if she doesn't want to see Sam, she could write her a letter perhaps."

Danny sighed.

"You know, when Emily had Lindsay, she sobbed for a week straight. Just looking at her. She would sit and stare at our beautiful baby girl and just cry. It broke me in two."

"Because there was nothing you could do?" Danny asked as he looked up at his father in law.

"No, because the only thing I could do was hold her and wipe the tears away until everything was alright again. Us guys – we don't understand what it's like to have a baby, Danny. Lindsay's strong; she just needs a little push in the right direction and the reassurance that she's got the person that means the world to her to fall back on."

"I'm always gonna catch her, Jack. Always."

"Just tell her that." Jack said. "That's what I did with her mother – they need to know we're here and we're not going anywhere."

Danny nodded, taking in every word that Jack spoke.

"Pop-pop." A little voice whispered in the doorway of the kitchen.

Both Danny and Jack turned to face Amanda. "What's up munchkin?"

"Mommy sad." Amanda whispered as she padded into the kitchen. "She wants daddy."

Danny stood up.

"No; Pop-pop." Amanda giggled, "Mommy want her daddy cuddle daddy. Not my daddy cuddle."

Danny smiled as he hunched over in his chair and held out his hands, "Wanna come sit with me for a bit princess?"

Amanda giggled as she skipped across the floor, passing Jack as she did. "Be nice, pop-pop."

Jack ruffled his granddaughter's curls. "Hush you... Smarty pants. Your mommy and daddy made you too clever for your own good."

Amanda grinned as Danny plonked her on his knee.

"What's new princess M&M?" Danny asked as he jiggled Amanda on his knee.

She sighed.

"M&M?"

"Daddy, me telled you something."

"You want to tell me something? Alright – what's the matter baby girl?"

Amanda sniffed as she snuggled into Danny's chest, "Pwomise you won't be mad."

"What did you do, sweetie?"

Amanda's bottom lip quivered as she tried to string a sentence together.

"Daddy… At the wab… 'Dere is a rweally mean girl."

* * *

Lindsay glanced up from her position, lying next to Joshua on the couch. "Hi."

"You sendin' the little one to do your dirty work?" Jack teased.

Lindsay frowned as she traced Joshua's cheek with her index finger as a tear slipped down her cheek. Jack sat at the end of the couch and carefully lifted Lindsay's feet as he sat down and placed them on his lap. "What's the matter, kiddo?"

Lindsay bit her lip as she looked down at a sleeping Joshua. "I don't understand why I miss him. He's right here and I miss him."

Jack sighed. "Lindsay…"

"I don't understand why I'm crying, daddy."

"Because you've gone through something extremely emotional, baby girl. You're a new mommy to a baby boy. A beautiful baby boy, and it takes time to adjust to that. It's a life changing experience and extremely daunting and draining. You can't just give birth one day, and expect to be sunshine and daisies the next. It doesn't work like that princess."

"But…"

"There is no but." Jack cut her off. "It's a process. You have to go through the stages and let the people that love you support you. Danny's in the kitchen tearing his hair about because he doesn't know what to do for the best, sweetie. He wants to make this easier; he tells everyone he can that it's his main goal in life – to make things easier on you."

Lindsay smiled, despite the tears slipping down her cheeks.

"Things are tough when you have a baby." Jack said as he trailed his finger up and down Lindsay's calf in a smoothing motion. "I'm not gonna lie to you, princess. It's tough, and it drains you, physically, financially, and emotionally. Along with all the other ally's you can think of with that highly educated brain of yours."

Lindsay merely looked at her father from where she lay, propped up on her elbow, staring at her son.

"Your mommy went through the same thing you know… She cried for a week straight, just staring at you. It was hard adjusting to the big change. Nine months is a long time to have a baby depend on you. A baby you made with someone you love more than life itself. I know what it's like… I know what Danny's feeling. And your mommy knows exactly what you're going through."

"It feels like I'm just overreacting and being silly though. I feel like no one's gonna understand why I'm crying."

"No one needs to understand why you're crying, sweets. It's got nothing to do with them. So long as they're there to wipe your tears. That's all that matters."

Lindsay nodded.

"And you have a handful of people wanting to wipe those tears from your cheeks." Jack continued. "I think they'd form a line and take it in turns, ya'know…"

"You make it sound like I have a fan club."

"Don't you know the crime lab is really just a meeting place for Lindsay anonymous?"

Lindsay giggled, scaring Joshua slightly with her chest contracting like it was.

She sat up, and scooped Joshua into her arms before shifting across the couch. She placed Joshua on her chest and rested her head against Jack's thigh, as Jack ran his fingers through Lindsay's hair. "How long did it take mommy to stop crying?"

"Few days. Just to adjust to having you around."

"She wasn't… unhappy? Was she?"

Jack stared down at his daughter with a raised eyebrow.

"Stupid question?"

Jack nodded slowly. "By the time me and your mom go back to Montana, you'll be your perky self, Linds. I promise."

"I wish you didn't have to go back. I miss having you around…"

"Us living in New York would just encourage Emily's 'Marie Barone' tendencies."

"I'm gonna tell her you just compared her to the mom on Everybody Loves Raymond." Lindsay sing-songed.

"Do that and watch me tan your ass, girlie."

Lindsay peered up at her father, her brown eyes twinkling.

Jack bent down as he pressed an upside down kiss to Lindsay's forehead. "Things will get easier, kiddo. You got there with Amanda. You'll get there with him. It just takes some time."

Lindsay nodded as she reached over her head with her arm and squeezed her dad's thigh. "I love you, daddy."

"I love you too, kid."

* * *

Danny sighed as he looked at a tearful Amanda as she sat on the table with her bare feet placed on his thighs. "And you thought daddy would be mad?" he asked as Amanda finally finished her story.

Amanda nodded slowly.

"Baby, daddy would never ever be mad at you. Ever. Daddy loves you too much. But I need to know if you're upset. I know you told mommy and you were a good girl for doing that, but you need to tell daddy too. Daddy can take care of things for his girls. Don't ever be scared of coming to tell me you're getting bullied, Amanda."

"Buwwy?"

"Bullied. It's what Emily is doing to you. She's bullying you. She's picking on you, and that's not acceptable behaviour. Daddy won't let that happen to his M&M, but in order for me to stop that, I need to know about it. You have to tell daddy if someone is picking on you, Amanda. Daddy won't be mad at you."

"Daddy shout makes sad day." Amanda sniffed as she gripped onto his olive green polo shirt with her tiny fist.

"Daddy doesn't shout a lot." Danny said as he pushed his glasses up his nose, securing them on his face.

"When me jumps on the bed…"

"That's because you're pushing your luck when you know the rules on that, if mommy and daddy aren't in the room, we don't jump. We don't want accidents to happen, do we?"

Amanda shook her head.

"That's why daddy shouts. Daddy wouldn't ever shout at you because of a mean girl picking on you, sweetie. Is that what you thought?"

Amanda nodded. "Me thought you would be sad."

"I am sad." Danny nodded. "I'm sad that some mean girl thinks she can pick on my baby. When you get hurt, Amanda, daddy hurts too. Daddy hates seeing you sad. He hates wiping tears away." He said as he wiped a tear away. "But he'll do it regardless, because he loves you. You don't have to worry your little head about this, okay… daddy will make sure this is taken care of. Daddy promises."

Amanda stood up on Danny's thigh and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thanks daddy. Me love you."

Danny extended his arms out and pulled Amanda away from the embrace. "Did you just say love, angelface?"

Amanda smiled and nodded. "Mommy proud."

"Daddy's proud of you too. But Amanda, don't ever feel you can't come to me, sweetie." Danny whispered as he pressed delicate kisses to his little girl's temple, inhaling her shampoo. "Daddy will always be here for you to kick the butts of people that deserve their butt kicking for being mean to you. I'm glad you went to mommy about this. Daddy is very proud. And he wants you to do the exact same thing if this ever happens again, alright?"

Amanda nodded.

"Pinky promise?" Danny asked as he wiggled his pinky in the air.

Amanda latched onto his with her tiny pinky finger and giggled. "Pinky pwomise, daddy."

"That's my girl." Danny smiled as he snuggled her into a hug.

* * *

Danny sighed as he trailed his hand through Lindsay's silky tresses as she lay on his lap, sprawled out on the couch as they both gazed at Joshua and Amanda, interacting together on the floor on his play mat.

"She really loves him." Danny said as he trailed his hand down her arm.

Lindsay merely nodded absent-mindedly.

Danny sighed again as he traced his index finger along her shoulder and circled her face, drawing lazy patterns, effectively tickling her. "Earth to mommy."

Lindsay glanced up at him as she turned and smiled. "Sorry."

"You were miles away." Danny observed.

Lindsay smiled shyly and nodded.

"Care to share?" Danny asked.

"That sounded siwwy!" Amanda giggled from her position on the floor, laying next to Josh and poking his podgy belly.

"You be careful with your brother's belly." Danny warned. "You don't want him to chuck up his lunch do you?"

Amanda shook her head with her eyes wide.

"Well then." Danny scoffed, "Mind what you're doing, baby girl."

Amanda nodded as she prodded his chubby cheeks and snuggled into his side.

Danny chuckled as he glanced down at Lindsay who was still lying in his lap. He prodded her nose and smiled down at her. "What's on your mind, baby?"

She shrugged. "What do you want for dinner?"

"I'm not hungry." He told her.

"Me!" Amanda cried, jumping up. "I am!"

"What did I just say?!" Danny growled. "You need to be careful when you're playing with your brother, Amanda… you can't be doing that!"

"Danny… She's only little herself." Lindsay sighed before turning her attention to Amanda. "Be a little careful angel, remember what me and daddy said; Joshy is little and delicate and you can't jump around like that, right?"

Amanda nodded. "He breaks."

"Well, we don't want to test out that theory." Lindsay giggled, "So just think about things, okay?"

Amanda nodded. "Me sowwy. Me just hungwy."

"There's a packet of cookies on the counter." Danny interjected. "Go and stand on your stool and get one from the pack."

Amanda's eyes lit up.

"How many is one?" Danny asked as Amanda carefully moved around Joshua on her tiptoes, all the while mindful of him.

Amanda stopped and held up two fingers still stood on her tiptoes, to which both Danny and Lindsay raised an eyebrow. She folded her middle finger down and smiled cheekily as she held up one finger and wiggled said finger as Danny and Lindsay both nodded slowly.

She skipped from the living room into the kitchen.

"I think she's cleverer than she lets on." Danny smirked down at his wife.

"She's just a cheeky chops." Lindsay smiled. "She knows how to work us."

Danny nodded. "True that… So, you gonna tell me what's on your mind?"

Lindsay shrugged as she turned so that she was facing the back of the couch. "I feel bad about earlier."

"About what – Sam?"

Lindsay nodded.

"Why?" Danny implored.

"Because… I – well, I wasn't very polite, and quite frankly, I overreacted."

"No you didn't!" Danny spat, shocking Joshua on his mat, making him jump. "No you didn't…" Danny repeated with a softer tone. "Nobody thinks you overreacted Lindsay."

"Sam probably does." Lindsay said with a frown.

"Who gives a flying flip what she thinks, Linds?"

"I do!" Lindsay spat. "She's my friend, Danny. She was... Is… I don't know… Whatever she is to me, I care and I completely disregarded her being here."

"Oh please." Danny chided. "Had she not acted like she did, you wouldn't have had this problem, Lindsay. It's not your fault, baby. I personally couldn't give a flying monkey about how she feels. My main concern is you. She was a witch to you. Your kindness aside, she was. You need to stop being so nice."

"But Danny..." Lindsay sighed. "It's just me... That's who I am."

"I know." He nodded. "And I love you for, that, I do... It's just, I want you to think about yourself. Put yourself first - she did, why can't you?"

"I just don't know why I'm feeling like this…"

"Give me a second, baby… she's been taking a while considering she was getting one cookie." Danny said as he edged her head up off his lap and padded around the couch and into the hallway. Lindsay smiled as she slid onto the floor and shuffled over to where Josh lay on the floor. "Hey buddy." She giggled, "How are you…"

"… WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

Lindsay sighed.

"HOW MANY HAVE YOU HAD?!"

Lindsay snorted as she heard Danny's booming footsteps stomp across the kitchen.

"SIX?" Danny bellowed. "SIX?"

Lindsay burst out laughing as she picked Joshua up and snuggled him to her chest. "Your sister is a little piggy."

"Mommy and I said one and you know it!" Danny continued to bellow at their eldest child. "Put that sippy cup down, Amanda!"

Lindsay held her breath.

"Put it down!" Danny repeated. "It has milk in it. Do not throw the sippy cup at me! Put it down! Last warning!"

Lindsay sucked a breath in as she listened for the clatter on the floor.

"RIGHT!" Danny bellowed. "THAT'S IT!"

Lindsay bit her lip as giggles overtook her body while she heard Amanda's shrill wails and sobs as she stomped against the step Danny had just placed her on.

"You sit there for two minutes, Amanda Messer." He snapped at her. "Then you can come and say sorry to daddy for walloping him in the head with that sippy cup, and making it spill over the floor."

"ME HUNGWY!!" Amanda screamed as she kicked the stairs.

"We'll talk when your two minutes is up." Danny told her.

"NO! NOW!"

"Don't back chat to me!" Danny growled. "You do as daddy says. Now sit there for two minutes. The two minutes doesn't start until you sit there and think about what you did."

"MOMMY!" Amanda wailed. "Me want mommy!"

Lindsay bit her lip as she jiggled Joshua against her chest as she leant against the couch, deciding to stay out of the argument.

"Sit your butt back on that step, Amanda." Danny instructed. "Time starts again and it'll keep doing so till you're a good girl."

Lindsay sighed as she pressed a kiss to Joshua's temple. "Promise me you'll never grow up." Lindsay asked softly. "Promise, baby?"

Joshua merely stared up at his mother.

"I'll take that as a 'I have no idea what you're saying to me, but sure! Why not?'" Lindsay giggled as the wailing and arguing continued in the next room. "Welcome to the Messer household, baby boy."

* * *

"All daddy is asking you to do is say sorry." Danny sighed as Amanda sat on his knee with a teary eyes and a runny nose. "There was no need for all these tears." He told her as he accepted the tissue Lindsay was handing him. He dabbed his little girl's eyes as he continued. "If you were hungry baby, you should have told mommy and daddy that you wanted real food."

Lindsay snorted as she walked into the kitchen. "Hmm, cookies or real food… What would our toddler pick?"

Danny glared at her retreating back before turning his attention to his daughter on his lap. "You have a mouth, you know the words to tell mommy and daddy you want dinner. Use them."

Amanda's lip quivered.

"Daddy doesn't like shouting at you, Amanda, but recently… daddy doesn't know what's gotten into you. I miss my baby girl." He sniffed with a pouted lower lip. "Where did she go?" he asked as he tickled her belly, making her squirm with a solemn face.

"Never has it taken us fifteen minutes to sit for two solid minutes on the naughty step." Danny said. "What's the matter, Amanda?"

She shrugged dramatically.

"Are you tired, baby?"

She shook her head.

Danny sighed. "Why did you throw the sippy cup at daddy after I asked you not to?"

Amanda shrugged.

"I need an answer, Amanda."

She glared at him and sighed, "Me just hungwy and you tooked the cookies from me when I was eating them! Me gots mad with you and I wanted 'dem back!"

"Daddy told you that you could have one cookie."

"Me no know how many one-d is. Me only lickle."

Danny raised an eyebrow. "I think you do." He nodded. "You're extremely clever, Amanda."

Amanda sniffed. "Me sowwy."

Danny gave her a hug and pressed a kiss to her cheek and blew a raspberry. "Daddy's sorry too. I know you don't like it when I shout, baby; but you need to do what mommy and daddy tell you to. And the sippy cup hurt daddy's head. And it made me upset and mad that you gave me an ouchie."

Amanda stuck her bottom lip out and kissed his forehead. "Sowwy."

Danny nodded and pressed a kiss to the top of her head as he placed her on the floor. "Go play while mommy makes us dinner."

Amanda nodded as she padded off into the living room.

"Drama over?" Lindsay asked over her shoulder as she rocked Joshua in her arms as she glanced at the bolognaise sauce simmering in one of the pans.

Danny nodded as he stretched, getting the creaks out of his back before taking his son from his wife. "I don't know whether it's terrible twos, people in her class at day care, or she's just reacting to that bitch…"

"Danny…"

"Witch, Emily." Danny sighed. "I think it's the bi-witch… you know. She's got this attitude, like she's trying to rebel and stand up for herself."

Lindsay grabbed the wooden spoon as she stirred the spaghetti in the pan before placing it back on the side and snuggling into Danny's free arm. "I guess we're gonna have to show her a hell of a lot more love, make sure she's disciplined so she knocks her bad behaviour off and ensure that this is over by the time she gets back to day care. I'm not having her step foot into that place if it's going to continue."

Danny kissed her forehead and smiled. "I love it when you go all mama bear."

She giggled and swatted his chest before turning and grabbing the colander from the side and placing it in the sink. "Move away from here with him." She instructed as she grabbed the pan. Danny retreated with the baby and sat at the kitchen table.

"How do you think we should go at it?"

"Go at what?" Lindsay asked as she wafted the steam away from her.

"The witch."

"Well, I think I'll have to speak to Megan, Danny."

"Well yeah…" Danny nodded as he prodded Joshua's nose. "But I said we…"

Lindsay shrugged as she placed the pan filled with spaghetti back on the stove. "I'll sort it."

"I'll do it, Linds… I'd quite like to get my two cents in, actually."

"Which is exactly why I'm going to sort it."

Danny sighed.

Rolling her eyes playfully, she walked over and lifted his chin up as she placed a delicate and loving kiss to his lips. She rubbed her nose against his before tracing her finger down Joshua's cheek. "Amanda!" She called. "Dinner."

Danny smiled as he licked his lips and stood up as he moved across the kitchen to place Joshua in his playpen letting him fall asleep while they ate dinner.

"Let daddy wash your hands." Lindsay instructed as she turned the cold-water tap on as Amanda emerged in the room.

"But…"

"Hands." Lindsay instructed as she poured the sauce into the pan and mixed it into the drained spaghetti. "And daddy, get the bibs out."

"Linds…" Danny whined.

"You have your favourite shirt on, and I'm not having Amanda slurp her spaghetti up with sauce splattering everywhere."

Both Danny and Amanda growled as he helped her onto her pink stool and held their hands under the tap.

"No grumbling under your breath." Lindsay warned as she scooped the spaghetti into three bowls. Daddy bowl, Mommy bowl and baby bowl as she affectionately called them.

"We need a new baby bowl." Lindsay giggled as she sprinkled cheese onto Amanda's spaghetti.

"Might be a while before Josh is gobbling spaghetti in a high chair, Montana." Danny sniggered as he scooped Amanda up in his arms and placed her in the Mickey Mouse highchair sat by the table.

"We have intelligent children, Daniel." Lindsay said as she tossed Danny Amanda's Dora the Explorer bib across the kitchen.

"True." Danny nodded as he caught it and watched Amanda squirming in her seat, tucking her neck in making it hard for Danny to attach the bib around her neck.

"It's going around." Danny informed her, "Whether daddy has to hold it here or whether you let me fasten it."

Amanda sighed as Lindsay hovered by her high chair with the bowl of spaghetti in her hand. "Mommy can stand here all night – you're not getting this until that bib is on."

"Me big girl!" Amanda sniffed.

"Daddy's wearing a bib too," Danny sighed, "Mommy's making him."

"Sad day!" Amanda sniffed.

"Yup." Danny nodded as he strapped the Velcro together at the back of her neck. "Got'cha."

Amanda huffed as she gazed up at Lindsay with her sparkling brown eyes. "Mommy…"

"You're wearing it," Lindsay shrugged as she placed a sippy cup of juice on her tray table. "I don't wanna hear it."

"Mommy twirl." Amanda giggled as she prodded the spaghetti.

"Mommy cut it up for you." Lindsay told her as she brought the two bowls for her and Danny to the table. "Just use your spoon and fork."

Amanda prodded the spaghetti and giggled as she scooped some on her fork. "Joshy want some?"

"Little bear's too little." Danny said as he sighed while Lindsay tied a napkin around his neck.

"Daddy has a bib!" Amanda giggled. "You siwwy daddy."

"Eat your spaghetti before I give you a knuckle sandwich. Stop laughing at daddy's bib."

Amanda giggled as she stuck her tongue out at Danny before spooning some spaghetti to her mouth. "My bib's pretty."

Danny sighed as he twirled his spaghetti around his fork. With a bib.

"Since when did I go from Danny Messer New York player to daddy that wears a bib?" he asked Lindsay as she took her seat at the table.

"Since you married me and had kids." Lindsay smirked as she tangled her legs with his. "And you were never a player. That was just a little fabricated story you made up. Don't fib. It's not nice."

"How come you don't have to wear a bib?" Danny pressed, changing the subject.

"Yeah mommy?" Amanda chirped. "Why?"

"Because I'm mommy." Lindsay reasoned. "And what mommy says, goes."

"I hope you spill." Danny smirked as he scooped a spoonful into his mouth after sticking his tongue out.

* * *

"_Okay, first of all? Grab your exit buddy. Do you have your exit buddy?"_

"_Yes!" _

"_Okay, Squirt will now give you a rundown of proper exiting techniques."_

Amanda giggled as she snuggled into Lindsay's side.

"Squirt's so cute, mommy!" Amanda giggled. "Me want squirt."

Lindsay giggled. "You want a turtle?"

Amanda nodded, "A talking wurtle."

"No puppy?" Danny said as he strolled into the room and sat on the couch next to Amanda.

"No, me wants Squirt." Amanda said pointing to the screen

"Three quarters of an hour ago you wanted a squishy jellyfish."

"Nicky?" Amanda asked with a furrowed brow.

"Hey, hey!" Lindsay interrupted them, "I can't hear… will you two hush?"

Amanda shushed Danny as she grabbed Lindsay's tummy. "Wexit buddy!"

Lindsay gripped onto Amanda and stuck her tongue out at Danny. "Haha."

"_Okay jelly man! Go, go, go, go, go, go, go!" _

Amanda burst out with giggles as Lindsay gripped to Amanda, pretending that she was her 'exit buddy'.

"Dude!" Amanda giggled.

Danny snorted. "Did you just call mommy a dude?"

Amanda grinned brightly.

Danny, Lindsay and Amanda sat in comfortable silence as they watched Finding Nemo on their TV in the living room.

"Daddy," Amanda spoke up after a few minutes.

"What princess?"

"Daddy, do you speak whale?"

Lindsay snorted as she rocked Joshua's baby carrier with her foot softly, easing him into sleep.

"Do I speak what?"

"Whale." Amanda repeated as she pointed to the screen. "Like Dorwy?"

"No, I don't think I do." Danny shrugged. "Do you?"

Amanda shook her head. "Me wish me did."

"For all the whales you come into contact with on a daily basis?" Danny teased.

Amanda glared at him as she pursed her lips. "Dude!"

"Daddy isn't a dude." Danny spat. "Daddy's daddy."

"Mommy dude?"

"No." Danny sighed. "Shall we not call mommy and daddy dude?"

"Joshy dude?"

"Look," Lindsay gasped dramatically, trying to distract Amanda. "Look how dirty the tank is, M&M!"

Amanda's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh, mommy! Da tank! It's so eww-y."

Danny smirked as he pulled Amanda into a light headlock and ruffled her curls. "Like a certain little girl's bedroom."

"_He either wants us to go to the back of his throat, or he wants a root bear float."_

Danny snorted at the line. "God I love Ellen Degeneres."

Amanda stood up on the couch and pressed a finger to Danny's lips. "Shush daddy, it's Dorwy. And they gonna get eated. Shush!"

Lindsay snorted as she tugged Amanda back down on the couch and blew a raspberry to her cheek. "Silly muffin! Sit down and watch!"

Amanda flinched as the whale's tongue sent Dory and Marlin flying into his stomach. "Mommy!" she cried. "Marwin! Dorwy!"

She buried her head in Lindsay's tummy and Lindsay smoothed her honey brown curls. "Baby, they're alright. Nemo's daddy finds him."

Amanda nodded as she glanced up. "YAY!"

Lindsay smiled as she watched her daughter stare at the fishes and giggle at them in the fish tank.

"Look, mommy! The fishes daddy made them tidy wup!" Amanda shrieked with giggles at the clean tank.

"_Ooh – oh! Curse you, Aquascum!"_

Danny let out a snort. "Seriously, this movie. I love it. It's freaking hilarious."

"Daddy!" Lindsay snapped, "Dollar for the swear jar. I don't know what's gotten into you and your potty mouth but you need to behave,"

Danny smirked at her, making her reach across the couch and slug him. "Stop being such a wisebutt." She glared. "Tell him, M&M."

"Yeah daddy!" Amanda chirped, "Stop being a wisebutt."

"You're a wisebutt." Danny smirked at his daughter.

"You wisebutt!"

"You are!" Danny retorted.

"No, you are!"

"No you!"

"No, you!"

"ENOUGH!" Lindsay cried as she broke the two up. "Watch the movie before I put you both to bed."

Both Danny and Amanda fell into silence after sharing a disgruntled look together and huffed as they folded their arms across their chests.

"I'm going to do some laundry and fill the dishwasher. Are you two knuckleheads gonna be okay?"

Danny and Amanda looked at each other and nodded as Amanda snuggled into his side.

"Joshua's sleeping," Lindsay pointed down to the carrier, "so I don't want to hear a peep from either of you. Understand me?"

Danny and Amanda nodded.

"Understand me?"

"Yes mommy." They nodded in unison.

She stood up and pressed a kiss to both of their foreheads before padding out of the living room and out of sight.

They turned their attention back on the screen as they saw the vast amount of fishes swim down in attempts to escape being 'caught' in the fishing net. Amanda snuggled into Danny's side and stuck her thumb in her mouth as she eagerly watched the team effort.

She blinked as she saw Marlin and Dory bump into each other, but soon, her eyes fell on a sick Nemo and she gasped before burying her head into Danny's side. "No daddy, no!"

"It's alright." Danny chuckled as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her tight, "Just watch, daddy's got you."

"Nemo!" she cried. "No daddy, no!"

"No. No, baby girl – watch, it's alright… you'll see. Daddy's got you."

Amanda turned her head slightly and peaked an eye open as Marlin told Nemo all about Crush on how sea turtles lived past one hundred and fifty years old.

"See, didn't daddy tell you so he'd be alright."

Amanda nodded as a smile crossed her face. "He happy, daddy! Marwin found his baby fish!"

"He did!" Danny gushed as they watched the end scene.

"SQUIRT!" Amanda gasped as she launched herself off the couch. "Daddy! Wurtle!"

"I see him." he laughed as he pulled her back onto the couch and sat her next to him

"Me wants one."

"I bet you do."

"A talking wurtle."

"We'll see."

"Well, me wants a wurtle or a puppy. Me don't mind."

"Oh that's nice." Danny laughed, "Giving your daddy a choice."

Amanda smiled brightly as she snuggled into Danny's side. "I wub you daddy."

"I love you too baby girl."

"So can me?"

"Can you what?"

"Gets a wurtle or a puppy."

"Daddy said he would think about it."

Amanda nodded as they watched the finishing credits. She shifted and lay so that she rest her head on his lap and stared up at him.

"What?" he laughed as she smirked at him.

"Now?"

"Now what?"

"Now can I get a wurtle?"

"Go play." Danny laughed as he placed her on the floor. "I'll think about it, Amanda."

Amanda sighed as she padded to her toys. Danny glanced down to check on Joshua and quickly got off the couch and headed into the kitchen.

He leant against the doorframe and smiled as he watched Lindsay humming to her iPod dancing as she rinsed the dishes before putting them into the dishwasher.

"Why the hell does she do that?" He mused out loud before moving across the kitchen and grabbing two juice boxes.

He smirked to himself as he stabbed both of them with straws as she giggled happily while she sang to Carrie Underwood, completely unaware of his presence.

He retreated out of the kitchen, and back into the living room to give Amanda her juice, before walking back to the kitchen and sneaking up behind Lindsay. He squeezed her sides, making her jump.

"Holy crap!" She spat as she smacked his arm and paused her iPod in her pocket. "You scared the giggles out of me."

Danny merely stared at her while he sucked on his juice box. "What'cha doing?"

"Tidying up. What does it look like?"

He shrugged. "What you listening to?"

"The eighties."

"Is that a band or…"

"The actual eighties, you moron." She laughed as she whipped him with the dishtowel. "I uploaded that CD you bought a few weeks ago onto my iTunes and synced it to my iPod..."

"Everyone loves the eighties." Danny nodded.

"The era, not the band." She smirked over her shoulder.

"A'right wisebutt, chill out. Rein it in."

Lindsay stuck her tongue out as Danny sat himself on the counter next to the sink. "So Amanda wants a wurtle or a puppy."

"So she tells me." Lindsay nodded.

"We can't keep telling her we're gonna think about it for much longer."

She shrugged in response. "So get her a fish."

"A fish and a puppy is not the same thing. In fact, I feel the puppy would eat the fish given half the chance."

"So get her a fish. She won't know the difference."

"I think you're underestimating our daughter."

"Danny, you get her a pet, she'll love you forever. Whether it be a pony or a stick insect."

"Don't say pony. Do not get that into her head."

"Pony?" A little squeaky voice giggled as she padded into the kitchen with an empty juice pouch. "What's a pony, daddy?"

"Want a cookie before bedtime, honeybunch?" Lindsay asked.

"YAY!" Amanda giggled as she skipped into the kitchen.

Lindsay pinched Danny's sides as she glared at him before wiping her hands on the dishcloth that she had slung over her shoulder and handed Amanda a cookie.

"Nice save." Danny smirked as he pressed a kiss to Lindsay's neck as he wrapped himself around her slender frame from behind as Amanda headed out of the kitchen.

She turned in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I try."

He pressed a kiss to her nose before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You feeling better now baby?" he asked

"I am now." She smiled and nodded as she placed a soft kiss to his lips. "Thank you."

"What for?" he laughed.

She kissed him lightly before rubbing her nose against his and whispering; "For being you."

* * *

**_I just want to say a huge thank you to all of you guys who gave me honest and kind feedback about last chapter – I'm fully aware it was not my greatest chapter and a lot of it seemed awkward! But I thank you guys for sticking by me, and supporting it regardless :) It means a lot! :)_**

**_I hope you are all still loving this story as much as I love writing it! Let me know what you thought :) _**

**_Special thank you to:_**

Twinkeyrocks

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Madmush

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messersgirl123


	176. Drama, Drama, Drama

A/N: Right, I do have a few things to say that applies to … well, one person. So all you guys who I love and adore just go ahead and skip the A/N while I say my piece.

I am sick of drama. All this bollocks on this site needs to stop.

This story is merely an outlet and something for me to do that's fun and I enjoy. If you don't like the story, and don't feel I am capable of handling a 175 chaptered story - keep that opinion to _**yourself**_; it is not constructive, nor is it necessary to say such a nasty thing. I didn't make you read the chapters you read, so more fool you for continuing to read them if it pained you that much. What a waste of your time. It is also very rich to boast such "constructive" criticism – when I saw no valid points. 'Cause really – an account with no fave authors, no fave stories and no stories posted yourself? An account merely for flames? I think so. How cool are you? Get a life. Please.

Don't be so quick to judge when you haven't put yourself out there and posted anything. Or – log onto your ACTUAL account and let me know who you really are as opposed to using some secret identity. Sweet jesus. What is it? High school? Get some balls before you start dishing out the insults, eh?! Grow up.

Cheers though - I'm one step closer to – TWO THOUSAND REVIEWS! HELLS YEAH!

Now that's out of my system – I'd like to thank all my reviewers for their continued support, and proving to me that I must be doing something right for you all to come back and review every chapter I post. You guys really are my stars that keep me going!!

(If you're wondering what the hell I'm talking about – take a look at my reviews; it will become apparent I think.)

So basically – you've got nothing nice to say? Fair enough – keep it to yourself. Constructive is welcome – flames and insults? Not so much.

/end longest A/N ever.

* * *

Lindsay sighed heavily as she paced the bedroom with Joshua, trying to shush his shrill screams and wails.

"Come on now, honey… why are we so upset? Tell mommy. What's the matter baby boy?"

"Still crying?" Danny asked as he poked his head round the door.

"Can't you hear him?" Lindsay shouted over his cries as she snuggled him to his chest while jiggling him softly.

"How long has he been like this for?"

"Don't you know? Is he not loud enough?" she spat. "Thirty minutes and counting. I've tried everything."

"Want me to try?" Danny asked as he padded into the bedroom.

She shrugged and handed him the baby as she sat down on the bed. Joshua's cries soon subsided, and Lindsay flailed back to the bed.

"He just wanted his daddy," Danny smiled down at his son, "Ain't that right, buddy… you just wanted your dear old dad."

Lindsay huffed as she pushed up off the bed and bit her lip, indicating she was mad.

"You alright?"

She shrugged with 'that look' on her face. "Fine." she shrugged again as she began tidying up the various items of clothes on the floor.

"You don't seem fine."

"I'm fine." she spat as she angrily chucked the clothes into the basket. "Why wouldn't I be fine? I'm fine."

"Ookay." Danny swallowed as he rocked Joshua in his arms. "Amanda said she wanted you to go and tuck her in."

Lindsay let out a frustrated sigh and stormed out of the bedroom.

"Wow, think mommy's annoyed with daddy, buddy?" Danny mused. "What do you think daddy did?"

* * *

"Hi mommy!" Amanda chirped from where she sat in her bed brushing Lickle bear's fur with her Barbie brush.

"Hi baby." Lindsay smiled as she collected the clothes from Amanda's floor. "Did daddy get you ready for bed?"

Amanda nodded. "Joshy finally shushed."

"He did." Lindsay nodded.

"Daddy said that mommy needed him." Amanda said with a nod. "And he right."

"Yup" Lindsay nodded as she took a deep breath. "Daddy's always right."

Amanda nodded. "Spaghetti was yummy, mommy."

"Thank you." Lindsay smiled as she sat on Amanda's bed. "I'm glad you liked it, baby girl. Did daddy tell you a night night story?"

Amanda shook her head.

Lindsay sighed. "So daddy didn't get your ready for bed?"

Amanda shrugged. "Me say no to teethies."

"And daddy listened to you and didn't do them?"

Amanda nodded her head.

Lindsay furrowed her brow as she held her hands out and Amanda climbed into them. "So he left mommy to do it? Well I guess seen as I gave you a bath, I put you in your pyjamas, attempted to calm Joshy down, I might as well read you a story and brush your teeth too, huh? I mean it's not as if…"

Amanda pressed her index finger to Lindsay's lips and smiled. "Me prefer it when you do 'dem, mommy. Me asked daddy for mommy."

Lindsay smiled as she calmed herself down and pressed a kiss to Amanda's temple. "Why don't we go and do your teethies, come back, and I'll make a story up."

"Pwincess M&M?"

"You read my mind, baby girl. The adventures of Princess M&M and supermommy,"

"Yay for supermommy!" Amanda giggled.

* * *

Lindsay sighed as she tiptoed down the hallway and undid the baby gate as she headed downstairs.

"Linds?" Danny whispered from the bedroom. "What you doin'?"

"I'll be up in a few." She smiled over her shoulder.

He furrowed his brow, "Baby?"

"Two minutes." She assured him. "Go put Josh down and I'll be right there."

He sighed as he disappeared back into the bedroom as she padded down the stairs.

She glanced into the living room and sighed heavily at the sight of Amanda's colouring books and crayons sprawled across the floor.

Lindsay switched the lamp on by the side of the couch and snuggled into the armchair and tucked her legs underneath her body as she held down speed dial four.

The phone rang a few times, before the line was finally answered. "Linds?"

"Brandon, Hey!"

"Oh Lindsay, how are you doin'? I'm sorry I couldn't get to the hospital? How is the little guy? He alright? Stell said that…"

"He's fine." Lindsay giggled cutting Brandon off. "He's just spent the best half hour screaming the house down."

Brandon laughed. "Stella's swatting me demanding I give her the phone this very instant. I'm glad you're doin' good, Linds. Say hi to Danno for me."

"Will do."

"And give Amanda a kiss."

"I will," Lindsay smiled. "You ought to give Stel that phone before she karate chops you."

"I'm gonna do more than Karate chop him." Stella declared as she came on the line. "Kiddo, how you doin'?"

"I'm good – how are you?"

"Same old, same old. How's my baby boy?"

"Danny's fine."

"I meant Joshua and you know it." Stella scolded.

Lindsay giggled as she held the phone to her ear with her shoulder as she snuggled further into the chair. "He's fine; listen Stel, do you have two minutes?"

"For you, kiddo, I have two hours. What's the matter?"

Lindsay sighed, "I saw Sam today."

Stella remained silent.

"Danny called her and had her come over to the house. She wanted to apologise I think."

"Mhmm?"

"And I freaked out, Stel. I burst into tears."

"Aw, sweetie. Why? What happened."

"Nothing!" Lindsay exclaimed. "Well, she cuddled Amanda as if…"

"You let our little girl in the room with her?!"

"Stella…" Lindsay sighed.

"No Linds, no. Listen to me. The voice of reason."

Lindsay laughed.

"She called her a brat. She was a bitch. Lets face it. We're not sugar coating this, are we?"

"No." Lindsay replied.

"And you called me to get an honest opinion and general support, yes?"

"Yes."

"Then listen to me, kiddo, because I will only say this once. If you don't want to make up with her, no one in this world is going to make you do that. Not after what she did to you. What she did to Amanda. Hell, what she did to Flack. She left. She walked out."

"Stell, Flack also…"

"Regardless Lindsay." Stella interjected. "Flack's got nothing to do with her walking out on you. Which is what she did. She didn't like what happened so she ran off with her tail between her legs. You know I've kept schtum about this, Linds… I know how much she means… meant… whatever… to you, but I've always been brutally honest, no?"

"Always," Lindsay laughed.

"Well then, here goes. I think she was an out and out bitch for what she did. And to be quite honest, I have a justified hate for her, if you will. She was completely out of order to Amanda. Yes, she called her a brat – she said to me herself that she could have said worse. She could have also bit her goddamn tongue and left it unsaid. What was Amanda? Seventeen months back then? She insulted a _baby_ because she wasn't getting her own way. Not only is that ridiculous, it's just mind numbingly stupid. As childish and ridiculous as my argument seems, Lindsay; you know I'm one hundred percent right in what I'm saying. I don't know where… well, I do but… I don't see why you give her all these chances. You're too nice. You are. I love you Linds. I love you as a sister and as my best friend, but there is no way in this world I would be as nice to her as what you are doing; I'm not gonna lie to you, kiddo. I respect you for having class in this situation that I wouldn't have. It would be handbags at dawn for me, period. I don't care what people think and how they would criticise me, that's who I am and what I would do. I wouldn't let her get away with something like that."

"But acting like how I have is also who I am," Lindsay sighed, "I don't like holding grudges, life's too short, Stel. I don't want to regret anything."

"Why should you regret her mistakes, Lindsay?!" Stella pressed.

"Because they're my mistakes too."

"Honey, explain to me how they are your mistakes."

"Stella…"

"No, honestly, explain to me and lay it out how what she did that is your fault."

"There are two sides to every story, Stella. We both know that."

"Not when my baby niece is involved, Lindsay. I know you loved Sam, I know you did, and I know how much it hurt when she left. But that's her problem, kiddo. Not yours, why are you still seeing the good in her when she was an out and out bitch to you?"

"I was a bitch too…" Lindsay scoffed. "And it's just not part of that's not who I am, don't you understand, Stel?"

"Make it who you are." Stella growled at her friend. "Lindsay, you know I love you, but obviously it didn't go well today – so why have you called?"

Lindsay sniffed as tears threatened to fall. "For you to tell me everything you just have. To justify what I'm feeling on the inside out loud. I don't want to be like that, Stella, but it's just how I'm feeling. She really hurt me. She hurt my daughter and…" Lindsay sniffed as a sob escaped her throat.

"Oh Linds, honey… I'm sorry." Stella sighed, "I didn't mean…"

"No," Lindsay sniffled. "No, I'm just really hormonal, Stel. That's all; it's not you… it's me."

"Are you breaking up with me, Lindsay Messer?"

"Would I?" Lindsay giggled through her tears.

"Kiddo, I know this has been really hard for you. It was hard for me, and I wasn't pregnant, married, and mother to a toddler. I mean, saying that – it didn't even have anything to do with me."

"Sympathy pain?" Lindsay suggested.

"Best friend sympathy pain." Stella added.

"It's just hard, even now. There's so many people getting involved, and I just want it to go away; for it to blow over and things be over with. Things have been nice. Just focusing on my family, not having to deal with other dramas. And I feel absolutely horrible for thinking that."

"Why?" Stella asked, "Her drama isn't your problem, kid. Flack's drama isn't your drama, so don't make it your drama. Period. You have your own troubles to deal with."

Lindsay sighed, "You're right."

"Linds, do what you want to do. No one can make you do something you don't want to do. You want to make up with her and build up that friendship, go for it, and Danny and everyone else that loves you will be behind you. If however, that's not what you want and you want to cut ties; that's alright too. This is completely your call. Don't let other people influence your decision. You can listen to other people's opinions, like Danny's; and mine but don't let it influence your own. Do what is best for you."

"I think I'm going to." Lindsay nodded, "I'm going to really think about what it is I want to do."

"Just don't get worked up about it."

"Danny's gonna think I've run away from home."

"Why, where the hell are you?"

"Downstairs."

Stella snorted. "Lindsay, your house is big, don't get me wrong, but honey – it ain't that big."

"I said I'd be two minutes about fifteen minutes ago."

"Clearly he is extremely concerned about your whereabouts, with him tearing the house upside down in the background."

Lindsay snorted. "Josh probably fell asleep on top of his chest and he dares not to move."

"Oh wow, now that's an image, Danny Messer with a tiny baby on his chest."

"I'm tempted to ban t-shirts," Lindsay giggled. "So there's more chance of him being shirtless."

"Oh I like the way you think, mommy Linds."

Lindsay giggled softly. "Thank you, Stel."

"I didn't do anything, kiddo. You always know where I am if you need me."

She smiled, despite Stella's inability to see her. "I miss you, Stella. I feel like I've lost touch with mankind."

"Lindsay you had him what, three days ago?"

Lindsay sighed.

"Are you bored of domesticated mommy bliss already."

"I had to tie a bib around Danny's neck earlier."

"Please told me you took a picture." Stella begged. "Please."

"Unfortunately, no… I feel he may have gotten suspicious had I whipped out the camera."

"Oh Lindsay…" Stella sighed, "Rookie mistake. Pretend you're taking it of Amanda and snap – oops, sorry baby, you were in the shot. Boom, you have Danny in a bib."

Lindsay giggled heartily before letting out a small sigh.

"Remember what I said to you in the office Linds, just after you had the argument with her?"

"No, but I feel you do remember…"

"I do believe it was along the lines of; don't work yourself up about it – it's not worth it, kiddo. You're worrying about the wrong things. Don't worry about the things you can't change."

"And focus on the things I can change." Lindsay concluded.

"I know it seems like everything seems overwhelming and things suck so bad right now, kiddo, but I promise you, everything troubling you will melt away soon enough."

Lindsay sniffed tearfully. "I just don't know what to do with myself, you know…"

"I know…" Stella sighed, "I'll let you go… Go have yourself a nice long soak or snuggle up to Danny and I'll speak to you tomorrow, alright?"

Lindsay sniffed. "I promise I'll try not to cry."

Stella laughed, "Tears are good for the soul… The more tears you cry, the less…"

"Stop while you're ahead, Stel."

"Already there." Stella teased. "Goodnight, Lindsay."

"'Night Stel. And thanks."

"Anytime kiddo."

Lindsay sighed as she moved the phone from her ear and wiped her tears from her cheek as she stood up from the armchair and slipped the landline back onto it's charger, before heading upstairs.

She smiled as she finally appeared in the doorway of the bedroom and smiled as Danny quietly moved around the room picking up the toys Amanda had sprawled across their bedroom floor and shoving them in the toy box at the bottom of their bed. Lindsay peered into the bassinet on her side of the bed and furrowed her brow at it's emptiness. "He's moved out already?"

"I decided he could lay in his crib like a big boy."

"Danny, he's three days old."

"Nothing like throwing them to the sharks when they're young." He teased as he glanced at her tear-streaked cheeks. "Are you alright?" he asked tentatively.

"I was on the phone the Stel."

"And she made you cry? Do I need to call her back?"

"No, no…" Lindsay laughed. "We were just talking. I can fight my own battles, baby…"

"I didn't say you couldn't, but your talk resulted in you sobbing?" Danny asked with a raised eyebrow as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Girl talk… I'm just hormonal."

"I've noticed." Danny nodded as he folded down the comforter on the bed.

"What do you mean by that?" Lindsay asked, taken aback.

"No, no…" he sighed as he sat down on the bed and cracked his back. "I'm sorry – I didn't mean it like that baby, I'm just so tired I'm a little short right now. I've not caught up on my sleep."

"And I have?" she flailed. "Danny, I gave birth! I'm exhausted!"

"Baby, I don't want to argue with you. That is the last thing I want for us right now, alright? I'm sorry. I didn't mean for that to come out like how it did."

She opened her mouth to continue her verbal tirade but promptly closed it, before tears began slipping down her cheek.

"Baby, I'm sorry." He sighed apologetically. "I didn't mean it."

She nodded as she wrapped her arms around herself as he stood up from the bed. He looked at her, a look of helplessness displayed across his face as he let out a breath.

She sniffed and moved across the short distance and collapsed into his arms and buried her head in the crook of his neck. His arms instantly wrapped themselves around her and cradled her close to his chest carefully, as he held her in the middle of their bedroom.

Her tears stained his black wifebeater, leaving damp patches as he soothingly trailed his fingers through her silky locks as a calming gesture.

She hiccupped as she wrapped her arms around his waist, and clung to him, leaving him unaware of what was wrong, or what he could do and say to stop her cries and sobs.

She sniffed, her tears subsiding after a few minutes, as she looked up at him and sighed as he brushed some tears away with the pad of his thumb. Taking her hand, he led her to the bed and folded down the comforter on his side of the bed, and nudged her in. She scooted into the middle, giving him room to get in, before he took it upon himself to cover them up. As soon as he did, his arms were locked around her, and she laid her head on his chest taking small breaths trying to calm down.

"Are we alright?" he asked as he ran his fingertips along her arm.

She sniffed and hiccupped at the same time and nodded slowly. "I'm struggling." She admitted. "I can't do this."

"Can't do what?" he asked with a soft voice.

"This," she cried, "being a mommy, being a wife; all the while trying to deal with that stupid drama that is constantly hanging over my head. Not to even mention my baby girl getting bullied by that stupid little cow at her daycare. I can't do it, Danny. It's too much."

"Come 'ere." He whispered as he pulled her close, "I got you, baby. Tell me all about it. Don't hold it in, let it out."

She gripped to the material of his wifebeater and took a deep breath. "I want everything to go away. I just want to be happy with my family. I don't want to feel all this what I'm feeling. I want things to make sense, and right now, it's not."

Danny pressed a kiss to her temple, "I'm not going to pretend I understand what you're going through, baby, because I don't. I have no idea and no way of comprehending what you're going through right now. But that doesn't mean I'm not here for you. If you need someone to hold you, I'm here. If you need someone to listen to you, I'm here. If you need someone to just take the kids out for an hour somewhere to give you a second to breathe, I'm here and it's done. Just tell me what you want, and I'll move the mountain in your way."

Lindsay let out a whimper, "I just… Why? Why are you so nice to me?"

"Because you make me believe in myself when no one else can." Danny told her. "When you flash me that beautiful smile, and tell me you love me, it makes me want to do everything in my power to protect you and the kids. I hate to see you cry, so if you're struggling, I'm gonna listen to you, and I'm not about to disregard everything you say, I'm gonna be proactive and do everything I can to get my baby and her smile back."

She snuggled into his chest and pressed a kiss to his jaw. "I'm trying so hard, Danny."

"I know you are, and that's all you can do. You're trying and I know that, and Linds, you're doing amazing. I don't know what's going on in your head, but I sense because you know there's something wrong and you're struggling, it's going to click into place eventually. The same happened to your mom, according to your dad, and…"

"It's to do with Sam." Lindsay cut him off as she traced lazy patterns into the material. "It's not my baby. I love him with all my heart and I'm not upset over that. I know it's not that. I'm overwhelmed." She explained. "I'm bordering resentment and some hurt feelings about that night still, and it's taking it's toll."

"Well, in that case, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I did that to you baby. I really did not want that…"

"I'm not saying it was you, Dan. Because I know you were just doing that because you thought it was what I wanted."

"I did think it was what you wanted."

"And I thought it was too…"

"But now isn't the right time." Danny finished, "Look Linds, if you don't want to speak with her – don't. I'm not going to make you. If the whole situation is makin' you this upset then I'm sorry, but I'm stepping in and putting my foot down. You're not to worry about this any more. I will call her and tell her that right now is not the best time, explain that she's hurt you and that's that…"

"No!" Lindsay cried.

"Honey, look at me." he said as he used his index finger to pull her chin up to face him. "I won't let you fall. I'm gonna protect you, alright? You're my whole world, and I know you have this whole thing about not speaking against her because of how much she meant to you, but I don't… And I'm done being nice here. While you have a thing about being nasty and regretting it, if tomorrow doesn't come, Linds, I'm'a gonna regret not protectin' and standin' up for you. I'm here as your confidant; your best friend… and if it means standing up for you then so be it."

She pressed a kiss to his chest and let out a breath. "I wanted things to be alright."

"I know you did," Danny assured her. "But sometimes things happen and obstacles are put into place for a reason. You don't know why yet, but it will soon come to you, and you will realise further down the line that this is why you didn't make up with Sam."

"What would I do and where would I be without you?" Lindsay asked him as she gazed up at him.

He merely pressed a kiss to her forehead and shrugged, "I am here, and I'm never leaving." He whispered. "You don't even have to think about what you would do without me, because that's never going to happen, alright?"

She nodded.

"We're a team, Linds…" Danny continued. "I love you, and you love me… We're happy, and we have a wonderful family and friends. We have _got_ to stop letting outside influences get to us. Everything out there needs to stay out there. This is our safe haven… Our home – and I'm done seeing you cry. Do you hear me?"

She nodded.

"Now get over here, and rest your head on my chest." He teased as he pulled her into his arms. "It's done, baby. It's finished. No more tears over this, okay? No more."

She sucked in a deep breath and wrapped her fingers around the material of his wifebeater. Taking his scent in, she released the breath; melting into the feeling of safety and protection he gave her.

"I love you," she whispered into his chest.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and wrapped his arms tighter around her body. "I love you too."

He began drawing lazy circles on her back, lulling her to sleep.

A deep sleep; in the protection of his arms.

With the promise of a better, and less drama-fied tomorrow.

* * *

Lindsay took a deep breath as she sat down at the kitchen table, feeling refreshed from her night's sleep, but overly nervous at the task at hand.

Literally.

She gazed down at the phone and took a deep breath as she looked at the prompt notes she had written as a fall back on during the conversation.

She let out a ragged breath and read the note quietly out loud.

"Sam, it's Lindsay…. I'm calling to apologise about yesterday, but I'm also wanting to tell you that I think it's time we both moved on from this…" She let out a sigh. "I can do this." She pepped herself.

Dialling the number with shaky hands, she held the phone to her ear and swallowed noisly.

"Hello?"

"Sam, hi… It's Lindsay."

Lindsay cringed at the silence on the other end.

"I'm just calling to apologise about yesterday, and…"

"Mhmm… I should think so. You were very unreasonable now I've thought about it...."

Lindsay smirked and shook her head, "And if you'd let me finish, you would have heard me tell you that I think it's time we let this go and moved on. It's creating drama in my life that I don't need."

"And I do? Princess Lindsay and her perfect life and family… Give me a break."

Lindsay bit her lip; "I was merely calling to say my piece, and that's it. I'm not looking for an argument here." _But clearly you are, _Lindsay thought. "That's not what I want." She added.

"I want a million dollars, but we don't always get what we want." Sam snapped. "So basically what? What are you calling for?"

Tears began to fill her eyes and a lump formed in her throat. "Sam, listen…"

"No, you listen… I'm sick of being spoken to like I'm a…"

"And I'm sick of you treating me like this. I'm sick of you acting like the innocent victim. You walked out on Don. You called my baby a brat. You were the bitch, Sam… Not me. I'm so over this." Lindsay snapped as she felt her innermost feelings spill out. "I'm sick of you, Sam. I'm sick of this drama. As my husband says, pull up your big girl pants and deal with it. You can't get over the drama – then move on and deal with it separately. It's obvious we're not going to agree on this. You think I'm wrong cause I didn't ignore my sick daughter and gush all over you and you problems, and I think you're an out and out bitch so… we'll have to agree to disagree."

"So you win again?"

"When did this turn into a competition?" Lindsay cried as a tear slipped down her cheek.

Amanda gazed up at her mother and sighed as Lindsay wiped a tear away and picked Amanda up and placed the toddler on her knee.

"You have no idea!" Lindsay spat. "So don't even start with me being 'emotional and hormonal' Samantha. I am. I had a baby. I have a toddler. I have a lot on my plate right now! More than what you have to deal with. Do you know that I've not been able to enjoy my son because of you and what you did that night?"

Amanda bit her lip contemplatively before rubbing her mother's tummy in a comforting gesture, making tears cascade down Lindsay's cheek at the sweetness of her little girl.

"Well you should care!" Lindsay spat. "YOU were the one that walked out – I'm sick and tired of having this conversation and justifying my actions. You were a bitch, Sam. A bitch and I'm sick of this petty shit. Don't you see that? Don't you see how much it is affecting me? If you ever cared for me..."

Amanda bit her lip and let out a frustrated growl as she angrily grabbed the phone from Lindsay and held it to her ear.

"Hewwo?" She asked down the line to see if she recognised the voice.

"Amanda?" Sam sighed instantly. "Put your mother on."

"No! You be meaned to my mommy, Spammy. Me and daddy no like you."

"Amanda, little girls should…"

"I no like you." Amanda repeated, her tone and voice rising as her confidence increased as she spoke. "You make my mommy sad and me no like my mommy sad. My mommy sad is sad day and you…"

Lindsay sat back as Amanda listened to Samantha on the other end of the line. Rolling her eyes, Amanda let out a sigh.

"'Hut up!" Amanda spat. "You no say that to me! I Messer. Me M&M and you weave me alone!"

Lindsay bit her lip, as she reached for the phone that was clutched in Amanda's tiny hand, but Amanda shrugged away and sighed heavily.

"You boring me, Spam. Me go now."

And with that, Amanda Messer pressed the green button on the phone and handed the phone to her mother before kissing her cheek and hopping off her lap. She toddled from the kitchen into the living room to return to her colouring book that she had left on the table.

Danny glanced down at his daughter as she passed him on her way through the kitchen and smiled amusedly at her as she chuntered under her breath as she walked from the room, before turning his attention to Lindsay.

"What the hell is going on? I heard you screaming – Amanda screaming… Josh was already screaming. Should I start screaming?"

Lindsay didn't answer him as she merely stared down at the phone in her hand.

"Linds?" Danny pressed as he walked into the kitchen, and over to her. He hooked his index finger underneath her chin and pulled her head up to face him, "What's going on baby girl?"

"I think…" Lindsay started, "We no longer have to worry about Amanda sticking up for herself in day care, baby."

"Was she yelling at you? Cause I will put her on that naughty step quicker than…"

"No, no…" Lindsay shook her head. "God no… She… She was talking to Sam. Or Spammy as she called her."

Danny blinked, once, twice, three times, before placing his hand on the table and snorted, rather attractively. "She did what?"

"Amanda Messer has spoken." Lindsay said as she placed the phone on the table in shock. "I… I don't really know what to do or say."

"She's seen you upset over this Linds for the past what – six months is it now?"

Lindsay nodded, "Around about."

"There's only so much she'll take before the temper in her explodes. She's a mix of me and you, baby girl – she's bound to stand up for her mommy if she sees her upset."

"I just… It was a shock. I…"

Danny pressed a kiss to her temple, her forehead, her nose and then her lips. "It's over, Linds… Forget it. If she's got an ounce of brains, she'll realise that she's hit rock bottom when a toddler gives her a bitchin' out…"

Lindsay leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath. "Do you think I need to speak to her about that… See if…"

"Daddy can do it. You take a breath, babe."

Lindsay opened her mouth to protest, but before a word could escape, Danny had dropped to his knees and pressed a soft and loving kiss to her lips. She sighed, and he pulled away and rested his head against her forehead and whispered, "I have this," before walking away and out of sight into the living room.

She took a breath, shoved the phone away from her as it sat on the table, and laid her head down on the table top; giving her a moment to just think.

And let go.

* * *

"Hi daddy!" Amanda chirped as she glanced up from her seat at the coffee table, crayon clasped in her hand as she scribbled at her colouring book.

"Baby, will you come and sit down with daddy for a minute?"

Amanda smiled as she dropped her crayon on the table and climbed onto the couch, "Hi." She smiled.

"Hi," he smiled as he pulled her onto his lap. "So… how's it hanging?"

"Good." She smiled. "Me tolded Spammy, daddy. Me stucked up for mommy."

"I heard that." Danny nodded. "And what made you do that, honey?"

"Me gots sad that mommy was crying. Me knewed it was her, daddy. Mommy only cries about 'dat, and me no like mommy sad."

"I don't like mommy being sad either," Danny nodded. "What made you take the phone from her, sweetheart?"

Amanda shrugged. "Mommy sticked up for me with Wemily, so me sticked up for her with Spammy." Amanda reasoned. "My mommy is my mommy. Me wub her, daddy. Me make mommy happy."

Danny kissed Amanda's temple with delicate kisses as he snuggled her into a hug. "Daddy is so very proud of you that you did that. Daddy's happy you feel like you can stand up for what you believe in. I know this makes no sense to you… but daddy… honestly, daddy was at his wits end with this drama, and you, baby girl…" Danny pressed another kiss to her temple. "You put an end to it."

"Me spoked."

"Amanda Messer has spoken." Danny teased as he tickled Amanda's belly, eliciting a giggle from his daughter.

They heard a creak at the door, and Lindsay appeared with Joshua, snuggled in her arms. Amanda smiled brightly at her mother, who instantly returned the smile.

"What you guys doin'?" Lindsay asked as she took a seat with Joshua in the armchair.

Amanda shrugged. "Daddy being siwwy, mommy."

"What's daddy doing?" Lindsay asked, completely enthralled and smiling brightly at her daughter.

"He tickled me!" Amanda gasped. "Siwwy daddy!"

"You get him, M&M." Lindsay smirked at Danny. "Take him on, baby girl. You can do it."

"You can take on this world, baby girl." Danny told her as he braced himself for her flinging body attaching herself to him.

She smirked and jumped, nailing Danny in the crotch with her knee as she 'tickled' his face with her little fingers.

Lindsay bit her lip as she watched Danny's face pale as he cried out, every time Amanda shifted and re-kneed him.

"Watch out daddy," Lindsay cried as she gazed down at her son as he stared up at her with his blue eyes.

"I'm sorry I've been out of it, baby." Lindsay whispered to her son, the conversation going unnoticed by Danny and Amanda, "But I promise you, you've got my utmost attention from now on. You and Amanda, you've got mommy back, baby boy."

Joshua reached out and grasped onto her index finger with his tiny fist and let out a coo as he kicked and let out a soft cry before settling instantly.

"He alright?" Danny pressed as he pinned Amanda to the couch and tickled her.

Lindsay glanced up and nodded. "He's fine."

"You alright?" Danny asked as Amanda shrieked and kicked him in the side as she attempted to squirm away from him.

Lindsay glanced at the smile on Amanda's face and nodded. "I've never been better."

* * *

A/N: This chapter has been extremely hard for me to write – huge real life problems for me to deal with kinda put this on the back burner – and a certain few people… person… being an out and out bitch. So yeah… I'm sorry to you all that were waiting on it :( I kept getting kicked when I was down – so you can all thank AMY for this chapter. She gave me a very small idea and well – she's my lifesaver right now. I love you chick!

I understand I will get pitch forked by some, I realise this…I do… But you know what, this is for fun – and as my facebook flair says – I'm the author – that's why. I have drama in real life right now, and I didn't really fancy writing about it… So – onwards and upwards. .

I'll try and get you guys another update before my trip in…. TWO FREAKING DAYS… But we're not sure… I will see!

I want to conclude this epic freaking A/N (I feel I should have posted it in it's own chapter…) with a huge, huge thank you to all those supporting and encouraging me right now. When you have people hell bent on inflicting some kind of ridiculous…. whatever on things it really sucks to try and keep your head above water, but you crazy DL'ers have really kept me going – and I love you all for it! Really.

In the words of Dowry – Just keep swimming, just keep swimming. – Finding Nemo – you gotta loves!

Anyway….

_**Special thank you to - **_

Twinkeyrocks

Petite Poppy

montanascreed

iheartcsinewyork

gwen24

IluvPeterPetrelli

madmush

afrozenheart412

laura817

JavaJunkie4evr

hypedupash

MeredithandDerekfanforever

Courtney

messermonroeforever125

sunshinesteph06

edward-and-bella-forever

vikkilynne93

Hope06

cindym30

jmc715

Baby Jefer


	177. Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!

**A/N: Well folks. What can I say... It's been a while. I'm getting into the swing of things again - and have finally managed to get some time to put together some WYHTG. I hope it's not a disappointment...**

**I haven't posted since all the stupid, stupid drama exploded, so I have some serious thank yous to send out. **

**Every single one of you that sent me a review/warm wish/PM of support - thank you so much! Seriously... Especially all of you that took the time to review that don't usually - just to let me know that you enjoy the story and what not! I appreciate you guys so much! And it really touched me that y'all let me know and 'stuck' up for me with that nasty review. I understand that sometimes you just want to read - and that's fine - so long as you enjoy what you're reading is all that matters! But what i'm trying to say is Thank you for just giving me that boost when I really desperately needed it. **

**Also - a huge thank you to all of you who review every chapter without fail! You guys really make me smile with the lovely things you say. And how y'all stuck up for me and reassured me that the opinion that was put forward was a minority opinion really helped me grow a thicker skin wherein now it's easier to just go with the flow and let people say what they want, I guess.**

**I wanted to reply to you all personally, but with me being on vacation, i'm strapped for time other than when the famille goes to bed... So we're writing then.**

**Just know that I appreciate every single one of you, and hope you continue to enjoy the story!**

**Laura x**

**It's been a while... but here we go nonetheless!...**

* * *

Lindsay Messer felt liberated.

Taking a deep breath, she reached for her Gatorade that sat in front of her and uncapped the lid. Swigging at the drink, she closed the cap and chucked in the general direction of the floor as she regained her previous pace on the treadmill.

"So that was it?" her partner asked her.

Out of breath, Lindsay nodded. "Took the phone and boom. Gave the bitch an out an out reaming."

"And you've not heard from her since?"

Lindsay shook her head.

"That's my baby girl." Stella beamed. "Trust the two year old to deal with the drama."

"If only she could deal with her own." Lindsay sighed, before correcting herself. "I didn't mean it like that… I know she can't… Not when... And..."

"I knew what you meant." Stella nodded.

"Good." Lindsay smiled.

"So tell me… what else did Spamantha say?"

"Do not let that catch on, Stella." Lindsay glared. "I mean it."

"Duly noted." Stella teased. "Really though… what was the conversation about?"

"Me blowing things out of proportion. Me being a bitch for wanting to cut ties and 'winning', apparently."

Stella raised an eyebrow. "When did it turn into a competition of who could be nastier and bitchier by getting one up on the other?"

"My sentiments exactly." Lindsay puffed.

"Why did we decide to murder ourselves at the gym?" Stella asked, changing the subject. "I'm sure we know a million, less painful ways to inflict death upon ourselves." She groaned.

"Because I'm trying to lose my baby weight, and you are my bestest best friend who didn't want me to do this alone."

"Can I retract that bestest best friend promise?"

"Sorry… We paid our memberships now."

"We're at the NYPD gym. It's free, Linds…"

"Hush. I'm telling myself I paid a membership. It's one of those… well if you paid you might as well… things."

"Denial?"

Lindsay nodded as she shut off her machine and waited for the treadmill to stop running. Stepping off the machine carefully, she put her hands to her hips and bent forwards as she tried to draw in a breath. "And it gets me out of the confines of the house."

"Where's Joshy?" Stella asked as she stepped off her own machine.

"With Danny's mom. She takes him on Wednesdays and Fridays so I can do housework, get my head together and… lose weight."

"Amanda's upstairs?"

Lindsay nodded. "Megan called me up and said the kids had been asking after Amanda. They missed her."

"That's sweet."

"All but one."

"I saw her parents last night. I nearly had a few words with them."

"A letter has apparently been sent home about Emily's behaviour, but you know what it's like…"

"Denial?" Stella puffed. "Our daughter wouldn't do a thing like that… Or in her case… things."

"Exactly."

The two friends fell into a comfortable silence before glancing over at the rowing machines. They shared a look before glancing down at their stomachs.

"Coffee instead?" Stella suggested. "Or alternative beverage for those breastfeeding."

"Race you to the showers." Lindsay beamed.

* * *

"Weave me alone!!" Amanda bellowed. "Wet go of me!"

"I asked you a question." Emily glared at her as she tightened her grip on Amanda's wrist. "You need to answer me."

"Wet go!" Amanda cried as she shook her wrist to try and free it in the grasp of the five-year-old. "Wet go!"

"Let go of her!" Lucy cried as she tugged on Amanda's shirt, trying to get her away from Emily. "She's not doing anything!! You're hurting her!"

"She's here." Emily glared at Lucy. "That's what she's doing."

Tightening her grip on Amanda's wrist, Emily yanked Amanda towards her and prodded the little's girl chest with her index finger. "Where is the teddy bear?"

Amanda swallowed, trying to fight back the grin. She glanced over Emily's shoulder to her cubby hole where her teddy sat. Her teddy however, Amanda presumed, was not the actual teddy Emily was looking for. After Amanda's presence had been requested at daycare by the other kids, Danny had devised a plan, wherein Amanda and he went to the store - bought a teddy almost exactly the same as Lickle bear, (without the price tag), letting the real Lickle bear stay home from daycare to keep Joshy and Baby bro company, which daddy had assured Amanda of. And that he would personally check up on it during his lunch break… Just to make sure Lickle bear wasn't reeking havoc, as Amanda had informed him that such things were a regular occurrence.

Amanda shrugged, causing Emily to tighten her grip again. "Wrong answer, stupid head."

_Don't call her names, baby girl. Just ignore her._ Amanda inwardly grumbled as her daddy's voice echoed in her ears, reminding her to be a good girl. "It not nice to say mean things!"

"You _are_ stupid!" Emily spat.

Amanda opened her mouth, but shut it promptly. "Fine! Take Lickle bear! He in my cubby."

Emily laughed in Amanda's face before turning and running across the room to the cubby holes.

"Amanda!!" Lucy gasped. "What are you doing? Lickle bear! He…"

"My daddy switched-ed them." Amanda beamed. "Lickle bear isn't real. He pretend. My Lickle bear at home. He sweeping."

"Your daddy's soooo clever, M&M." Lucy gasped.

"Me knows." Amanda grinned. Quickly, her grin disappeared as she watched Emily head back towards the two friends. She sniffed loudly, and buried her head in the crook of Lucy's shoulder. "Lickle bear!!!" She cried. "Me never sees him again!"

"You lied!!" Emily bellowed as she reached the two. "This one doesn't have your label."

Amanda shrugged as she wiped her crocodile tears from her eyes. "Lickle bear! Me miss you."

"You're not listening!" Emily spat. "He isn't Lickle bear!"

"Give him to me!" Amanda cried.

"No! I want the real Lickle bear!"

"Give him to me… He's mine!"

"No, he's mine!" Emily cried.

"He isn't. you tooked him from me!!"

"I didn't. This one isn't yours."

"It is her's… She brought him today. She brings him everyday." Lucy piped up. "You're just silly and can't remember your own bear, seen-ed as you say he's yours…"

Amanda took a deep breath as she looked to the other kids in the room. Upon seeing that they were all minding their own business, despite the ruckus she, Lucy and Emily were making, she took a deep breath. '_You can take on this world, baby girl.' _She thought to herself, remembering what her daddy had said to her after standing up for her mommy on the phone to Samantha.

Amanda reached forwards and grabbed the replacement Lickle bear from Emily. Throwing the teddy randomly behind her, Amanda narrowed her eyes at Emily. "Weave me and Lucy alone!"

"No!" Emily glared, hands on her hips. "Make me."

"Move out of our way." Lucy said as she took Amanda's hand. Two against one.

"Make me."

"If you no move in two seconds, me move you!" Amanda cried. "Me pwomise!"

Emily snorted. "Pur-lease."

Amanda took another deep breath. "Wast chance. Me move you."

Emily merely raised her eyebrows. She then laughed at Amanda's determination and unwillingness to back down, effectively trying to knock Amanda's confidence.

As tears brimmed in Amanda's chocolate eyes, she heard her mommy's words of '_I know you can stand up for yourself.' _echo in her ear, like she had heard her daddy's previously.

"If you don't stop being such a stupid head, I'm going to move you _both_ out of _my_ way!" Emily retorted.

Amanda's eyes widened as for the last time, her Daddy's words reverberated in her head from the previous night. '_She threatens to lay a finger on you, baby girl… you lay a beating on her. Daddy will come bail you out of baby jail… I promise. You don't let that bully touch you or hurt you, you hear me, angel face? No one hurts you, alright... Or else they have me to answer to…' _

Amanda took a deep breath as she combined both of her parents instructions. Knowing that, through mommy, it was not, under any circumstances, alright to hit someone - she knew that daddy was always right. Even in her two year old mind she knew that if she didn't shove Emily first - Emily would shove her. And Emily was a lot bigger than her.

Amanda felt a sharp shove being applied to her shoulder as Emily attempted to shove her. Unlike Amanda, Lucy had seen the flying hand, and positioned herself behind Amanda, keeping her steady. Pushing her friend away from her, Lucy effectively keeping Amanda upright.

Giving Amanda the chance to stand up for herself.

Amanda stepped forwards, and without a moment's hesitation, she shoved Emily away from her with all her might, making the bully land on her butt, with a large thud. Blinking, and falling down to her knees where Emily sat on the floor, tears threatening to fall, Amanda edged closer to the girl and shuffled right up to her face. Clearing her throat, Amanda took a deep breath. "You eber be mean to me 'gen… and me gets my daddy. My daddy said he put you in jailed with other mean, bad childwen. You hitted me first, so me hitted you back. Wubs fair in wub and war, Wemily! Weave me alone! Foreber! Weave me and Lucy alone! We don't do anything to you! You're just a mean buwwy. You don't gots no friends, Wemily, so stop being so mean!"

Emily opened her mouth.

"No!" Amanda cried. "'Hut up!! Be nice! Don't talk to me! Me no want to talk to you… So no talk to me. You gots nothin' nice to say dats me want to hear!"

"But…"

"She said leave us alone!" Lucy glared with her hands on her hips. "Now scat, Emily! Go find someone else to pick on!"

Emily shuffled back. "Amanda…"

"GO!" Lucy glared as she stomped her foot.

Watching Emily rush away and into the girl's bathroom, Amanda and Lucy high fived each other, grabbed each other's hands, and did a little dance.

In the same week, Amanda Messer had effectively fought, and won all of her battles.

"Your mommy and daddy are going to be so proud of you M&M!" Lucy gushed. "You dids it!"

Amanda wrapped her arms around Lucy and snuggled her best friend. "Me and you did it, Lucy!"

Lucy smiled at her friend before taking her hand and heading off to the colouring table. Half way to the table, Amanda gasped and stopped. "Fake Lickle bear! He alone!"

Lucy let go of Amanda's hand as she scurried off to get the teddy. Amanda quickly joined her friend at the table, and sat the fake Lickle bear next to them in a chair of his own.

"We colouring in princesses?" Lucy wondered.

"Duh!" Amanda cried.

* * *

Amanda clutched the real Lickle bear, and the fake Lickle bear. "Did Lickle bear miss me today, daddy?"

Danny nodded as he gazed into the rearview mirror from the driver's side of their SUV. "He sure did, pumpkin pie… He wanted to come and pick you up. He told me."

"I knewed he would." Amanda smirked. "Did mommy washed him? He smells pretty."

"Boys don't smell pretty, honey."

"Daddy… he's in a dress. Lickle bear is a boy dat is confuzzled."

"Oh he is, is he?"

"Yes daddy." Amanda sighed dramatically. "Sheesh."

"Hey hey!" Danny scolded. "watch it cowgirl."

"How baby bro?"

"The teddy or your actual brother."

"Joshy, siwwy daddy."

"He's good." Danny smiled. "He pooped four times in two hours… Spit up on Grandma, cried when daddy picked him up until mommy got home from her day with Auntie Stella."

"Joshy stinky."

"Hey!" Danny scolded. "Don't be mean about your brother."

"But daddy! He pooped four whole times! That's ewwy!"

"You pooped six times in two hours before, M&M! So you're more ewwy."

Danny blinked as soon as he had said it. Ewwy had officially made it's way into his vocabulary. Deciding to change the subject to save his manhood and sanity, and to avoid a potential conversation about poop, he wondered of things he could ask his daughter to keep her engaged in conversation.

"What did you do today at day care, M&M?"

Amanda smiled cheekily as she worked her way into the rearview mirror so she could see herself, ensuring that Danny could see her too.

"Daddy can me goes for ice cream?" she asked with batted eyelashes and a pouted lip.

"I asked you a question… and no."

"But me tells you a story!" She sing-songed.

"Is it a good story?"

Amanda nodded adamantly.

"Does it involve a mean bully?" Danny asked his daughter.

Amanda nodded adamantly again.

Sighing, he glanced at the digital clock. "Alright… But just one scoop, alright? I don't want to spoil your dinner."

Amanda clapped her hands together and kicked her legs against his chair in excitement. "YAY!! You's the best daddy, eber!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Danny smirked at his daughter.

* * *

"And Megan didn't see?"

Amanda shook her head as she scooped some more ice cream into her mouth. "Is that bad?"

"Is what bad? Shoving all that ice cream into your mouth when you already had some in… I think it is."

"Nooo!" She cried, showing Danny the insides of her mouth and the mushy ice cream that was being smushed around. "That Megan didn't see."

"Oh," Danny said. Thinking about it for a minute, he shrugged. "Shall we just say that we won't make a habit of pushing people over?"

Amanda nodded as she scooped some more ice cream into her mouth. "Daddy not mad?"

"Daddy will be mad if you don't slow down with that ice cream, baby girl." he smirked as he reached across the booth and wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Chill out. The ice cream isn't going to grow legs and walk away. You can take your time. No one is going to steal your ice cream."

Amanda flinched and held the side of her head.

Biting back a laugh, Danny chewed his lip as he watched his daughter flinch. _Brain freeze. _

"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" Amanda cried. "Daddy ow!"

"Hey! Don't 'daddy ow' me! You were shoving the freezing thing into your mouth. I don't got no sympathy for ya kiddo."

Amanda glared at him with her lips pursed. "Dats mean!"

"Just concentrate on what you're doing." He suggested. "You're gonna get this all over you."

"Me wubs chocolate, daddy!"

"I know you do. It loves making your clothes all stained too."

"Super!mommy gets it out!" Amanda shrieked as she jumped up in the booth, making the ice cream cup topple over and spill out over the table.

"Alright, that's enough." Danny sighed as he looked apologetically to the waitress.

"But daddy! Me not done!"

"You did good enough." Danny informed her. "And if we don't go now, I think the waitress is going to beat daddy up for making a mess on her table."

"She'd a waitress. Dats her job, daddy… Like you's a policeman and shoot bad people."

Danny sighed. "Baby, we've gone over this. Daddy doesn't…"

"Uncle Flackie said…"

"Ignore everything Uncle Flackie tells you." Danny said.

"Uncle Flackie said that if I piss you off enough you's gets me a puppy. Is it right daddy? If I piss you off you'll do that? What does piss mean?"

"It's a word that Uncle Flackie says he won't use around you… So I think daddy is going to have a few words with Uncle Flackie, honey… But baby… If you make daddy and mommy mad about getting a puppy, we won't get you one. If you're a good girl mommy and I will see, alright… But if you make us mad…"

"No bueno."

"Exactly." Danny nodded. "No bueno."

"We goes now, daddy."

Danny nodded as he tossed a five dollar bill on the table and threw an apologetic look at the waitress as he gazed down Amanda's mess. "I can't take you anywhere." he grumbled as he placed her on his hip and carried her out of the ice cream parlour while reaching into his pocket for his cell phone.

"What'cha doing?" Amanda drawled slowly as she inquisitively looked at the cellphone.

"Curse Phineas and Ferb." Danny grumbled. "I hate that show. And I hate Isabella with her stupid 'what'cha doing?'."

"Daddy!" Amanda gasped. "Mommy says it's not nice to say hate! Use your words!"

Danny sighed as he opened Amanda's car door and placed her in the SUV. "Get in. Be quiet, monkey. You're enough to drive a Monk to a rock and roll lifestyle."

"A who to a what?"

"Get in!" Danny glared at her. "Or else I'll take you out of the SUV, put you here on the sidewalk and drive off… How would that work for you?"

"No please."

"Well then." Danny said. "park your butt on your car seat this very instant."

"Who's you textering?" Amanda asked as Danny strapped her in.

"Mind your own business." He smirked at her before kissing her nose.

"Daddy, who?"

"Nobody," he said before shutting the door and heading to the driver's side.

As soon as he opened the door, her little voice piped up again.

"Daddy - who?"

"Don't worry about it."

"But who daddy? Who?"

"Amanda!" Danny snapped. "Enough."

Falling silent, Amanda sighed as she watched Danny's fingers fly over the text message buttons on his BlackBerry.

_So… I see that whole cursing thing didn't last long, did it, big guy? You tell my kid that if she pisses me off enough, I'll cave and get her a puppy? I got a good mind to get her one and call it Flack, just for shits and giggles. How'd you like that? You have some making up to do, buddy. Love and kisses. haha. D. _

Happy and smirking at his composed message, Danny clicked 'send' before firing up the engine and slowly backing out of the parking space.

"You can talk now." Danny said as Amanda sat with her lips clamped shut.

"Who were you textering? Who daddy, who?"

Danny took a deep breath, all the while thinking; _seriously… Monk to alcoholism - after a day with Lindsay's kid._

"Daddy?"

"What princess?"

"Who?"

Danny fought back the laugh that desperately wanted to escape. "Your Uncle Flackie."

"Did you tells him I working on pissing you off to gets my puppy. Cause you should daddy. He said I needed to work my baby girl charmed. He said so!"

Danny rested his head again the head restraint of his seat.

_Lord… Give me strength. _He thought. _I have another sixteen years of this. _

"DADDY!"

"WHAT?!"

"DID YOU!?!" Amanda bellowed.

"YES!" Danny snapped. "Yes I did. Now let's play the silent game that you play with Uncle Sid until we get home, okay?"

"I gonna win, daddy!" Amanda informed him.

"Well let's stop talking and start playing."

Amanda nodded and sat back in her car seat with her arms folded.

"You suck at this game, daddy!"

"Well you show me how it's done then, alright?" Danny suggested. "Teach daddy how to be awesome like you… By being quiet…" he quickly added.

"Daddy…"

"What?" He cried. "What Amanda?"

"I love you daddy. Thanky you for taking me for ice cream!"

He smiled in the rearview mirror so that Amanda could see him. "You're welcome, honey… I love you too."

Amanda smiled. "Now can I gets that puppy, p'ease!?"

As Danny pulled up at the stoplight, he bashed his head against the steering wheel.

_Seriously, _he thought. _Sixteen more years of this. _

_Then to the Looney bin I go. _

_If not before. _

"DADDY? Me asked you something! Did you hear, daddy?"

_How's about arranging an early admittance to the Looney bin? _

"I changed my name." Danny said. "My name isn't daddy anymore."

Amanda furrowed her brow. "Daddy, you's siwwy."

"Sorry, daddy isn't here right now… Can I take a message?" Danny teased his little girl.

Holding her hand up to her ear in the shape of a phone, Amanda giggled. "P'ease telled my daddy he's siwwy and me wubs him. And me wants a puppy. And Lickle bear is sad that he didn't get ice cream… And Lickle bear wants some new pajama's and…"

"Your message has been erased." Danny smirked in a robotic, monotone voice. "Please hang up and try your call again."

Huffing the back seat, and kicked her legs and folded her arms. "Me's not talking to you now. Whoever you's are!"

_Halleluiah, _Danny thought. _Silence. _

_At last. _

* * *

**_Hope y'all liked it. I tried to go for some humour while tying up some other storylines pe-say. I hope it worked. _**

**The biggest, massive thank you to...**

twinkeyrocks

Petite Poppy/AngelicStars - cause you know - you jumped into mummy bear role for a minute... or ten!!

gwen24

IluvPeterPetrelli

iheartcsinewyork

dl-shipper34

Hypedupash

Caitlin P.

vikkilynne93

juels4ya

afrozenheart412

madhatterette

crazymoo97

Delko'sGirl88

jagnic233

Baby Jefer

Courtney

Hope06

jmc715

wintongirl

MeredithandDerekfanforever

egoofy34

lulubell76

LuBr

sunshinesteph06

jordinajamaica

brinney

Mellow girl

aussietasha

messermonroeforever125

M&M4ever

becky

abbelovesdannymesser

cindym30

Skylar87

Danny-Lindsay-Fan101

edward-and-bella-forever

ambercsiny

uscrocks

**And a special huge thank you and welcome to -**

DantanaMM

.cowboy11

**I hope this chapter was an good one for you two to read after you've caught up!**


	178. It's a boy, girl thing

**A/N: Huge thank you to those warm welcomes back! I didn't realise how much I missed writing this story! That's for sure! Hope you enjoy this chapter too, girlies! (and guys if you happen to be out there...?)**

**Not overly sure about this chapter, still actually getting back into things properly, so it's taking some time! Enough of my self doubt. Enjoy! **

* * *

Plonking herself on her daddy's lap, Amanda smiled up at him as he pushed his glasses further up his nose and set his, now, crumpled book down on the couch next to him. "Yes sweet-pea??"

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"When me grow big, what can me be?"

"Whatever you want to be, honey." Danny said. "What would you like to be?"

Amanda considered it for a second. "Can me be a police girl like mommy?"

"Daddy would prefer it if you didn't… but if that's what floats your boat baby girl, daddy can get on board with that. Whatever you want to do daddy will do whatever he can to make your dreams happen."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why?"

"Why what, M&M?"

"Why you no like me being like mommy?"

"Because what mommy does is scary and dangerous, and I would prefer you doing something safer and less dangerous because you're my baby girl and I want to protect you."

"But mommy does it and you lets her. She your baby too, daddy… 'member!"

Danny tapped his nose and smiled at his daughter. "Daddy has a secret about that."

"Tell me!!" Amanda grinned. "I _so_ good at keeping secwets, daddy! I pwomise!"

"You are not!" Danny scoffed. "The minute you walked through the door you busted me out to mommy about going for ice cream."

Amanda giggled and flashed Danny a cheeky grin. "You wubs me?"

"Yes, I love you…You little tattle tail."

"Hey!" Amanda sniffed dramatically. "No fair!"

Danny considered it for a second. "Do you promise to pinky swear me that you won't tell mommy?"

Amanda held out her pinky and wiggled it, waiting for Danny to latch on with his own pinky.

Sighing dramatically, Danny wiggled his pinky, and Amanda promptly latched onto it with hers. She kissed his pinky, and held their hands to his mouth for him to return the gesture. After doing so, Danny sighed as she batted her eyelashes at him and pouted her lip. "You know exactly how to work me, don't you."

Amanda giggled.

"You can't tell mommy this… because she'll get mad, mmkay?"

"Mmkay." Amanda nodded as she zipped her lips shut.

Smirking to himself, he leant down so that he was face to face with Amanda, noses barely an inch apart. Fighting back a giggle, Amanda blinked dramatically, as she desperately tried to hold Danny's gaze. Clearing his throat dramatically, Danny smiled and whispered; "Daddy has decided that you don't need to know." He paused. "Nice try, baby girl… Now go play."

"But daddy!! You pinky swored!"

"Uh-ah, you pinky swored… swore. You pinky swore me that you wouldn't tell mommy. You sold me out like I was going out of fashion. You've gotta earn it back."

Amanda stuck out her tongue and slid to the floor from the couch. "Daddy smells."

"You remember that when I take you for ice cream next. See how much I smell then, huh?"

"You smell pretty, daddy!"

"Boys don't smell pretty, Amanda. We went over this."

She smirked. "You confuddled like Lickle bear then?"

"That explains so much." Lindsay smirked as she appeared in the doorway to the living room.

"Hey! What is this… pick on daddy day?" Danny scoffed. "Where's my baby boy? Us men have to stick together."

"He's sleeping." Lindsay informed her husband. "Be my guest to wake him up and battle it out,"

"I may do just that." he scoffed as he stood up and ruffled Amanda's honey brown curls.

"Are you causing chaos, baby girl? Are you making daddy question his sanity?"

"Just like you's told me to, mommy."

"You're a wisebutt." Lindsay said simply as she sat down on the couch.

"You wubs me though."

"You're two going on…"

"A million and septysix."

"Sure." Lindsay nodded seriously. "How was daycare today?"

Amanda flashed her mommy her Messer grin. "Good."

"Just good? That grin suggests it was more than just good. Was Lucy there today?"

Amanda nodded.

"And…?"

"And me tolded Wemily, mommy! She not gonna speaked to me eber again!"

"What happened?" Lindsay asked as she pulled Amanda into her lap and brushed a curl behind her ear. "Was Emily mean to you again?"

Amanda nodded. "She wanted to take fake Lickle bear, but me stopped her! Me told her she had to stop being so meaned to everyone! And that she needed to stop talking to me 'cause she neber has anything nice to say!"

"Well I am so proud of you, baby girl." Lindsay beamed as she pressed a kiss to Amanda's temple. "Mommy was worried you wouldn't have a good day. I know you were scared about going."

Amanda nodded. "And mommy! She pushed me, and I stood up for myself, and pushed her back!"

Lindsay opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Amanda's little index finger was being applied to her lips. "Me knows you no want me to push and be mean, mommy, but she pushed me first, and daddy said that…"

"Oh, daddy said you could push her if she pushed you first?"

Amanda promptly clamped her lips together and slowly shook her head.

"Did he?" Lindsay pressed lightly.

Amanda furrowed her brow. "Can me's habe a lawber, mommy?"

Lindsay blinked at her daughter. "Excuse me?"

"A lawber." Amanda sighed. "What you and daddy always say."

"A lawyer?" Lindsay smirked. "No, I heard that… I was just shocked it came out of your little mouth, baby girl."

"Me smarts."

"You can say that again."

"Me smarts."

"Wisebutt."

Amanda giggled as she snuggled up to Lindsay and let out a sigh. "Me no be brave M&M without you, mommy."

Lindsay wrapped her arms around her daughter and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I very much doubt that, honey. You can be brave all by yourself. You don't need me. I'm just mommy."

Amanda pulled away and looked up at Lindsay and nodded with an innocent expression on her face, "Me brave 'cause of me watching you and you always being brave, mommy. Pinky swear you!"

Lindsay smiled and pulled Amanda back into their hug. "You wanna help me get dinner started?"

Amanda jumped up and nodded adamantly.

"I wonder what your daddy is doing with your brother…"

"Playing dolls." Amanda suggested.

"Maybe," Lindsay smiled, while thinking; _Sure, over Daddy's dead body. _

* * *

"And that my baby boy… is why we do not, under any circumstances allow Amanda to talk us into playing with dolls."

Pausing, Danny smiled down at his son who lay, gazing up at his father.

"Next in our crash course on how to survive living with Amanda Messer… make up, and how to avoid being America's next top model."

Joshua gurgled and let out a shrill cry.

"I know, right?" Danny smirked as he rubbed Joshua's belly. "Did I tell you your goddaddy is in the doghouse. Pun kind of intended?"

Joshua blinked.

"I didn't?" Danny gasped. "Well… Guess what your goddaddy has only gone and done." Danny said as he held Joshua above him in the air as he laid on his back on the bed. "He's been encouraging your sister to pester mommy and I to get you guys a dog."

Joshua blinked and flailed in Danny's arms. "My sentiments exactly." Danny nodded. "What's a daddy to do. Because you know your sister… Even when you were in mommy's belly, she wouldn't let up. Every two minutes," Clearing his throat, Danny put on his best 'Amanda' voice. "hey baby bro… it's me.. M&M.'."

Joshua giggled.

"I know her so well." Danny smiled, proud of himself. "But you can bet your Pampers by the time you reach a month old, we'll have a puppy named Flack."

Joshua's eyes widened at the name Flack.

"Oh you love your goddaddy." Danny smiled. "Mommy and I did a good thing when we decided to ask Flack to be your goddaddy, I think. I sense Yankees games when you're big enough, kiddo." He paused. "Or basketball, if you're that way inclined. Either way… Daddy is going to make sure you want for nothing, kiddo. Soccer, football, baseball… I'll take you to all of the games… if it means I have to work overtime until the next game. You and M&M aren't going to miss out on having a mommy and a daddy, alright?"

Joshua sneezed and shivered as the sensation startled him.

"Daddy's got you, kiddo." Danny assured his son. "It's alright."

Danny glanced over to the door that was shut completely as he creaked open and a small figure appeared in the doorway. "May we help you?"

"Daddy, mommy wants you."

"Daddy's not home right now. Joshy can you take a message?"

"Daddy!" Amanda exclaimed. "You's so siwwy! Joshy can't hold a crayon."

"Only cause we've never given him a crayon. I bet if we gave him one, he could at least hold it."

Amanda shook her head.

"My babies are geniuses." Danny informed his daughter. "I mean… look at you. Genius rolled into a baby girl."

"Me all mommy."

"How much she pay you to say that?" Danny asked.

"She pays me with wub!" Amanda smirked.

"Get outta here, wisebutt! Does mommy really want me?"

Amanda nodded. "Mommy wants take out 'cause she a lazy poo!"

"Excuse me?" Danny asked with a raised eyebrow. "What did you just say.""

Me said…" Amanda paused. "Nothing."

"You sure?"

Amanda nodded.

"That's what I thought."

* * *

After a half hour debate of what type of take out they wanted to order, thirty five delivery time and twenty minutes eating time, Danny sat back in his seat at the dining room table and let out a large burp.

"OH my gosh! Daddy!!! That's gross!" Amanda shrieked. "How could you?!"

"Excuse me." Danny smirked. "Better out than in, as my good friend, Shrek says!"

"Don't teach her that, Danny!" Lindsay begged as she collected their plates and takeout containers. "Please?"

"Fine." He sighed. "but if she picks it up elsewhere…"

"That does not mean you can teach her how to burp better. She's a girl. Girl's don't burp. It's a horrible thing to do."

"Mommy, you burps sometimes."

"Who's team are you on?!" Lindsay cried as she slipped the plates into the sink before heading to Amanda's seat and tickling her sides.

"YOURS!" Amanda cried as she squirmed away from Lindsay. "No tickle mommy… no tickle!"

"Get your team t-shirt right next time then. It's like daddy said… Us girlies have to stick together against the boys!"

"Yeah!!" Amanda giggled, with her tongue stuck out in Danny's direction. "Team Mommy."

"Can I be on Team Mommy too?" Danny asked as he batted his eyelashes at Amanda.

"No!" Amanda cried. "You's boy. You can't play with me and mommy."

"You're mean." Danny told her as he stuck his tongue out. "Go away and play on your own."

Amanda giggled as Lindsay lifted her down from her booster seat and showered her with kisses before her little feet hit the floor. Within an instant, she was away making noise in the living room.

Stretching, Danny sighed as he stood up and headed to the fridge and grabbed the nearest water bottle. Smiling to himself, he set it on the counter, before sneaking up behind Lindsay who was loading the dishwasher and pinned her against the kitchen cabinets.

"I missed you today." He whispered against her neck.

"You miss me everyday." She smiled as she turned in his arms and laced her fingers around his neck. "But I missed you too."

"You look good." He smirked at her as he winked. "You been working out?"

She slugged him and shot him a look. "Watch it, cowboy."

"How was it though, seriously?"

"Hard. I hated it."

"What did you do?"

"Treadmills."

"That it?"

She nodded.

"I don't know why I'm asking. I think you're perfect."

"You think I'm perfectly fat."

"I did not say that, I worded it carefully to avoid that accusation."

"Well, it's true. I'm trying…"

"You're my baby, Linds… I don't want you to struggle at the gym if you're unhappy. If you don't like it, you don't have to go. I'm not expecting you to…"

"I paid for it, I have to go."

He furrowed his brow, "Babe, it's free. You know that, right?"

"Hush!!" She scolded as she wailed on him with the dishtowel on the counter. "I keep telling myself I paid for it so that I'll go."

He moved away from her and crossed his arms as he leant against the worktop. "And how's that working out for you?"

"Fantastic, thank you."

Danny shook his head as he reached for his water bottle, giving Lindsay the chance to turn back to the dishes. Uncapping the lid, he held the bottle to his mouth before gasping and moving it abruptly away from him. Lindsay turned from her position at the sink. "What?"

"I love my daughter. You know that right?"

Lindsay nodded slowly.

"And you know she can do almost anything and it doesn't gross me out…"

Lindsay continued to nod slowly.

"So her backwash from her previous sips really shouldn't bother me, should it?"

Lindsay bit her lip. "Well…"

"I mean I'd die for her, yet I can't drink…"

"Last night's snack mixed with a little water?"

"Exactly… I mean… Like I'm sure there's a solid goldfish straight from Pepperidge Farm swimming around in here."

"Get a new bottle then."

"But it seems so pointless wasting water."

"Fine, drink the goldfish infested water then."

Danny sighed. "I mean she's just my kid, right…"

"Look, this is your call." Lindsay giggled. "If you feel you're man enough…"

"So you wouldn't?" Danny asked hopefully.

"Oh no, I would." Lindsay nodded. "My baby girl is my baby girl… And I'm quite partial to soggy goldfishes."

"Seriously?" Danny asked, clearly disgusted.

"Hell no!" Lindsay laughed. "I don't know how it got back in there. I meant to throw it out last night."

"Oh." Danny sighed, relieved.

"Don't worry. You're still the world's greatest daddy."

"You sure?" Danny asked, a glint in his eye.

She nodded as she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist, as he encased her in a protective shield in his arms. "Positive."

"What am I like as a husband?"

She pressed a kiss to his jaw line, and squeezed him tight, as she stood up on her tiptoes and whispered; "When we're fifty, I will be the only person not trading her husband for two twenty five year olds… put it that way, honey."

"You make me feel so loved." He feigned hurt as she swatted him.

"Oh hush. Fishing for compliments, geez. Help me load this."

He sighed, but instantly started helping her anyway. Flashing her a smirk across the opened dishwasher, he blew her a kiss as he bent down to slip Amanda's Toot and Puddle plate into the rack.

"You know, Linds…" he paused as he got her attention. "I meant what I said… if you're not comfortable about going to the gym, you don't have to. I love you. Don't go thinking you've gotta lose any weight for me. And I'm not trying to be smart…"

"I know.." She smiled. "And I know you're choosing your words carefully too. And I appreciate it. Best husband in the world."

He smiled. "Least I know one of my girls loves me."

"Oh please." Lindsay laughed. "You know she loves you and worships you. You're her daddy."

As if on cue… Amanda walked into the kitchen and smiled. "Daddy! Guess what."

"What…" he laughed as he wiped his hands on his jeans and picked the toddler up.

"Me gots a joke for you, daddy."

"Alright…"

"My prince did come…" Amanda started. "Guess who he is."

"Who?" Danny pressed as he glanced at Lindsay quickly.

Amanda smiled as she prodded Danny's nose. "You."

"Me?"

Amanda nodded as she pulled out a little plaque from behind her back. "Mommy gave it me. She read it to me too, daddy."

"Oh yeah…" Danny smiled as he cast a smile at his wife. "So tell me what it says."

"Read it yourself!" She huffed. "I mean me just tolded you, daddy."

Danny smirked as he took the small plaque from her tiny hands… "'My prince did come… his name is daddy.' Where you get this, Linds?"

Lindsay smiled as she tapped her nose and continued to load the dishwasher.

Placing Amanda on the floor, and watching her pad away, he let out a small laugh. "She saw that in that Disney magazine and thought it'd sweeten me up so I'd get her a puppy. Am I right?"

Lindsay bit her lip, and avoided all eye contact.

"Lind-say… Baby... Lindsay, look at me..."

"Yes, fine!" She cried. "She wants to call the puppy Flack though, baby… it breaks my heart at how bad she wants a baby puppy."

"And next week it will be a baby goldfish… then a baby pony… and oh… there goes daddy's bank account."

"Think about it?" Lindsay suggested.

Danny sighed.

He already had.

The name Flack Messer was really starting to grow on him.

"We'll see." He smirked.

* * *

**I'm getting to hate these 'thanking' bits because it feels like I'm thanking y'all in a rank order - and I'm not. I absolutely adore every review, and i'm always :( when we're (when I say we're ... i mean I... it's always a team effort) listing you guys. I think next time i'm gonna try a different way of posting it! ANYWAY... LOL **

**Huge thank you to -**

twinkeyrocks

Petite Poppy

Rachel

gwen24

iheartcsinewyork

make tracks cowboy11

afrozenheart412

KTmac

Catty

Baby Jefer

vikkilynne93

madmush

Hypedupash

DantanaMM

sunshinesteph06

Delko'sGirl88

cindym30

Oura29

messermonroeforever125

edward-and-bella-forever

Courtney

MeredithandDerekfanforever

vampire16


	179. Whole New Kind Of Hero

**A/N: You know what... No, I have no A/N for this chapter. Be shocked. *giggles***

* * *

"Hey! Whoa, watch where you're swinging that freakin' thing, Monroe."

"Matter with you? Can't deal with the fact you're losing?"

"No, just the fact that I saw the AOL article about Christina what's-her-face smashing her hand on her lamp when she was playing with the Wii, and you're getting super excited. I don't fancy explaining to all our friends why I'm sporting a black eye 'cause you smacked me with the Wii remote while we were playing a brutal game of Tennis."

"Whatever," Lindsay smirked as she smacked the virtual Tennis ball back to Danny's character. "Suck it up and step it up then."

Danny stifled a laugh before drawing his arm back dramatically and swinging the oncoming ball with all his might, sending it way past Lindsay's character.

"I don't want to play anymore." Lindsay sighed as she threw her remote to the chair and stormed off out of the room.

"Sore loser." He smirked as his character, Dale jumped across the screen, chucking confetti in celebration of his win, as Linda, Lindsay's character stomped around.

"Hey Linds, Linda's just like you."

"Shut up!" She bellowed from the kitchen.

"Oh Dale, what are we going to do with our other halves?"

"I heard that!"

"So did Linda… She just smashed Dale with her bat."

Lindsay came running into the room. "Seriously?"

"No." Danny snorted. "But made you look."

"Die."

"That's not very nice."

"You suck."

"Again… That's not very nice, baby girl."

"You beat me." She sniffled dramatically. "I thought this was a nice way of us bonding and letting off some steam when we have some down time when the kids are asleep or whatever."

"How in the hell can we have down time while playing this? Down time for regular, none crazy people would be sitting together on the couch, sleeping like rocks because both of their children under three are asleep or quiet."

"We're not normal." she deadpanned instantly.

"This whole house is made of fruit loops. Every single one of us. I'm freakin' tellin' you."

Lindsay laughed as she fell onto the couch and rubbed her belly. "You think if I just breathe in constantly, It'll trick my body and it'll just make my fat disappear?"

"I think the idea is brilliant." Danny nodded as he lifted her legs up and sat next to her on the couch before laying her feet on his lap.

"You're also thinking of calling Bellevue and having them come get me for a little vacation, right…"

"And leave me to deal with Amanda? Please. As they're carting you away I'd be all, 'try and set me up a bed next to her, I'll be along in a bit.' That girl's mission in life is to make me insane. I tell you, if I never hear 'When is Flack Messer coming to live with us, daddy?' it'll be too damn soon - the freaking puppy has a name. I mean, my life is going to be hell until I walk through that door with a puppy."

"And this is just the first demand. Wait till it's the Lexus she's wanting, cause Lucy has one… or she wants to shop at the latest Hollister of the time because everyone else is shopping in there… And no one goes to places like Old Navy, where the prices are anything but astronomical, because 'it's lame' and 'people like you shop there, mom!'."

"Seems like we both have our own nightmares about the next sixteen years. Is it too late to sell her on the black market?" Danny asked. "Like really. I'm being dead serious here. Think someone would want her? I mean she's cute…. Sell her to a nice family. Rich… Or at least well off."

"She'd find her way back home." Lindsay teased. "And anyway, you'd miss her way too much."

Danny sighed. "Unfortunately."

"You know…" Lindsay started, "I was thinking earlier, how quiet of a baby Joshy is. I mean he fusses, don't get me wrong… We had the first initial crying meltdowns… But since then…"

"He's getting used to barricading himself in his room when Amanda's flailing about the latest drama."

"You're really freaking out about this, aren't you…" Lindsay asked, highly amused. "Like you're actually serious here."

Danny nodded. "As true as I am sitting here next to you… The girl is going to be the root cause of my grey hair."

"Baldness." Lindsay coughed. "Everyone sees that little cute bald patch right at the…"

"And… end of _that _conversation." Danny scoffed. "it's a hereditary condition for the record..."

"And obviously a hairy subject with you."

"That was just un-freaking-called for."

Lindsay bit her lip. "You know you liked it…"

Danny stared at her.

"Oh come on… Bald. Hairy… It was freaking awesome."

"Don't make me pin you down and show you how wrong you are."

"You wouldn't dare."

He raised his eyebrows. "Would you be willing to bet on that?"

"I bet your ass."

Danny wiggled his eyebrows as he flung himself across the distance between the two and pinned Lindsay to the couch wherein his fingers instantly started to tickle her sensitive sides.

"Dan! Come on! Dan!"

He completely ignored her desperate shrieks and giggles as she squirmed underneath him.

"Dan! Dan, baby! Please! I'm sorry!"

"Not listening" He roared with laughter as she flailed underneath his body, pinning her to their couch.

"Dan!" She cried. "Please!"

He continued his brutal assault on her sensitive sides of her stomach.

"DANIEL!" She cried. "FREAKING STOP IT!"

"Keep it down, wisebutt. The kids are sleeping."

"Get the hell off me then!" She cried. "Jesus!"

Without a moment's notice, he grabbed her arms lightly and pinned them above her head, and intertwining their fingers together as he placed soft and loving kisses to her lips, to which she deepened after enjoying his gentle loving for a moment or two.

She wiggled her hands free from Danny's protective hold, and slowly traced her fingertips, and rested them on the base of his neck, giving her the ability to pull him even closer to her, effectively intensifying their heat to their already steamy moment they were sharing.

"We need to stop."

Breathlessly, Lindsay pulled back and blinked at him. "huh?"

"This… we need to stop."

"Um, why?"

"Because when this happens…" He motioned between the both of them, "this happens…" he pointed to the bulge in his jeans. "And because you have another week and half to be cleared for mommy and daddy time, I don't think it's the best idea to continue such activities until we're both in the right place and protected like you know… Fort Knox… and you know, we're sure everything is okay with you… because that's what matters most."

"Wow… How much are you dying inside right now?" Lindsay asked as she sat up.

"Like you wouldn't believe." He sighed heavily. "But I know how emotional this shit can be…"

"Oh ever the romantic."

"I know how emotional this process of transition from pregnant mother to actual mommy can be… Like… you know… internally. And emotionally."

"I love how you re-read all those books I gave you when we had Amanda."

"Well you know, we can do _other_ things…"

Lindsay shrugged. "I…"

"I meant cuddle. Snuggle. Make out under the covers till we're breathless. I don't expect whatever it is you're thinking I'm expecting."

"Me spects Flack!"

"Why do I hear a baby girl's voice?" Lindsay asked the room.

"I hearded you giggling mommy, and me thoughts daddy was playing with somedyone udder than me's and me gots upset."

Danny looked up at his daughter, and Lickle bear as she stared down at him. "Daddy can play with mommy, baby girl. Daddy plays with mommy a lot."

Lindsay elbowed him.

"What daddy means is…" he glared at Lindsay. "that mommy and daddy have to giggle with each other sometimes so that we stay happy so we can be the best mommy and daddy for you and your brother. Which brings me back to mommy's question of, why can I hear a baby girl? We've cleared that up, so get your booty back upstairs to that bed of yours sweet pea."

"But…"

"Now." Lindsay said sternly. "Does mommy have to march you upstairs?"

"No mommy. But will you comed with me anyways?"

"Sure." Lindsay sighed as Amanda batted her eyelashes.

"Does daddy get a night night kiss?"

"Will Amanda get Flack in the morning?" Amanda pressed.

"It all depends on how good this kiss is, wiseass-butt. Wisebutt." Danny told her. "Let's see."

Amanda flung herself into Danny's arms and wrapped her arms around his neck as she sealed her tiny lips with his. Making a smacking noise as she pulled away, she giggled.

"Good?"

Danny shrugged. "Try it again…"

Amanda sighed and kissed him again. "Now?"

"Daddy'll see."

"Pinky sweared me!"

Danny took her pinky and latched them together, "Daddy will think about it tonight, alright…"

"Rweally?"

"Really, really." He nodded.

"YES!"

Lindsay jumped up off the couch, scooped Amanda into her arms and headed out of the living room. Leaving Danny to sit and ponder what the hell he had just done.

* * *

"Hey Beth… It's Danny." Danny sighed as he held his cell phone to his ear with the help of his shoulder as he pulled his Converse on. "I know it's been a while, but Linds and I could really do with running out for an hour… Is there anyway… You will? Oh Beth, you're a god send. Want me to come out… You're okay to walk twenty yards? Alright, just checking…" Danny laughed. "See you soon."

"I love that woman." Lindsay smiled as she fastened her matching pink Converse.

"She's definitely useful to have on hand. That's for sure."

"Are you sure about this?" Lindsay asked her husband. "Have you really, really thought about this? Like seriously."

"Do you really think I have had any chance to think of anything but this with her asking me twenty-four/seven?"

"True… But still, it's a big step…"

"Getting a puppy? Yes Lindsay… Big freaking step. Huge. Like crazy. I mean…"

"Alright… I get it…" She glared. "No need to make fun of me. I'm just saying I know how unsure you're of this."

"I think it could be a good idea… I've thought about it. She's naughty… We take away her playing with puppy privileges. Flack can sleep outside in his doghouse daddy will get for him. That way both Flack and Amanda suffer until she's a good girl again."

"And mommy will go outside and bring Flack in when Amanda goes to sleep."

"Exactly."

Lindsay suddenly burst out laughing.

"Linds… what the fuck..?"

Biting her lip, Lindsay snorted again. "I'm sorry just… oh my god…"

"What?"

"Picture this: I've had a meltdown at home, and put you on the phone to scold Flack… You say…" Lindsay snorted

"I see where this is going.""Bad Flack… naughty boy…" Failing to finish from her giggle fit, Danny sighed as he wiped away tears rolling down her cheek.

"At this point does real person Flack walk down the hallway, and not realise I'm on the phone, overhear the conversation and wail on me for being either retarded or perverted? Potentially a mix of both?"

Lindsay snorted.

"You hadn't thought of that." Danny observed. "And now you're picturing it." He summarised as Lindsay spluttered.

"Naughty Flack…" Lindsay managed., before dying laughing again.

"Go and get in the car you moron." Danny teased as he swatted her ass. "I'll wait here for Beth.."

* * *

"You're lucky," the teenage volunteer informed Danny and Lindsay as he led them to their area for dogs. "With us bein' a rescue shelter, we don't usually stay open for ya'know… people wantin' to adopt… on a Sunday."

"We have a daughter at home begging for a puppy." Lindsay explained. "We finally caved. It's a surprise."

"Got'cha." The teenager nodded, "Take yer time… I don't have to be home 'til like… 1am."

"Well, it's only a ten after eight… we won't be that long. Honest." Danny smirked at the craziness of the idea.

"Just sayin'." And with that, the kid disappeared.

"I presume we just take a look and go tell him which puppy we want?"

"Well, if we're lucky… it's a rescue shelter, babe."

"Either way… we're telling Amanda the dog's a puppy, right?"

"Absolutely." Danny laughed. "Here Amanda. Here's a dog. I asked for a puppy… yeah no thanks."

Lindsay missed everything Danny had said as she gazed down at the dog in the kennel stood next to them. "Poor thing." Lindsay sniffed as she bent down and offered the old dog her hand. "He's terrified."

"I bet Old Rover has had a hard life."

Lindsay snapped up and prodded Danny in the chest. "I want you to take this seriously."

"The… Linds… I…"

"No stupid names. No Rover or Rolf or Fetch…"

"Linds…"

"These dogs have feelings Danny, and some of them have been through things neither you or I could comphrehend, even with the job that we do."

"Linds…"

"And I think it's completely…"

"Linds!" He cried as he tried to cut her off again.

"What?"

"His name is actually Old Rover."

"What?"

"Look…" he pointed to the dog's name tag on the caged door. "Old Rover. You see that?"

Lindsay blushed. "I…"

Danny pressed a kiss to her temple and pulled her into his side. "What do you think of this little guy here?" Danny asked as he pulled her along the way to look at the next dog along.

"Where's his fur, baby?"

Danny bit his lip. "Remember that crazy dog Rachel bought on Friends that Gunther bought?"

Lindsay nodded slowly.

"Yeah… same kind."

Lindsay tugged Danny along quickly. "I think we'll know when we see the dog."

"Shall we not look at names then?"

Lindsay nodded as she dropped to her knees in front of the next kennel along. "Hey there little one… How's it hanging?"

Standing back as Lindsay wiggled her fingers through the wired kennels, Danny let out a slow breath as he watched her interact with the timid dogs and puppies. He always took just a second to watch a side of Lindsay that was new to him, and this Lindsay sat in front of him, albeit wasn't particularly new, considering he was well aware of her time on her parent's ranch growing up, he had never witnessed her, in what appeared to be her element.

"We should have brought the camera." Lindsay teased.

"Why? Cause it'll last longer?"

"Pretty much." She smirked as she turned around. "I'm surprised your eyes didn't burn me under that glare."

"How did you even know? You didn't turn around."

"I'm a mommy, I have eyes in the back of my head, and I know you. I can sense you around me… And I sensed you were looking at me."

"whatever." Danny teased. "What about Banjo?"

"He growled a few times… I mean, don't get me wrong, I want to save all of these guys, but… I just… I'm not sure whether a growling dog would be the best thing to take home."

Danny nodded. "What about this little guy here."

The dog barked, making Danny look at the name tag. "Sorry, girl… my bad."

Lindsay shrugged and turned as her attention was pulled to a kennel in the far back of the long room, with countless kennels facing each other on both sides. In the end one, she blinked a few times before dropping to her knees and whistling lightly getting the puppy's attention.

Danny caught up with Lindsay and knelt down next to her and smiled at the active puppy jumping around in his cage.

"He's adorable!" Lindsay gushed as the puppy licked her fingers. "Oh Danny… I… I'm in love. Baby, M&M… She'll freaking die."

"Shall I go get the kid…?"

"I want him." Lindsay said. "I don't mind what happened to him. I don't mind if I have to… just… go get the paperwork and…"

"Alright… chill out." Danny snorted as he scratched the puppy's head before standing up.

"Found one you's like?"

"Saves me a journey." Danny smiled. "Yeah," he answered the kid. "We wanna talk about adopting…" He glanced to the name tag. "Are you kidding me?"

"What?" Both Lindsay and the kid asked.

Danny knelt down and pulled Lindsay away from the puppy, and brought her back to her feet. He merely pointed at the name tag.

"Seriously? What? Are you kidding me?" She gasped. "is this… really?"

"What?" The kid gasped. "Seriously?"

"We'd like to adopt Flack." Danny smiled. "This little guy right here."

The kid smiled and nodded. "Six weeks ago he came to us, just two days old. Owner dumped him and his brother and sister on the bridge… Homicide detective brought them in. Since when Homicide detectives took it upon themselves to freaking do the whole pet rescue thing is beyond me, but whatever… Flack here was the only surviving one."

Both Danny and Lindsay looked at each other and merely smiled.

This was their puppy.

No if, ands or buts.

* * *

With the little bundle in her arm, Lindsay giggled as Flack wiggled up her body, desperately wanting to lick her face.

"Flack!" Lindsay cried. "Down boy! Come on now, don't make me put you in your box! Mommy will do that - you're cute… but baby, I'll…"

"Am I going to have nightmares of you calling Flack naughty?" Danny asked. "Like freaking seriously?" I am, aren't I?"

"Maybe we can arrange it so that when I say naughty, something other than Flack comes to mind."

Danny smirked. "I can get on board with that…Both things come into my head at the same time though, and I'm sorry it'll be me or the dog."

Lindsay giggled as their new puppy licked her cheek, effectively making her ignore Danny completely.

"Lindsay?" Danny chuckled. "You with me? Lindsay? Put the puppy down and listen to Danny… Lindsay…"

"Hmm?"

"You know… I think Amanda won't be the only one losing her Flack Messer privileges."

Lindsay scoffed as she snuggled the puppy to her chest. "Can we wake her up?"

"Lindsay…"

"Danny… Come on."

"Baby, there's no way. She won't go to sleep."

"But…"

"Don't make me stop this car, Lindsay Messer. I said no."

Lindsay sighed and stuck her tongue out at her husband. "I'm just excited."

"I know… The little guy's cute." Danny smiled as he rubbed Flack's ears. "And I mean come on… The one time Flack does something good for someone, we end up freaking adopting the puppy he saves. I like how that never came into conversation."

"Oh I see it now… Over a beer. 'So on the bridge today, I saw these puppies, and they were just so cute…" Lindsay smirked. "Please."

Danny sighed as he pulled into their driveway. "Linds, I'm begging you… Leave it till the morning. I'll come out here. You get her up and I'll carry Flack in. Alright?"

She sighed.

"You can stand at the bottom of the stairs with the camera,"

She sighed. "deal"

"You carryin' him inside?"

Lindsay nodded.

"You ever gonna put him down?"

Lindsay shook her head.

Danny killed the engine, and Lindsay jumped out, as she headed for the front door.

Leaving all of Flack's things in the SUV, Danny jogged across the front lawn after Lindsay as they headed into the house together.

Deciding she wanted to let Flack explore his surroundings, she placed the puppy on the floor. Instantly Flack took off for the stairs, and began to race up them.

"Oops." Lindsay gasped. "Flack, come here baby… Come here Flack."

"Flack. Get here." Danny growled. "Freakin' dog... I swear to God. Flack! Get your ass back here!"

The puppy completely ignored the pair as he continued his way up the stairs. The puppy turned his head and scurried off down the hallway.

"If he goes to Amanda's room… I'm calling Flack - the person, Flack… and telling him to take out the magnetic chips in our dog and our daughter because seriously…"

Danny failed to finish his sentence.

Screams from the upstairs bedroom drowned out anything he had planned to say.

"FLAAAACK!!!"

"So baby… about those magnetic chips?" Lindsay snorted. "It appears Flack and Amanda have officially met."

"Looks like the puppy found Amanda." Beth teased as she emerged from the hallway.

"Montana just said that." Danny laughed. The three adults looked up to Amanda who was now, stood at the top of the stairs, puppy in her arms.

"Daddy!" she cried tearfully. "I…"

Danny smiled. "I promised you, baby girl. Daddy doesn't break promises."

"You got me a baby puppy, daddy!" She cried. "Daddy!"

Lindsay smiled. "What do you think, honey? Shall we keep him?"

"I love him as much as I love daddy." Amanda gushed as she kissed the puppy's head. "Can we name him Flack daddy?"

Danny nodded. "That's his name, princess. The guy at the rescue place told me his name was Flack."

She gasped. "Rweally?"

"I kid you not baby girl."

Amanda disappeared down the hallway, presumably to her bedroom, puppy in tow.

"So we won't see her for another five years." Danny declared.

"Puppy's gotta eat." Beth smiled. "I'll go. Leave you two to… well… try get that kiddo to sleep."

"Wish us luck." Lindsay smiled. "Thank you, Beth."

"I told you, anytime sweetheart." Beth said as she placed a kiss to Lindsay's forehead. "Look after yourself."

"I will." Lindsay smiled as Beth closed the door behind her, letting Lindsay lock it.

Before she was able to turn around, she a arm wrapping itself around her legs and pulling her close. Looking down, she smiled at her daughter, who had the puppy held protectively in her other arm.

Quickly, Amanda moved and held her spare arm up at Danny, indicating she wanted to be picked up, to which he complied.

"What do you think then… Did daddy come through for you?"

Amanda pulled his face close to her, so that their noses were touching. "Daddy… you're my hero!" she cried, showering him with kisses, all the while careful of her new puppy, still wrapped in her arms.

And in that moment, he knew he had made the right decision. Without a doubt. .And no feeling in the world could beat it… Not even the puppy licking his face.

He was his little girl's hero.

And in that moment, that was all that mattered.

* * *

**Heheheh! Who thought I was bringing in PuppyFlack so soon, huh? Don't worry about the descriptions - i'm working that into next chapter! I promise. I know I wasn't exactly forthcoming with any info about Flack, but it's all part of my master plan. **

**It's 4.30 am... I need to haul my ass off to bed like now - before I ramble more fruit loopness. **

**You guys always make my day with your lovely reviews. Seriously. You make writing this as fun as what it is... Even when I go off on complete tangents - like naming puppies Flack! Like come on! **

**Anyway**

**Thank you to: **

twinkeyrocks

Kerrie

gwen24

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Baby Jefer

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cindym30


	180. Getting To Know You

**A/N: Take two on this one. First one didn't save. Gr. So, I totally suck at updating this. In my defence however - I got into college/university officially on Thursday - so we had some celebrating to take care of! **

**However, as a belated birthday present to Gwen who has been kicking my lazy butt when it comes to this story - here we go! finally!**

* * *

"They're gonna get me, you know that right?" Danny sighed as he pressed a kiss to Joshua's temple as he held his son in his arms, before shifting the diaper bag securely on his shoulder. "You know that, don't'cha?"

Lindsay turned from her position as she crouched on the floor demonstrating to Amanda which button in the elevator to press. "You know they won't do that."

"Yeah, sure," Danny snorted sarcastically. "They see the Messers in the lab – it'll be 'oh, Detective, can you just sign this off – oh, Danny… come and see what you think this is… Danny, can I have a word…?'."

"Oh lighten up." Lindsay shot him a look. "It's a flying visit, babe."

Danny sighed.

Shaking her head in annoyance at her husband, Lindsay turned and retook her position, crouched on the floor, next to Amanda. "Now sweetie, what are we going to do once we get to our floor?"

"Walk." Amanda giggled.

Lindsay nodded. "Next to who?"

"You and daddy." She nodded.

"No matter…"

"Who we see-ed." Amanda nodded. "Me knows mommy. Me knows."

"I'm just checking." She informed her daughter. "I know what you're like."

Amanda grinned.

Lindsay glanced up at the floor indicator. "Alright baby, give me your ha-…"

Before Lindsay could even finish her sentence, the elevator doors had opened and Amanda was off the elevator.

"Run Flack! RUN!"

Wrapping the puppy's leash tighter around her little hand, Amanda raced to her Grandpa's office, Flack ahead of her, both of them bounding down the hallway to the amusement of all those around.

"I'm gonna kill her!" Danny growled as they watched her disappear at the end of the hallway and turn left, heading for Mac's office.

Lindsay grabbed his hand and tugged him off the elevator. "Let's just hope and pray Josh isn't as energetic."

"You can say that again." Danny moaned. "Whose idea was it to have kids?"

Lindsay shot him a look. "Watch it cowboy. Come on."

Meanwhile, Amanda gazed down the hallway her lips pursed as she tried to figure out which room her Grandpa was usually in.

_Red and white blankie_, she thought to herself. _Grandpa has the blankie hunged up. _

Looking for the American Flag that resided in Mac's office, Amanda's eyes fell on it and she smiled as she spied her Grandpa entering his office from the other hallway across the way. She tugged on Flack's leash and smashed into the door, heaving it open.

"GRANDPA!!!!" The little girl cried.

"Amanda? Where are mommy and daddy – and who's that? Which unsuspecting civilian did you steal that poor puppy from?"

"He mine, Grandpa!" Amanda squealed as she threw Flack's leash on the floor and held her arms up while she jumped up and down, indicating to Mac that she wanted to be picked up. "I missed you!!"

"I missed you too, sweetheart, but honey – where's mommy and daddy?"

She shrugged.

"And who might this puppy be?"

"So," A voice said from the door. "When mommy said 'we hold mommy's hand and don't run like a hooligan through the crime lab, that really meant completely ignore everything mommy said and run with a puppy through a dangerous lab like a hooligan, isn't that right, Amanda?"

Amanda twisted quickly in Mac's arms. "Flack made me, mommy. I tolded him no, but he just didn't listen to his mommy."

Danny raised his eyebrows. "So when I heard 'run Flack, run! That was my ears playing tricks on me?"

Amanda nodded.

"Wait a second," Mac interjected. "Who's Flack? Our Flack? Detective Flack with Homicide? Why was he running through the crime lab with a puppy?"

Amanda, Danny and Lindsay pointed to the puppy on the floor before continuing their conversation.

"Amanda," Lindsay's tone of voice warned her daughter. "Make a decision here…"

Amanda's bottom lip quivered. "I just really wanted to see Grandpa."

Mac let out an 'aw', to which Danny and Lindsay both shot him a glance, making his face fall instantly.

"Amanda, we should listen to mommy and daddy." Mac backed up the two frustrated parents. "Your mommy, daddy and I have told you numerous times that we need to walk in the crime lab. It's dangerous around here, honey, and we don't want you to get hurt – you need to be a big girl and walk. And if you can't walk then I don't think you can come and visit me anymore, because I can't have little girls running around with dangerous chemicals, can I?"

Amanda shook her head sadly, tears threatening to fall. "I just wanted to showed you my baby, Grandpa."

Mac looked at Danny and Lindsay, "She has a new doll?"

Danny chuckled. "I wish… No, she's a new mom… to a puppy."

As if on cue, Flack let out a tiny bark.

"And you've named him…"

"FLACK!" Amanda cried.

"Hey honey!"

The occupants of the room turned to the door. As realisation set in Danny, Lindsay and Mac began to laugh.

"Uncle Flack! Meet puppy Flack Messer!" Amanda cried, clapping her hands in excitement.

Doubled over in laughter, Danny glanced up at his best friend, "I… told... you… I… would."

Flack moved into the room and crouched next to the puppy, who recognised the homicide Detective instantly. The puppy stood on its hind legs, resting his paws on Flack's knees and attempted to lick his face.

"Which wiseass named him Flack?"

"The shelter, actually," Lindsay smirked, still trying to control her laughter. "Hand to God. Nice story behind it actually. Apparently a homicide Detective rescued a small litter on the bridge and took them to the shelter; sound familiar, Flack?"

Flack paled, but straightened up and scoffed at her laughing at him. "It was my good deed for the day."

"I'll make sure it goes in your personnel file," Mac smirked as he set Amanda on the floor. "I see it in the headlines now. 'Big bad Homicide Detective saves puppies.' It has a lovely ring to it, don't you think, Flack?"

"Surely you have work to do, Mac," Flack scoffed as he pressed a kiss to Amanda's temple, as she climbed onto his knee and pet her puppy as he licked her hand. "As for you two clowns… What the hell are you doing in work when you have time off to be with my godson?"

"Introducing the two new additions," Danny smirked.

"Bull," Flack stopped himself from adding the latter part of the word, "You wanted to stand in the break room hollering Flack so that everyone could see a puppy run towards you."

Danny smirked.

"Sleep with one eye open." Flack glared. "Both of ya's… I know you were in on this too, _Montana_," Flack teased lightly with a horrific imitation of Danny's drawl of the same word. "You're there standing all innocent – I know what this is… And I'll get ya for it."

Both Danny and Lindsay cracked up in laughter as Flack placed Amanda on the floor, stood up and took Joshua from Danny's arms.

"How are you surviving in that clown house, buddy? Huh? Hasn't mommy and daddy driven you crazy yet?"

"Um, excuse me," Lindsay scoffed, attempting to act serious; "Amanda is sane, thank you very much."

"That much is debatable," he teased lightly as he glanced down to the toddler rolling over with the puppy on the floor.

"He's a Labrador, isn't he?" Mac commented.

Danny nodded. "If he didn't suit Flack so much," Danny paused as he put emphasis on looking at the person Flack, "We woulda called him Chocolate. Don't'cha think he looks like a Hershey bar?"

"And we definitely know he's a boy?" Mac asked, glancing at Flack with a smirk. "Not a girl, named Flack."

"No, it's all in his paperwork." Lindsay sighed, "Which is a shame."

"Watch it, Monroe." Flack glared as he bounced Joshua slowly against his chest.

"Oh please, I could kick your butt from here to next week and you know it." She smirked. "I'm awesome like that."

"How old is he?" Mac asked.

"Six weeks." Flack muttered.

Danny snorted. "He's counted the days since he did his last good deed."

"And cue my exit." Flack scoffed. "I'm abducting my godson for an hour, we're gonna go run up your cell phone bill while we call China."

"Friends playing in the break room?" Lindsay asked hopefully.

Flack shrugged. "It's probably changed over now. I think Nick was in there last time I looked."

Lindsay nodded.

"What are we supposed to do for an hour?" Danny asked. "Sit here and twiddle our thumbs?"

Mac hesitated. "Adam could use a hand…"

Danny turned and glared at his wife. "Look. See, look what you two did. You insisted I brought you guys and look, boss man over here has me working." He said, gesturing to Mac.

"It's only for an hour," Lindsay reasoned. "And they could really do with our help…"

Danny sighed. "Ugh, where is he?"

"DNA," Mac said with a satisfied smile.

"Aww, come on Mac. Isn't there any ballistics for me to get on with?"

Mac shook his head. "Rape case, I'm sorry Danny."

"No you're not." Danny stretched and swung his neck from side to side effectively cracking it before cracking his knuckles. "One hour."

"You're a lifesaver." Mac smiled at him.

"I'll go see if Nick needs any help." Lindsay smiled as she knelt on the floor. "Is she alright to stay with you, Mac?"

Mac nodded. "I'm not planning on going anywhere, she's fine here."

Lindsay nodded. "I want you to be a good girl, baby, alright?" Lindsay told her daughter. "No monkey business. No snacks. You just had lunch. So don't go bribing Grandpa with kisses like you did last time…"

Amanda turned and shot a look at Mac, "You pinky swored you wouldn't tattle, Grandpa!"

"Mommy twisted my arm, honey." Mac said, trying to conceal his amusement.

Amanda sighed and rolled her eyes as she faced her mother. "Me promise. No monkey business."

"Pinky promise…" Lindsay said, wiggling her pinky.

"Mommy!" Amanda cried.

"Pinky promise!"

Amanda latched onto her mother's pinky with her own and kissed it. "'Dere. See. Me promise."

"Be good Flack," Lindsay smirked as she rubbed the puppy's ears. "Never gets old, you know…"

"What, being a mom?"

"No." Lindsay snorted as she brushed down her clothes. "Finding new ways to wind man Flack up."

Mac was still laughing when he saw Lindsay disappear into the break room.

* * *

"Hello Stranger!" Nick cried as he dropped his paperwork on the table he was sat at and went to hug Lindsay. "How's it going? What are you doing here?"

"We came in for a visit, but my family was abducted by members of the lab, so I decided to see whether you needed any help."

"Wanted to see what was on TV?"

Lindsay nodded and shoved him playfully out of the way as she sat on the couch. "ER? Meh, I'll take it."

"Good, cause I have the remote." He teased. "How's it going then?"

"Shhhh! Noah Wyle!" she cried, gesturing to the TV.

Nick rolled his eyes. "Oh god, you're one of them…"

She flailed in her seat and whined dramatically. "NIIICK!"

"Alright, alright… Jeez." He fell silent for a moment as he watched the TV. "Looks cold there, don't it?"

She turned and glared at him, eyes wide.

"I'm just saying." He shrugged.

She shook her head as she turned back to the TV. "Nick, I love you, you know that right?"

Nick nodded, "Yeah, sure… why?"

"So don't make me hurt you."

He snorted.

"Ah!" she held her hand up. "See, look what you did. Commercial."

"Oh, yeah…" Nick rolled his eyes as he grabbed his pen. "My bad – what with me being the TV network dictating what time the breaks come on…"

Lindsay stood up and headed over to the fridge. "Want a drink?"

"A coffee would be awesome if you don't mind."

She dumped out the cold liquid remaining in the coffee pot, and began to make a fresh batch. "What case are you working on?"

He sighed. "Rape case. Adam's running some DNA for me now."

"Ha," Lindsay laughed. "And Danny's helping him."

"Sucks for Danny." Nick smirked.

"Need any help with anything?"

He shrugged. "Not really, I think I have everything down. Or at least, as much as I can before I get the results back from the fifty million tests I needed to run."

Lindsay nodded as she moved across to where Nick was sat and sat next to him. She picked up the crime scene pictures. "Brutal."

Nick nodded. "Go to the third picture and have a look. What do you think about that one?"

Lindsay's stomach flipped. "Oh god, he obviously got her from behind – he slashed her throat, right?"

Nick sat back on the couch and stared at her, "What makes you say that?"

"Well," she started as she laid the photo on the table, "take a look at the arterial spray against that wall. From the pattern, it's clear he came up from behind her – it's a clear spray – there's no obstructions, and there is no way he would have been able to cut her throat like this-" Lindsay paused as she grabbed another photo of the victim's injuries. Running her finger across the slice, she continued "if he hadn't done it from behind… Why did you not think he had?"

"Honestly, analysing those photos was my next job."

"Well, didn't Sid say the same?"

"I've not been down to see him yet, he's backlogged with a triple that came on the night shift."

"Got'cha." Lindsay nodded. "Well, you can be nice and well informed when you go down." She paused. "I mean I don't know whether that is actually what happened but…"

"No," Nick nodded, "What you've said makes perfect sense – I think you're right."

She smiled, "Anything to help ya." She pushed up off the couch using his knee as a helper, "Milk and two sugars?"

Nick nodded. "What are you having?"

"Tea," She smiled. "Stella always keeps us stocked."

"Stella and her tea," Nick laughed. "S'on Linds…"

Lindsay turned, making her hair whip her face as her eyes gazed at the TV, watching the scene unfold in front of her, her eyes widened as she looked to Nick, who was looking at the crime scene photos. She looked back to the TV and then to Nick again.

Able to feel Lindsay's eyes on him, Nick glanced up at her and smirked, "Can I help you?"

"You were on ER?" She cried incredulously.

Nick stared at her, "What the hell is in that tea, Linds?"

Lindsay pointed at the TV… speechless.

"That's not me..." Nick snorted, "Have you _heard_ his accent?"

"Um... I beg to differ... Unless you've got a twin, Nick – that's you!"

"Linds, come on now – that's not me,"

"It's you," she cried. "It's you!"

"No it isn't. We all have someone we look like. You look like that Rossi girl from that cancelled NBC show... What was it?"

"Medical Investigations," Lindsay sighed. "SUCH a good show."

"And Flack looks like..."

"Tag from Friends..." Lindsay finished.

"And I look like..." Nick pointed to the screen. "Him from ER… _apparently_ - personally, I don't see the resemblance."

"See what resemblance?" Hawkes asked as he made his way into the break room.

Both Lindsay and Nick flailed at the screen. Then, they both spoke at the same time, bombarding Hawkes.

"She thinks I look like…"

"He says he doesn't…"

"Alright, I'm gonna need that in English." Hawkes said, cutting them off. "Lindsay, what's going on? Who does Nick look like?"

"Greg Powell." Lindsay cried. "Look Hawkes… Look at him."

Hawkes glanced at Nick, and then back to the actor on screen. He raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Sorry man, she's right. You do look a whole lot like him."

"I can't win with you two, can I?" Nick sighed dramatically.

Both Lindsay and Hawkes shook their heads adamantly.

"You're insufferable." He glared at the both of them.

They both shook their heads dramatically, smirks displayed across their faces.

"You're winding me up for the fun of it, aren't you?"

Both nodded.

"Karma will bite you guys in the ass, you know that right?"

Hawkes shrugged. "Hopefully sooner than later, right Linds?"

She nodded. "You wanna kill us yet, Nicky."

"No." he shuddered. "I'd have Danny to deal with then. I can't imagine he'd be too impressed."

"What can I say?" Lindsay laughed as she flicked her hair. "He adores me."

* * *

Across the lab, Danny gazed into the break room as he watched Lindsay laugh hysterically with Nick and Hawkes as they pointed at the TV.

"I'm'a kill her," He grumbled as he squirted some distilled water onto some evidence. "I'm'a gonna do it!"

Adam laughed nervously. "You don't mean that, right?"

Danny shot him a look. "Of course I don't, moron. I'm just sayin'."

"Good, cause you know… I like Lindsay."

"Yeah, I like her too, when she's not having me work when I'm on paternity leave. Do you know how long I fought to get a month off to spend time with my family?"

"Is that even possible? A whole month?"

"When your boss is the godfather to your adorable two year old daughter, anything is possible."

"I'll make a note of that. Mac as little Adam Junior's godfather."

Danny sighed as he ran his fingers through his messy hair. "I can't even imagine how I am going to get through my first shift, Adam. I mean I'm exhausted already and I've been sat here for twenty minutes."

"Why, things tough at home?"

Danny shrugged. "Flack was up half the night barking."

Adam spluttered. "Sorry, WHAT?! Flack was doing, WHAT?"

Danny laughed, realising that Adam hadn't been in Mac's office when he and Lindsay had explained everything. "We got Amanda a puppy, named him Flack."

Adam snorted, "Does Flack know this?"

"He abducted my son and is currently running up my cell phone bill calling China as payback."

"So he took it well then?" Adam mused.

"Oh, I'd say so." Danny snorted sarcastically. "So yeah, Flack was barking all fuckin' night. I like him, but Jesus, he's a dumb dog. Then Josh decided that he wanted to stay up all night crying. Lindsay was exhausted, so daddy was up all night with Josh and the stupid dog."

"You're a huge fan of the puppy then?"

"Don't get me wrong, he's a sweet little puppy. Loving and he adores Amanda. I feel save with him with her… But, when its daddy taking him for a walk, daddy feeding him and daddy getting him to go to sleep at 3AM, daddy isn't exactly a big fan."

"Blame Flack." Adam shrugged.

"Oh, I am." Danny nodded as he stood up to head to the GCMS machine.

"And I bet daddy is frustrated too."

Danny turned. "What do you mean by that?"

Adam raised his eyebrows. "Well you know, Lindsay's not carrying a ten tonne Messer baby anymore…"

"I'm so not having this conversation with you, Adam." Danny informed his friend. "Like… there's no way."

"But it's true. You have to be frustrated, right?"

Danny sat back on his stool. "Okay, my day. 6AM, Josh wakes up and he wants feeding, so I wake up then to help Linds and talk to her while she nurses him. Put him back to sleep. 7.30AM Amanda comes into our room and wants breakfast. Daddy gets up to does that; I let Linds stay in bed for as long as humanly possible. Then, Josh wakes up, so the day starts. We go about the daily activities; lunchtime comes round… I get Lunch ready. Amanda doesn't eat the lunch I've made for her because she wants her mom to do it. So Linds has to rearrange everything on the plate without Amanda seeing. Then, I sit for twenty minutes with Josh feeding him his bottle that Linds had ready for him in the fridge. Then it's my lunchtime. I don't get to eat that because Amanda spies something she wants, eats half of it, and then decides she doesn't actually like it. Then it's naptime. So that's when daddy tidies up the house as Lindsay tries to get Amanda to go to sleep for at least a half an hour so that she won't be the world's bitchiest toddler for the rest of the afternoon. That gives me about fifteen minutes to sit and close my eyes, before I get two knees in my lap, asking if I'll colour with her. So we break out the colouring books. Soon enough, dinnertime comes round, and that's a fun affair, let me tell ya… Then we watch a movie. Then it's bath and bedtime for the kids. There's screaming and crying usually, then once that's done. Both kids are asleep. Linds and I play the Wii for a little bit to attempt to spend some time together before I hear 'Daddy' from the top of the stairs…. Amanda wants a drink. So mommy takes it up, but she wants daddy. Daddy takes it, she wants mommy. She goes back to bed… We fall asleep on the couch. One of us stirs, and drags the other to bed. By 3AM it's time to feed Josh again. So daddy's up for that because I don't like leaving Linds to do it on her own– then we get to sleep from 3AM till 6AM. If you can find time for us to have fifteen minutes of uninterrupted sex then I'll give you a million dollars."

Adam blinked.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Danny laid his head on the work surface. "Adam?"

"Mhmm?"

"Never have kids. They ruin your sex life."

Adam snorted. "Buddy?"

"Yeah?"

"You have issues." Adam observed. "Hang in there, it'll fall into place by the time Josh is six weeks old and you and Linds can actually you know..."

"I might hold you to that."

"Worse comes to the worse," Adam shrugged, "I can take them out for an hour one afternoon, you two can sleep – or if you don't want me and my clumsy butt to take them I'm sure Mac, Hawkes, Nick, Stella or Flack would take them. You're not alone, you know…"

"But they're our kids, we don't…"

"We love them too, Danny. We'd love to spend the afternoon with them once a month on a day off. Even if it's just for an hour. You should think about that. You have all these people willing to help you guys. Use them."

Danny shrugged. "Linds and I don't want to put upon you guys when you all pick up the slack for us all the time an'…"

"Just think about it, alright? I may be the most socially awkward person-slash-scientist you've ever met, but I'm awesome when it comes to your kids. If you need a hand Danny, we all have two to spare."

Danny patted Adam on the back. "Thanks buddy."

"Why don't you go home?" Adam suggested. "I've got a bit of a boost with this now with the stuff you've done… Maybe with them being out at the lab today the excitement will knock them out for a while."

Danny shrugged, "I guess…"

"So go on…" Adam said, pulling the stool away from Danny. "Go find your wife and go to sleep."

Danny nodded. "You sure?"

"Positive." Adam nodded.

"I owe you buddy." Danny nodded. "I might take you up on that babysitting gig,"

Adam smirked, "For you, I'll even waiver my charges."

"Wiseass."

* * *

"And that, Joshua is how you get Jessica Angell to blush," Flack smirked down at his godson that was resting on his chest. "A big bad homicide Detective and an iddy biddy tiny baby snuggled together..."

"I heard that," Jess smirked from behind him. She bent down and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "You thought I was out of ear shot?"

"And this, Joshua is how you don't get busted by Jessica Angell." Flack joked. "Sorry,"

"It's alright," Jess smiled as she sat on Flack's immaculately neat desk. "I actually thought it was kind of cute."

"Well," Flack smirked. "Wanna hold him?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Angell teased as she held her arms out.

"It hurts me in the heart how much this kid looks like his father."

"Well Flack, you did say that fling you had with Lindsay was a one time deal. I know it only takes one time, but it always takes you two or three times to actually get something so the chances were…"

Flack shook his head. "If you didn't have him in your arms, I would be takin' you to the gym right now an' showin' you a beatin'."

"Ooh, fighting talk." Jess teased as she rocked Joshua in her arms and pressed a kiss to the baby's temple.

"You look good with a kid," Flack smirked as he leant back in his chair.

She glanced up and snorted. "Please. I also look good in vests, so you keep tellin' me."

He raised his eyebrows. "Well… I'm not gonna lie."

"End of conversation, Don." Jess glared at him. "We don't want to corrupt him just yet."

"Please," Flack snorted. "Daniel will have Lindsay pregnant within the year. He can't keep his hands off of her."

"He reminds me of someone in that case…" Angell smirked.

"Who?"

Angell and Flack turned to the door of Flack's office. "Speak of the devil," Flack smirked.

Danny raised his eyebrows. "Is that why my ears are burning?"

"Unless someone else is talkin' about you too," Jess smiled. "He's beautiful Mess…"

"Handsome." Danny corrected as he took his son. "I've been through this with Lindsay, my boy is not pretty, cute, beautiful or any of the other girly words you use to describe us."

Angell rolled her eyes. "Ruin our fun, why don't you?"

"Is my cell phone bill sky high yet?" Danny asked, directing his question at Flack.

"A voice talked me out of it,"

Danny smirked, "I told ya Flack, it's not good to listen to those voices in your head."

"Look, bud." Flack growled. "I do think you've made quite enough fun of me today. I suggest you pull a Houdini before I whack you myself."

"In that case, call me Houdini." Danny smirked as he turned on his heel, "Anyways, I gotta go pick Flack up. I'm sure Amanda's puppy is all tired out."

Angell blinked as Danny shut the door. "I'm gonna need an ex-…"

"You're not gettin' an explanation," Flack grumbled as he cut her off. "All I'm sayin' is I'm gonna kill him."

Jess nodded. She'd get it out of him later.

* * *

"What's dis?"

"That's a paw," Mac explained as he took hold of Flack's little paw and wiggled it, making the puppy wag his tail excitedly, despite him sat on his butt.

"What does it do?"

"It let's Flack walk. You know how you have your feet?"

Amanda looked to her feet and wiggled her toes. "Yeah?"

"Well, you use your feet to walk, don't you?"

"I thoughted I used my legs?"

"Well, it's all connected." Mac sighed. "You're awfully smart for a little girl, M&M."

She grinned, "I wisten to mommy, a lot."

"And that's good, sweetheart." Mac praised. "What are these?" He asked as he took hold of Flack's ears and rubbed them.

"Ears," Amanda giggled. "He listens to me tell him what to do with them, wike I wisten to my mommy."

Mac smiled as he pulled Amanda onto his lap as they sat on his office floor. "Now, what are we going to say to mommy if she asks what we did today?"

"We played a game with Flack."

"Where?"

"Not Central Park." Amanda said with wide eyes, "Cause we didn't go and play dere, did we?" She attempted to wink.

"I've never heard of Central Park." Mac smiled as he returned the wink.

"What about when she asks if Flack went potty?"

"We took him to the potty. You can tell her that, M&M."

"Just not about the M&M's we ate, right?"

Mac nodded. "We keep that between us, right?"

Amanda nodded and wiggled her pinky in front of Mac. Mac latched onto it, and kissed Amanda's pinky. "Now you."

"You HAVE to pwomise me that you won't tattle, Grandpa. Double kiss it!"

Mac kissed her pinky again before wrapping her up in his arms and tickling her, making her forget about the promise.

"PWOMISE!" Amanda squealed as she wiggled away from him. "Make him promise, puppy!"

Flack jumped onto Mac's knee and licked Mac's face as an attempt to save Amanda.

"Some guard dog you would be," Mac smirked as he rubbed Flack's belly. "I would hope that if I was kidnapping Amanda you'd-…"

Unable to finish his sentence, Mac was interrupted by Flack growling at him. "I'm kidding." He assured the puppy. "I'm not going hurt her; but I'm glad I know where we stand on that front..."

Flack jumped off Mac's knee and went over to Amanda's discarded Converse. Grabbing the shoes by the tiny laces, he dragged the shoes to Amanda and plonked them down in front of her and sat panting as he waited for her to put them on.

"Me can't do it yet, Flack." Amanda sighed. "I too little."

Flack tilted his head and let out a little whimper.

"Grandpa!" Amanda cried. "My toes are cooooold!"

"Come here then, let me put your shoes back on."

"You come here," She giggled.

"No, you come here." Mac said, trying to hide the amusement from his face.

"But Grandpa," Amanda sniffed with her bottom lip pouted, "P'ease?!"

Sighing, Mac shifted across his office floor and picked up Amanda's pink Converse. "The things I do for you, kiddo."

She grinned and wiggled her toes as Mac tried to slip her feet into her shoes. "If you want them on, you need to stop wiggling."

The office door opened and both Amanda and Mac turned to face Lindsay smiling. "Hi guys."

"MOMMY!" Amanda cried as she flung herself up and crawled over Mac before running to her mother. "I missed you, mommy!"

"I missed you too, sweetie," Lindsay smiled as she picked her daughter up, "but I was only like two seconds away."

Amanda shrugged.

"You ready to go, honey?"

Amanda nodded, one shoe on, one shoe off.

"Have you been a good girl?"

Amanda pointed at Mac, "Tell her Grandpa."

Mac nodded in agreement. "She's been an angel, as usual."

Lindsay rubbed noses with her daughter. "Has Flack been potty?"

Amanda nodded. "Me and Grandpa tooked him potty. He was a good boy too."

"Good." Lindsay smiled. "And did we pester anyone for a snack?"

Amanda shook her head. "Not even one M&M, right Grandpa."

"Right." Mac nodded. "We didn't even have a M&M."

"We had lots." She whispered to Mac.

Pretending she hadn't heard, Lindsay bit her lip as she smiled at Amanda's innocence. "Well, that's good. Mommy's proud that you were a good girl and that Grandpa listened to everything mommy said to him, isn't that right, Grandpa?"

Mac nodded slowly as he cleared his throat and averted his eyes.

"Mommy, I so sleepy."

Glancing at her watch, Lindsay nodded, "Well it's way past your naptime honey. Let's get you home… Maybe we could have a nice bath and then go to sleep – have an early night?"

Amanda yawned as she rested her head on Lindsay's shoulder, letting her eyes flutter shut.

Lindsay shifted the little girl in her arms, ever so slightly as she took the leash that Mac was handing her. "Lindsay, I'm sorry about…"

"Mac, I couldn't care less. You got her to go to sleep. You could give her anything and I wouldn't care. I appreciate you watching her."

He waved it off. "It was for an hour; it was nothing."

"An hour where I got to have adult conversation with my friends," Lindsay whispered, cautious of not waking Amanda up. "While they were all on the clock, which you allowed..."

"Sometimes life doesn't revolve around work." Mac shrugged.

Lindsay leaned towards him and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "We'll call you."

Mac nodded as he pressed a kiss to Amanda's temple. "Tell Danny thank you for helping out today."

Lindsay smiled as she tugged on Flack's leash lightly and headed out of the office.

* * *

"Come on then my two Romeos… Let's get this show on the road," Lindsay whispered as she opened the back seat of the SUV, and helped Flack up, all the while mindful of Amanda in her arms.

"She asleep?" Danny asked from the driver's side as he peered into the back seat, watching Flack as he settled on the floor of the backseat.

"Out like a light." She smiled as she carefully strapped her daughter into her car seat. "What about Josh, did it take him long?"

Danny laughed as he started the engine. "He was fighting it for a good while but eventually he was like, 'fuck it' and went to sleep on me."

Lindsay shot him a look that just earned her a smirk from her husband. "Dollar for that swear jar. Surely we have Amanda's tuition for college covered now? We can start on Josh now."

Danny smirked as she carefully closed the door and walked round to her side of the SUV and climbed in. "Watch it, wisebutt. I could just sell you and get Joshua's tuition in one go. I'm sure someone would give me all of fifty bucks for you."

She turned in her seat with her mouth open.

Danny instantly regretted it due to the look on her face. "Please don't slug me, please? I love you, baby. I do, I swear!"

She turned and crossed her arms over her chest in a huff. "You'll be in a shock if you think its fifty dollars for college tuition, honey."

"I say I'm gonna sell you and you throw me a wiseass snip?"

She shrugged. "I wouldn't hurt you like you hurt me."

He turned to see if she was serious, but he saw the first signs of a smirk form on her lips. "You're mean," he told her, "You know that?"

"But you love me," she smirked.

He sighed as he shifted in his seat, and turned to look out of the back window, with his hand rested on her head rest. "Unfortunately for me, I do."

She smacked his arm as she scrunched her face up. "You're not even getting a goodnight kiss tonight."

"It's a good job as well, considering you have another month before you're cleared for mommy and daddy time. It's the whole Pringles effect when I kiss you babe, once we start, I can't stop."

Lindsay snorted. "Oh, how I love your jokes."

"My bad jokes," Danny added with a smirk.

"Hey," she giggled; her arms in the air in surrender. "You said it,"

"You do know those two knuckleheads probably won't sleep tonight, right?"

Lindsay shrugged, "I wouldn't be so sure about that. I think Amanda will be pretty much gone after she's had her dinner – Mac did a fantastic job of exhausting her. And Josh? Well… who knows with your kid?"

"I love how he's my kid." Danny scoffed. "Never yours when he's not sleepin' or not nursin', I mean that right there suggests he's your kid, cause we both know that if you gave me that opportunity I would…"

"Have your wife beg you not to finish that sentence?" Lindsay pleaded.

Danny leaned over and kissed her cheek before he pulled out from the parking garage onto New York's busy streets.

Lindsay sighed, "I'm sorry that you have to wait for us to…"

Danny cut her off as he placed a hand on her knee and squeezed it playfully. "I'll wait as long as you want me to, honey. It makes very little difference to me. Sure, I love that part of our relationship, but I get it, and I respect you, and I'm not gonna…"

Lindsay leant across the console between them and placed a kiss to his soft kiss to his cheek.

"What was that for?" He asked with an amused look as he eased out into the traffic.

She shrugged. "'Cause…"

He smiled. "Cause you love me?"

She winked at him and leant over to squeeze his knee cap, "I love you… so much so I might just well show you how much toni-…"

"Mommy do you love me?"

"Baby girl, I thought you were sleeping." Danny coughed as he looked up into the rear view mirror.

"I was," Amanda yawned. "But me woked up now…"

"I see that."

"Yup, and me gonna be up ALL night, will you stay up with me daddy?"

Danny shared a look with Lindsay and cleared his throat. "Mommy and I are going to sleep early tonight. We're super sleepy. We were thinking of having a contest. See who could go to sleep first. The person that goes to sleep first wins a prize of their choice. How does that sound?"

Amanda's eyes widened. "Could me gets a pink outfit for Flack if I winned?"

"Well the winner gets to pick whatever they want, but only if they go to sleep first."

"Who will know who winned?" Amanda asked, with a puzzled look on her face.

"Well, the loser who is the last person to go to sleep of course." Lindsay butted in. "So they will see who went to sleep first, right daddy?"

"Right mommy," Danny nodded. "So what do you think, baby girl? Wanna play?"

Lindsay turned in her seat to see Amanda's reaction, and let out a small laugh as she gazed into Amanda's car seat. The little girl had her head against the side of the car seat, with her eyes closed, emitting an exaggerated snore.

"I think Amanda might have won so far, Daddy." Lindsay giggled, loud enough for Amanda to hear, "But we'll have to see what happens after dinner. I mean… see if she does actually win the pretty collar for Flack."

They listened, and soon the exaggerated snores became slight, delicate ones indicating that Amanda had fallen asleep again.

Lindsay sunk back into her seat and faced Danny as he weaved his way through the traffic.

"Stop starin' at me, you're creepin' me out."

She giggled quietly. "You're not even looking at me!"

"I know you. You're staring at me."

"Creeper," Lindsay giggled as she took his free hand and squeezed it lightly, "You're a good dad, you know that?"

He snorted. "No I'm not. I just bribed my daughter to go to sleep with a dog's collar, so I could have quality bedroom time with my wife tonight. I'm a horrible father."

"Yeah, but won't you be a happy Daddy tomorrow morning after you and I… well, more you than I…"

Danny rested his head against the back of his chair and let out a breath. "You're gonna be the death of me,"

Lindsay merely wiggled her eyebrows and licked her lips.

Danny took a deep breath as he gripped the wheel.

_Oh yeah, _he thought to himself. _Definitely gonna be the death of me. _

_But if ever there was a way to go…

* * *

_

**As always, a huge thank you to all of you reviewers. You guys are stars!**

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**Special welcomes to** csiny4ever25 - BleachFan24 - **and** ZoeyBug


	181. Oh, Why Don't You Just Bite Me?

**A/N: Hello, my name is Laurzz and I really do suck. I cannot and refuse to believe it has taken me a whole month to update this story. I didn't realise it'd been that long. I'm sorry guys. I guess getting ready to go to college on Sunday has been distracting me a little. Have a super long update as an 'I'm sorry' present? **

* * *

Lindsay smiled to herself as she quietly shut her son's bedroom door as she slipped inside. The wails from down the hall instantly disappeared, letting Lindsay let out a sigh of relief.

"Mommy's so glad Daddy got the short end of the stick." Lindsay giggled to her baby boy as he stared up at her with wide eyes.

"You're tired, aren't you sweetie? Mommy can see it all over your face. What did your goddaddy do with you today?" She spoke with a soft voice as she sat on the rocking chair in the corner of his room.

Joshua hiccupped and blinked at Lindsay.

"Is that so?" she giggled as she rocked gently on the chair. "Tell me more."

Reaching up with his little fist, Josh grabbed some material of the old shirt of Danny's she was wearing, and let out a 'hmpff'.

"Poor baby," Lindsay laughed at her son's annoyance. "You're already irked with your big sister crying? She's just sleepy, and honestly, Mommy finds it funny when she fights with Daddy."

Joshua blinked slowly up at his mother and yawned.

"Am I boring you?" Lindsay scoffed. "Well…"

"_I want Mommy!" _

"_Tough, you're getting Daddy. Mommy's busy!!" _

Lindsay sighed heavily as she listened to her husband's battle with their daughter. She held her breath as she waited for the heavy footsteps to head down the hallway in her direction. Soon enough, she saw the door handle being twisted and in came a frustrated Danny.

"Please, Linds? I'll take him. I just… I'm tearin' my hair out over here."

She smiled and motioned for Danny to take Josh from her and she carefully stood up, letting Danny take her place.

"Is she ready to go?"

"She bit me when I was brushing her teeth. She's sat on the toilet in time out."

Lindsay tried to fight back her smile.

"She broke the skin!" he growled. "You cant go in there laughin', Linds!"

"I'm sorry… it's just… Come on, if we don't laugh about it – we're gonna be crying about it."

"Don't tempt me." Danny deadpanned as he rocked his son. "I was tempted to bite her back."

"You should have," Lindsay threw over her shoulder. "She wouldn't have bitten you again."

"We need to knock that on the head right now."

"I'll talk to her."

Danny sighed as he ran his fingers of his free hand through his hair in frustration. "Where did my baby girl go?"

"She's growing up." Lindsay sighed sadly. "She's a toddler now. Terrible twos – it won't be like this for long, honey."

"I'm'a hold you to that."

Lindsay blew him a kiss before she headed out of the bedroom and shut the bedroom door.

Danny glanced down to his nearly sleeping son, who was fighting to keep his eyes open.

"Stop fighting it, buddy." Danny whispered as he pressed a kiss to his son's forehead.

Yawning simultaneously, both father and son allowed their eyes to slowly flutter shut.

_Just for a minute,_ Danny thought to himself.

* * *

Lindsay sighed as she rested against the doorframe of Amanda's bathroom. "Honey…"

"Mommy! He bitted me first!"

Lindsay held a finger to her lips as she walked towards Amanda and knelt down in front of her. "I don't want to hear fibs, Amanda. You spoke to Daddy about that, Daddy put you on time out, and it's over with. Now, will you let Mommy brush your teeth like a good girl?"

Amanda sighed as she glanced to the pink Princess toothbrush flung on the counter. She opened her mouth and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Good girl." Lindsay smiled as she grabbed some toothpaste in her position on the floor in front of Amanda and squirted it onto the toothbrush. "Open up nice and wide."

Amanda stretched her mouth open as she let her mother brush her teeth carefully.

"Daddy's really run down right now," Lindsay started as she removed the brush from Amanda's mouth, letting her swallow the bubblegum toothpaste. "Do you know what I mean by that?"

Amanda shook her head as Lindsay put the toothbrush back in her mouth and continued brushing.

"Well, Daddy has been helping Mommy a lot with you and your brother, and he hasn't had a lot of sleep. Daddy's constantly sleepy because he's trying to let Mommy sleep as much as she can. You know how Mommy has been sleeping in, in the morning with Joshua while Daddy gets you breakfast?"

Amanda nodded.

"Well, in the time that I'm sleeping, Daddy's up and he's playing with you – that means that when it gets to bedtime Daddy's exhausted because he's had a really long day."

Amanda nodded.

"So Mommy has a favour to ask you. Do you think you can do Mommy a favour?"

Amanda thought about it and swallowed the bubblegum toothpaste.

Lindsay stood up and grabbed her sippy cup and let her take a sip of water before she continued. "Do we think that in the mornings from now on, we play in our bedroom when we wake up so that Daddy can sleep, and he won't feel like he has to look after Mommy like he has been doing?"

Amanda furrowed her brow. "But Mommy, I gets so hungry."

"I know that, that's why I'm saying you stay in your room and Mommy will come and get you in the morning. That way Daddy doesn't wake up and you and I can eat breakfast together. Does that sound nice?"

Amanda smiled and nodded her head excitedly. "How will me know when you come and getted me, Mommy?"

"It'll be the time you usually get up." Lindsay assured her as she lifted the little girl off the toilet seat and affixed her to her hip. "But,"

"Uh oh." Amanda sighed as she rested her head on Lindsay's shoulder with her thumb in her mouth. "Buts are sad, Mommy."

"But on top of that, Mommy wants you to be a good girl, honey. We don't bite Daddy, do we?"

"Daddy tells you to bite him, Mommy."

Lindsay inwardly cursed her husband. "That's a little different, honey. Daddy's just kidding when he says that to Mommy - you don't see Mommy biting Daddy when he says that, do you?"

Amanda shook her head. "But one time, Daddy saided that you lefted a bite mark, Mommy."

Lindsay blushed. "Well, we're not talking about me right now, sweetie. We're talking about you. You wouldn't like it if Daddy bit you, would you? If he just came up to you and munched on you like you were a chicken leg."

Amanda's eyes widened. "Daddy wouldn't do that to me!"

"Exactly. So why do you do it to Daddy?" Lindsay asked as she placed her daughter on her bed. "You don't bite Mommy."

Amanda hung her head. "I sowwy."

"I don't want you to be sad about it, Amanda. Mommy's not shouting at you. I just don't want you to do it anymore. It makes Mommy sad when you bite Daddy. And I know it makes Daddy sad. You don't want us sad, do you?"

Amanda shook her head slowly. "Will you telled Daddy me sowwy? And I kiss him better tomorrow?"

Lindsay nodded as she pressed a kiss to her daughter's temple.

"And do I still gets a pink outfit for Flack?" Amanda asked as she motioned to the puppy that lay by her bed before he moved downstairs to his sleeping quarters in the kitchen.

"We'll see. Right now, I don't think Daddy will want to get you an outfit."

"But Mommy!!!" Amanda wailed.

"Hey!" Lindsay shook her head as she cut her daughter's cries off. "You bit Daddy, honey. Until it stops hurting him and you say sorry, I think Daddy has a right to say no to Flack getting pretty clothes."

"But Mommy. Flack told me he was cold." Amanda sniffed. "Me don't want my baby to be cold."

Lindsay fought back the 'aw' that bubbled inside her. "I think Flack will be okay. I'll get Daddy to turn down the air conditioning, and anyway, Flack has a fur coat. I think he'll be alright for now."

Amanda furrowed her brow. "And the fluff around him keeps him warmed?"

"His fur?" Lindsay asked as she tucked a curl behind Amanda's ear. "Yeah honey, his fur keeps him warm. Just how your pink coat keeps you all nice and toasty warm when it snows, right?!"

Amanda nodded. "Right."

"Get under the covers. What story do you want to read tonight, sweetpea?"

Amanda thought about it for a few moments and shrugged. "Mommy pick."

Reaching for her favourite book of Amanda's from the bookshelf, Lindsay edged her way on the bed as she waited for Amanda to scoot over to the wall so that she could lay on the bed with her daughter.

"I wubs this story, Mommy."

"Me too." Lindsay smiled as she opened the first page and cleared her throat. "Once upon a time, there was a little Princess called Amanda."

Amanda rested her head against Lindsay's arm as she gazed at the picture book Adam had made for her weeks previous.

"I wub Uncle Adam, Mommy."

"I love him too, sweetie. It was very nice of him to make this for you."

Amanda nodded. "Read Mommy. Read."

Lindsay smiled as she snuggled into Amanda's tiny pillow with her little girl.

"Mommy…" Amanda whispered as she sat Lickle bear on her lap.

"What baby?" Lindsay whispered back.

"Lickle bear can't see. Move the book a widdle."

Lindsay smiled as she pointed the book down to Amanda's teddy. "Better?"

Amanda nodded as she stuck her thumb in her mouth and closed her eyes as she listened to Lindsay read her the adventures of Princess Amanda and Super Mommy.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Lindsay smiled as she crept into Joshua's room, and was greeted with a sleeping husband and son snuggled on the rocking chair.

She padded across the carpet and carefully extracted Joshua from Danny's grip and pressed a kiss to her son's forehead. "Night, night Little bear."

The little boy's eyes fluttered as she laid him in his crib. She then turned and watched Danny sleep for a moment.

_Poor guy's exhausted_, she mused to herself as she padded back over to him and knelt in front of him. "Danny," she whispered.

He didn't stir.

"Baby," she whispered, shaking his knees slightly. "Dan."

He blinked and yawned, before looking down to his arms. He shot up out of the chair and looked around the room. "Fuck!! Where is he? He was in my..."

"He's asleep in the crib," Lindsay giggled softly at her husband's mini meltdown. "It's alright, you didn't drop him."

"Don't do that to me," he shot her a look. "You know how terrified I am of dropping him if I fall asleep. How long was I out for?"

"Fifteen minutes?" she shrugged as she offered him a hand. "Maybe less?"

He blinked and yawned as she tugged him up off the rocking chair. "I don't remember bein' this tired when we had Amanda, babe."

"That's because we didn't have a two year old to chase after."

Danny rubbed his eyes with one hand while he wrapped his other arm around Lindsay's shoulders and pulled her into his side as they carefully walked out of Joshua's room.

"Did it take her long to get off?" Danny inquired sleepily as Lindsay guided him to their room.

"Not long," she giggled.

"Glad she's easier for you," he slurred. "Never good for me,"

"Have you been knocking something back?" she mused out loud as she pushed open their bedroom door. "Like, I don't know, straight vodka?"

"Only thing I'm on is lack of sleep." Danny replied, his eyelids drooping. "And a toddler bite mark."

Lindsay bit her lip as she pulled back their comforter and let Danny lay down on the left hand side of the bed. "Go on sleepyhead." She whispered as she covered him up and pressed a kiss to his temple. "Stop trying to be super Daddy."

"I am super Daddy," he slurred as his eyes slowly fluttered shut, despite him fighting it. "M&M tells me so."

"Mhmm," Lindsay giggled as she knelt down in front of Danny and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Goodnight, baby."

"Night Indiana."

"Montana?" Lindsay smirked fighting the snort, "Or is this another one of your girlfriends?"

"No, yeah, I meant Montana." He assured her as he tucked himself into the bed. "I meant you,"

She nodded with her eyebrows raised in amusement before heading into the bathroom. _I'm sure I'm the one that supposed to be dead on my feet. _She thought to herself as she flicked the light on.

She heard shuffling from the bed. "Baby?"

"Yeah Dan?"

"I love you, sweetheart."

She smiled as she rested against the doorjamb, the light from the bathroom filling their bedroom. "I love you too, baby."

"No, but I _really_ love you."

"I _really_ love you too, Dan."

Silence fell upon them as she stood, her arm still resting against the doorjamb. She giggled softly as she watched him snuggle into the pillow and fall victim to sleep.

* * *

As the sunshine filtered it's way into the bedroom, Lindsay's eyes fluttered.

_It couldn't possibly be time to get up_, she inwardly cried.

She tentatively peeled an eye open and glanced at her glowing alarm clock.

6:59 am.

She shot up in bed. Where on earth had 6:00am gone? Why hadn't Josh cried and woke her up? In a mad panic, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and rushed down the hallway to her son's bedroom. She slowly nudged the door open and padded across the carpeted room to the crib against the wall.

To her surprise, Joshua lay, sound asleep. Taking a moment to stare at her angelic son, Lindsay smiled happily as she backtracked out of the bedroom and headed further down the hallway to her daughter's bedroom. Nudging the door open Lindsay blinked at the scene that lay before her.

Both her son and daughter were sound asleep.

And clearly the world was ending.

Deciding to pop downstairs to let Flack out, Lindsay undid the baby gates at the top and bottom of the stairs. Upon hearing her footsteps, she could hear Flack getting overly excited and scurrying around in the kitchen.

"Will you please stop scratching my floors, pup?" Lindsay begged the puppy as she teased him over the baby gate, scratching his ears.

Flack stalled and cocked his head to one side.

"Wanna go out?" She smiled to the puppy. "Huh? Wanna to go out?"

Flack barked and ran back and forth along the baby gate as Lindsay stepped over the gate, nearly standing on the frantic puppy.

"Sit." She growled at him. "Sit Flack."

Instantly doing as Lindsay said, Flack sat, bringing a smile to her face.

"C'mon boy," Lindsay giggled as she headed to the back door just off the kitchen. She unlocked the door and had barely opened it before Flack was scurrying outside.

"You're about as silly as man Flack." Lindsay smirked as she leant against the doorframe and watched Flack pelt up and down the backyard exploring every single strand of grass, leaving her to shiver in the morning air.

"Any day would be simply fantastic." she muttered as she watched Flack consider doing his business. "Really there's no rush here, Flack."

The puppy galloped back to the house and sat on the doorstep as Lindsay stood in the doorway. He cocked his head sideways, making Lindsay giggle as she moved slightly and let the puppy back in.

She took a deep breath of the cool air before shutting the door and locking it again. She turned and glanced down to Flack's water dish. Deciding he was good to go, at least until she got up for the day, she turned on her heel and headed across the kitchen.

"Lay down, Flack."

The puppy yelped as he realised Lindsay was leaving him alone.

"Lie down," she repeated. "Lie down, boy... Mommy's going back to bed."

Flack turned in a circle before settling on the floor and curling himself into a ball as Lindsay stepped over the baby gate and headed back up the stairs. She listened to the silent hallway as she reached the top, and decided she was still safe to head to bed for a few more minutes. Alright, a half an hour. Hour if she could push it.

She tiptoed back into her bedroom and headed to her empty side of the bed. She slipped back under the covers and snuggled back into her position on Danny's chest.

He cleared his throat as she lay her head down on his shoulder and she could feel him stirring.

"Where'd you go?"

"Bathroom," she whispered as she pressed a kiss to his chest. "Go back to sleep baby."

Tightening his arms around her, he pressed a kiss to her messy curls and let out a breath as they both settled into sleep once again.

* * *

Amanda furrowed her brow as she let go and took hold of her mother's hand with her little hands. "Mommy?"

"Yes baby?" Lindsay laughed as she pushed the stroller towards the play gym with one hand, letting Amanda examine her other as they walked on the sidewalk.

"What's dis?"

"What's what?" Lindsay giggled.

"Dis." Amanda said, wiggling Lindsay's hand. "What did you do to your handy?"

Lindsay pulled them into the side of the sidewalk and crouched down so she was on the same level as Amanda. She held out both hands palms facing towards Amanda.

"Dis," Amanda pointed to Lindsay's hands. "What is it?"

"It's from rawhide braiding."

Amanda scrunched her face up. "What?"

"When Mommy was a little girl, Pop-pop taught me how to weave together the pony strings so I could ride my pony and ropes to gather up moo-cows."

Amanda nodded. "Why didn't your Daddy teach you?"

"Pop-pop is my Daddy, sweetheart."

"He is?" Amanda gasped. "Like Daddy is my Daddy?"

Lindsay giggled. "Yeah baby, don't you remember when I sent you into the kitchen to get Pop-pop when he and Grandma were in New York – we'd just brought Joshy home, and I was very upset?"

"Oh yeah I remember! You wanted a Daddy cuddle from your Daddy! Right Mommy? Cause you were sad because of Spam."

"That's right." Lindsay smiled, ignoring the latter part of her daughter's sentence.

"Does dis hurt?" Amanda inquired as she ran her hands over the rough skin.

"Nope," Lindsay smiled and shook her head.

"It feels funny," Amanda admitted. "Why does it feel funny?"

Lindsay chuckled, "Well sweet pea, maybe it's cause your hands are so soft, Mommy's hands feel rough against yours."

"Roughed?"

"Rough," Lindsay repeated as she took Amanda's little index finger and ran it down her scars from her childhood. "See, that's what rough is."

"Oh."

"Does that answer your question?"

Amanda nodded. "I always wondered whated it was."

"Why didn't you just ask me honey?"

"I thoughted I might upset you if it was a boo-boo, cause me gets upset when I look at my band aids and remembered I have boo-boos and me didn't want Mommy to get upset if you forgotted, but it's been there a reaaaaally long time. So I thought it might have been a bad boo-boo and wanted to make sure you were okayed."

"Aww, that's sweet of you, baby girl. But, it's been there since I was ten years old." Lindsay said as she held up ten fingers and wiggled them. "when I was a really little girl."

Amanda blinked. "You were little?"

Lindsay laughed as she pulled Amanda into a hug and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Yeah, believe it or not, I was once a little tiny baby, just like Joshy."

"Were you widdle like me?"

"Yup." Lindsay nodded. "Little just like you… Shall we go and play?"

Amanda nodded vigorously and retook Lindsay's hand as she padded slowly next to her. "Mommy?"

"What sweetheart?"

"I want Pop-pop to teach me how to plays with moo-cows and ponies."

"Maybe when you're a little bit older, Daddy, you, me and Joshy can go and you guys can see where Mommy played when she was a little girl."

"Can we go-ed tomorrow?"

"Mommy wishes we could, but it's an airplane ride away, and Grandpa Mac wouldn't like it if Mommy and Daddy just disappeared."

Amanda sighed heavily. "I miss Pop-pop…. And Grandma!"

"I miss them too," Lindsay sighed.

"'Cause they're your Mommy and Daddy?"

Lindsay nodded as she opened up the doors to the play gym and pushed Joshua's stroller inside before ushering Amanda in. "Yup. Because they're my Mommy and Daddy and I love them lots and lots."

"Like how me love my Mommy and Daddy?"

Settling the stroller at a table and taking Amanda's coat and shoes off, Lindsay smiled as she pressed a kiss to Amanda's button nose. "Exactly how like you love your Mommy and Daddy."

"Can I get juice?"

"Can I take your shoes off first?"

"Can I have chips too, Mommy? And some candy? And some kisses?"

"We'll see. You always get Hershey kisses' wrappers all over the place."

"Can I go play?"

Lindsay nodded and with a whoosh, Amanda was gone and running onto the soft jungle gym.

Going to pay Amanda's entrance fee and buying herself a lemon tea, Lindsay headed back to her table and began rocking the stroller softly, lulling Joshua into sleep.

The shrill ringing of her cell phone broke her trance like state at watching Amanda play with the other kids and rocking Josh. She grabbed the phone from the table and smiled at Danny's goofy smile at the ID picture.

Before she could even greet him with a hello, she heard his frantic voice down the line.

"_I need to report my wife and children as missing."_

"Hi wisebutt, did you sleep well?"

"_Don't do that to me ever again,"_ He scolded down the line. _"Do you know how panicked I was when I woke up and you guys weren't here?"_

"Oh please, do you really think someone would come into the house, kidnap us and leave you?"

"_It's happened."_ He scoffed. _"Don't do that to me again."_

"Danny, it's 11.30 am as it is. It's not as if it's 8.00am and…"

"_Regardless. You could have left a note…"_

"Take it you've not turned the TV on yet…"

"_The TV?" _

"Amanda glued the sticky note to the TV screen, we figured you'd see it there."

"_Well, it did cross my mind to go and watch some ESPN when my wife and kids were no where to be seen, but you know…"_

"Alright, alright…" she sighed down the line. "I just didn't want to wake you up. You looked so peaceful and I know you were tired."

"_I wasn't that tired."_

"You called me Indiana last night," Lindsay snorted. "I'd say you were pretty out of it to be quite honest."

"_So maybe I was a little tired…"_

Lindsay snorted.

"_Alright, I was really tired, but it was so not cool for you to just… leave without telling me."_

"Why you got a hot date you need the SUV for?"

"_Funny,"_ he scoffed. _"So where are you guys?"_

"I took the kids to the play gym over on… AMANDA! NO!"

"_Wow, thanks babe, screech in my ear. Fantastic idea…"_

"AMANDA! WHAT DID I JUST SAY!?!"

"_BABY!"_ Danny bellowed into the phone. _"If you're gonna bellow please move the phone from your mouth, please?"_

"Sorry Dan," she giggled as she sent a death glare at Amanda who was currently throwing balls at a little boy, hitting him in the head. "Your daughter was beating a boy up."

"_My daughter? My daughter? She's mine when she's bad?"_

"Yes."

"_I swear. If I didn't love you…"_

"Amanda! What did I tell you…?"

"Bite me, Mommy!" Amanda bellowed from the jungle gym.

Danny snorted as he heard Amanda on the other end of the line, quickly driving Lindsay to the brink of insanity. _"So um, I'm gonna let you go and deal with your daughter."_

With a click Danny was gone and Lindsay was storming onto the jungle gym in her socked feet. She knelt down in front of her rebel two year old and glared at her. "What did you just say?"

"Bite me, Mommy." She glared with her face scrunched up.

"Amanda, we do not under any circumstances say things like that, it's not nice."

"He just said it to meee!" Amanda cried as she pointed to the little boy she had been throwing balls at. "He told me to bite him."

"Well, we talked about biting, and we don't do it. And we don't say things like that, sweetheart, alright, it upsets Mommy and makes me mad."

"You make me mad, Mommy!"

_Are you kidding me? _Lindsay mused to herself as she grabbed Amanda's tiny little hand and tugged her off the jungle gym. "I think we need to have a little chill out time."

"NO!" Amanda cried as she flailed to the floor.

"Excuse me?" Lindsay scoffed, still holding Amanda's hand. "You get your butt up off that floor right now before Mommy has to pick you up. You have three seconds. One… Two…"

Lindsay paused to see if Amanda would get up.

She didn't.

"Three." Lindsay spat as she tugged her up and marched her to the table. "Sit there, don't move, and don't speak. Don't even look at Mommy. I'm very upset with you, Amanda."

Amanda kicked the chair and pushed back from the table, making the chair lean back. Lindsay held her hand behind it and pushed it back so that it was on its four legs. "Don't make Mommy march you out of here… don't do it."

"Bite me, Mommy."

"You say that to me again, Amanda… I may just do it."

Amanda smacked her hand on the table and started crying.

Lindsay bit her lip as she tried to hide her amusement as Amanda cradled her injured hand.

"Did that hurt?"

Amanda nodded and held it to her chest.

"Well, you won't do that again then, will you?"

Amanda shook her head.

"Sit there and let's calm down, shall we?" Lindsay said calmly as she rocked a still sleeping Joshua in his stroller. "Take some deep breaths, honey."

Amanda heaved a breath as Lindsay wiped her tears with a Kleenex before holding it to her nose. "Blow sweetie."

Amanda blew pathetically through her nose.

"Again," Lindsay instructed.

Amanda, once again blew pathetically.

"And again."

Amanda stopped crying and blew her nose.

"There we go." Lindsay smiled as she screwed the tissue up and placed it in her pocket before taking Amanda from the chair and placing her on her lap and cradling her to her chest.

"Mommy…. My handy hurts."

"Well, you smacked it pretty good on the table, honeybunch… it'll sting for a little while."

Amanda's bottom lip quivered.

"Mommy doesn't want to hear the words 'bite me' come out of your mouth again, do you understand me?"

Amanda nodded.

"Cause if I hear them, I'm gonna bite you, alright? And I don't think you want that."

Amanda shook her head feverishly before slipping her thumb in her mouth and nestling her head into Lindsay's chest. "I sowwy Mommy." She whispered.

Lindsay sat rocking Amanda slowly on her lap until she stopped sniffling and sobbing and was merely sucking her thumb.

"Are we feeling a little calmer, sweetheart?"

Amanda nodded slowly.

"I want you to go and say sorry to that little boy, okay?" Lindsay whispered in her ear. "Can you do that for Mommy?"

Amanda nodded as he eyes flew on the boy who was sat in the ball pool. "I go now?"

"So long as you can play nicely, otherwise you, me and Joshy are going home and Flack's sleeping outside tonight."

"But Mommy, it's cold."

"Exactly, so before you're mean to someone else again, you should think about Flack tonight… Outside… all alone."

Amanda sniffled and slipped off of Lindsay's lap.

Lindsay picked her cell phone up and redialled Danny's number. He answered quickly and she could hear his laughing down the line as he answered the phone.

"Wiseass, I just dealt with the bitchfit of the century."

"_Is she getting worse?" _

"Oh yeah," Lindsay snorted. "Aww, she just kissed him."

"_WHAT?!" _Danny spat. _"Who's kissin' who?"_

Lindsay laughed. "I told Amanda to go say sorry to the little boy she was throwing balls at. She kissed him on the cheek and he hugged her."

"_And how old is this cradle snatcher that is kissin' my baby girl?" _

"Danny, she kissed him. And he looks about five, maybe six. He looks small for his age either way..."

"_You're sayin' it as if that makes it better!" _He cried. _"Where are you, I'm comin' down…"_

"Um, over my dead body…" Lindsay snorted.

"_That can be arranged."_ He scoffed down the line. _"She can't be kissin' boys, Linds!!!" _

"Danny, chill out. At least she's not biting him! I told her to go and say sorry and she did."

"_By kissing him?!"_ An exasperated Danny cried.

"It's what little girls do." Lindsay laughed softly. "They're innocent. She didn't realise she just made a cardinal sin with her Daddy."

"_Not funny, baby."_

"What are you going to do when she comes home asking to go to the movies with the captain of the football team?"

"_I already have a plan. I'm a' goin' with them with your dad's shotgun and my badge. I'll sit in-between them. I ain't havin' no teenage kid all over my baby girl."_

"And you're gonna be alright with some girl's father threatening Joshua with a shotgun when he takes out his first girlfriend."

Danny fell silent.

"Yeah, I thought so. Go and make yourself something to eat, relax while you have the entire house to yourself."

Danny sighed.

"You miss us, don't you?" Lindsay giggled down the line.

He didn't say anything.

"Go on, admit it… you miss us."

"_Yes,"_ he sighed. _"I miss you guys and the havoc you cause."_

"Aww, if you had just held the latter part of that sentence back I'd have thought you actually missed us."

"_I do."_ He said quietly. "_I miss my boy and my girls."_

Lindsay felt a warm bubbling feeling rise in her chest. "You know," she started, "You can be real sweet when you want to be,"

"_Don't be too long, alright?"_ he teased, diffusing the sappiness of the conversation, _"I might forget what you guys look like."_

"Bite me," Lindsay whispered down the phone. "We were getting somewhere then."

"_And you wonder where Amanda gets this 'bite me' crap from." _

"Bite me," she giggled again.

"_You get your ass home and I may just do that."_

"Threat or promise?" Lindsay teased as she waved at Amanda.

"_It's a promise." _She could see the smirk on his face when he said it.

"It's a deal." She said down the line as she hung up.

Now, _that _was going to be fun when she got home.

* * *

**As ever, thank you all so much for your continued support with this story. It wouldn't be an epic without you guys cheering me up with it and what not. **

**Huge thank you to: **

twinkeyrocks

Kerrie

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Catty

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Baby Jefer

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DetatchedFromReality

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iluvshim


	182. And, I Wouldn't Change A Thing

**A/N: I am really sorry that it has been so long since I updated this. I kinda lost track with it, went to college, the premiere aired, and since then i've been sat in a corner in the middle of denial, pinching myself - trying to convince myself that those scenes were actually real. Don't know how that made it so that WYHTG was written but go with it. **

**Award for most random reviewer goes to Julia. Hands down. Love it! **

**Again. I'm dead sorry it's been so long since I updated this! **

* * *

Licking her lips as she carried her two sleeping children into her home, Lindsay fought back the bubbling inside of her.

"That you?!"

"SHUSH!" She growled as she answered her husband while she shimmied through the door, mindful of her two children. "Who else is it gonna be?" she whispered.

"What? I can't hear you, babe!" Danny bellowed from the kitchen.

"Danny, shut the hell up!" Lindsay growled as she carefully set Joshua's carrier in the living room.

"Babe... Speak up! I can't hear a word you're sayin'!!"

"If you don't shut the hell up right now, I'm'a kick your ass," She growled as she popped her head into the kitchen as Amanda slept on her shoulder. "Does that make it clear enough for you?"

Danny cleared his throat, before flinging the dishcloth over his shoulder. "Sorry honey, I didn't realise you were... Want me to take her?"

Lindsay shook her head as she held a finger to her lips. "Go put Josh down for me, will ya? I'll take M&M upstairs."

Blinking in response, Danny flung the dishcloth to the counter and crossed the kitchen. He stepped over the baby gate and cupped her cheeks with both his hands. He pressed a kiss to Lindsay's forehead and as he did, he made sure to inhale her shampoo and let the calming feeling her scent gave him, wash over him. "I missed you today," he whispered.

"We were at the play gym..." Lindsay giggled as Danny pressed a kiss to Amanda's temple. "... For three hours."

"Three hours longer than what I'm used to being away from you guys for."

"Sap," she whispered as she headed towards their staircase. "I'm gonna put her down for her nap, k?"

"Want me to put Josh in our room?"

"No," Lindsay whispered. "Put him in his own room."

Danny raised his eyebrows. "Linds... Oh... You... Ahh..." Danny smirked. "I'm with you."

Lindsay licked her lips and raised her eyebrows.

Danny let out a low groan as he stepped into the living room and grabbed his son's carrier and followed his wife up the stairs. "Meet you in five?"

"Make it two," she whispered.

Danny closed his eyes, mid step, just to keep some composure. Well, to gain some composure, and to send a silent prayer to whomever it was that was up there, begging to keep his children asleep for a half hour; that was all he wanted.

He would however, take whatever time he got with his wife.

* * *

Lindsay let out a breath as she laid her sleeping daughter onto her toddler bed and covered the little girl up with her Hello Kitty duvet cover. Stepping back and dodging the small sea of toys, Lindsay smiled proudly to herself as she padded out of the room. She'd managed to get her baby girl into bed for naptime.

Sucessfully.

With no arguments.

She shut the door so that it was marginally shut, and practically skipped down the hallway to her bedroom where her husband, she expected, was currently laid waiting for her.

She pushed through the door, and stopped dead in her tracks as her heart melted at the sight in front of her.

Leaning against the doorframe, Lindsay folded her arms over her chest as she just watched her two boys.

Clearly on the way up the stairs, Joshua had stirred and woken – and instead of taking him into the nursery, Danny was currently pacing back and forth at the foot of the master bed rocking his son to sleep, with a soothing, (and slightly croaky) made up lullaby.

Lindsay's heart fluttered as she took in her husband with their baby boy. She'd not really taken the time to just sit back and watch father and son bond. It'd always been a family bonding session, or she was off with Amanda while Danny and Joshua spent time with each other.

But now, with Amanda far away in the land of cuppycakes, butterflies, princesses and just general fluff, Lindsay could sit and watch her husband with their son.

Danny pressed a kiss to Joshua's forehead, and took a moment to just take in Josh's scent. He traced a finger down his son's delicate features, prodding his nose and chubby cheeks as he did so. Lindsay stifled her giggle at how Josh kicked and fussed while screwing his nose up. The little boy then reached up and grabbed his father's finger with his tiny fist and gurgled.

"I could stand here and watch you all day," She whispered – to herself really, but Danny heard her and turned from where he had been stood, rocking his little boy.

"How long were you stood there?" he smirked at her.

"Long enough to know that I'm the luckiest woman in the world."

"So not long then," Danny smirked with his tongue out.

She made her way into the room and headed towards where Danny was stood in the middle of their bedroom. She leant her forehead against Danny's as she gazed down at her baby boy.

"He's gorgeous." She whispered.

"He's not gorgeous." Danny groaned. "Jeez, Montana, we went over this, baby. Handsome, hot, I'll even let you call him a strapping young lad if you say it in an English accent, but babe, gorgeous? You make him sound like a girl."

"He is - he's my beautiful baby boy."

"Poor little bear," Danny whispered, "He's gonna be so confused when he grows up with his Ma goin' on about him being cute and gorgeous all the damn time,"

"You love it," Lindsay giggled.

Danny rolled his eyes as he pressed a kiss to his son's cheek before motioning for Lindsay to move.

"Where're you going?"

"To take him to the nursery..." Danny looked around the room with shifty eyes. "We were going to have mommy and daddy time, no?"

Lindsay hesitated and chewed on her lip. "I..."

Danny sighed, "You just wanna lay here, don't'cha?"

Lindsay remained silent.

"You want Joshy to lie between us, and us propped up on our elbows, just staring at him and bein' all proud that we did good... again."

"You can read my mind." She giggled. "I mean, I'm not cleared for mommy daddy time yet, that's not till Thursday, so..."

Licking his lips, Danny smirked at her. "Ughhh, I guess I can wait a few more days."

She smirked, "I'm sorry; you said that as if it was up to you when we have sex, Danny boy. I'm afraid you're confused; we both know I'm in charge."

"Just get into bed," he growled low, in her ear as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. "You drive me crazy, Montana."

"How long has it been since we had naptime, babe?" Lindsay giggled as she shed her jeans and grabbed her pajama bottoms from the foot of the bed.

"Yesterday?" Danny shrugged as he knelt on the bed and laid his son in the centre of the bed. "Day before?"

"Imagine how tired we're gonna be when we go back to work. I'm gonna be dead on my feet."

"Mac'll find us going for naptime in the locker room," Danny smirked at her as he threw his jeans across the room and stretched as he yawned. "When did we get so boring, Montana? We used to be so active and just... cool. Now we can barely make it through the day without having naptime."

"Speak for yourself when you use the word boring Mr. Messer. I think you'll find I'm quite the catch. Not to mention being the life and soul of the party."

"Sure ya are," he licked his lips as he climbed into bed, "Get a glass of wine down you and you are the party."

"If Joshua wasn't laid here you'd be getting beatings laid on you right now,"

"Oh yeah," Danny smirked, "What kind of beatings? The kind that'll leave me comin' back for more?"

Carefully, Lindsay knelt on the bed and hovered over her son and Danny as he propped himself up on his pillows, his hands supporting his head. She licked her lips and let out a breath that tickled his face as he admired her in her camisole top and shorts. "Sleep with one eye open, s'all I'm saying," she whispered.

"Threat or promise after Thursday?" he asked hopefully.

She licked her lips and sat back on her own side of the bed before laying down and covering herself up. "We'll see."

Danny settled in his position before gazing at his now sleeping son, laid between him and Lindsay.

"Linds?" He whispered, mindful of waking the sleeping infant. Upon no answer, Danny craned his neck up, "Linds?"

His eyes fell on a smiling, and sleeping Lindsay, and his heart swelled.

God did he love her.

* * *

A blissful hour and a half later, Lindsay Messer awoke to the sounds of crashing.

Which of course was never good in a house with a toddler. A toddler in her own room down the hall.

She peeled her eyes open and smiled as she saw Joshua snuggled into his daddy's side - Danny's arms wrapped around his little boy's body.

And then she heard the crashing again.

She had her expectations as to whom – or what was crashing.

She rolled out of bed and padded out to the hallway and down to Amanda's bedroom. She knocked on the shut door (which right there and then sent off alarm bells) "Amanda?"

"I busy Mommy."

"I see that, but could Mommy come in a minute?"

"Mommy come played with me later,"

Lindsay's raised her eyebrows and she knocked on the door again, "Miss Messer, I suggest you let Mommy in."

"I sweeping, Mommy."

"Amanda, I don't like fibs."

Lindsay pressed her ear up to Amanda's door and listened carefully. She could hear paws on the carpet standing on things and a muffled bark.

The little sneaker had managed to get Flack up the stairs with the baby gates up, and into her room.

"Baby, Mommy has a question; I need to see your face."

With her ear still pressed to Amanda's door, Lindsay could hear little footsteps padding towards the door. Lindsay could hear things that were apparently piled behind the door being chucked, loudly and randomly across the room. The door suddenly opened, and Amanda poked her head around the door, so that Lindsay couldn't see into the room.

"M&M, what are you doing?"

"Playin'," She smiled. "Bye." And with that, the toddler shut the door.

Developing good reflexes in her years as a mommy, Lindsay managed to stop the door from shutting completely. "Amanda, mommy needs to come in. What are you doing? Who is in there with you?"

Amanda coughed as her eyes widened. "Mommy, I sweepy, I go bed now."

"Amanda Mackenzie, I suggest you move right now before Mommy goes to get Daddy."

Amanda considered it for a moment, "But Mommy, I just playin'."

"Mommy needs to come in right now; I heard crashing, M&M – what's going on?"

Amanda turned her head quickly and her little hand holding onto the door disappeared as she shoved something – or some animal – away from the door. Seeing it as her chance of entry into the room, Lindsay pushed the door careful, mindful of her little girl and their puppy behind the door.

The bombsite that met Lindsay was nothing she'd ever seen before. The pink storage containers that held Amanda's dressing up clothes were overturned, the contents sprawled across the floor – along with crayons and colouring books taking up some of the floor space. Her toys were also taking up their usual residence on the floor. In the middle of the chaos sat a terrified puppy, dressed in a pink leotard and matching tu-tu. Lindsay's eyes fell down to her toddler and shook her head. "Amanda..."

"Mommy..." Amanda whimpered, realising she was in trouble.

"Amanda, Mommy spent four hours tidying this pigsty up yesterday," Lindsay told her daughter as she knelt down in front of her little girl. "Can you explain why your room is such a big mess again?"

"Um... Me..."

Lindsay licked her lips and shot Amanda 'the look'. "Amanda, now. Tell mommy why everything is such a huge mess."

"Lickle bear and Flack are brothers, mommy. Do you like it? Their outfitters match and everything." Amanda babbled, changing the subject.

"Outfits," Lindsay corrected out of habit before shaking her head. "Baby, Flack probably doesn't like playing dress up, and you still haven't answered mommy's question."

"Flack told me he wanted to play dress up, mommy. He jumped over the Joshy gate and runned up the stairs yelling that he wanted to play pretty girl dress up. He does Mommy. I'm him Mommy and what Mommy says, goes, right Mommy? "

Lindsay blinked as she tried to figure out what Amanda was saying to her. "Are you telling me Flack jumped over the baby gates, Amanda Messer?"

Amanda nodded. "I stooded at the top of the stairs and caughted him while he flew over the gate with his ears flapping like wings!"

Lindsay bit her lip to stop her from laughing as she closed her eyes, _And I was on the verge of believing her as well._ "Well, Mommy has no idea how you managed to get Flack up here, but I do not want it to happen again, Amanda. Do you understand me? Mommy put Flack downstairs for a reason, and Mommy does not expect Amanda to first of all get Flack upstairs – let alone dress him up as a ballerina. You have teddies and dollies to dress up, little girl. Not puppies. If you are going to be mean to Flack like that then Mommy and Daddy will have to get a new Mommy and Daddy for puppy Flack because puppies don't like getting dressed up, okay?"

Amanda's bottom lip quivered. "But Mommy, I wub my puppy."

"Well then, don't dress him up and make him sad."

"Is my baby sad?" Amanda sniffled as she turned from where she sat on top of her dressing up clothes and scooted towards Flack and prodded the puppy's cold nose. "Baby, are you sad?"

Flack whimpered before leaning up and licking Amanda's cheek.

"C'mere boy," Lindsay said as she patted the floor. "Let's get you out of that... outfit."

Flack jumped up and bounded towards Lindsay and rubbed his face against her bare leg before resting his paws on her knees and whimpering.

"Is your mommy dressing you up as a girl when you're a boy?"

"Lickle bear doesn't cry when his mommy dresses him like a girl... Me always dress him like a girly girl when he a boy."

"Lickle bear is there for you to make him look pretty," Lindsay explained as she carefully undressed the puppy from the ballerina outfit. "Puppy Flack however, is not."

"So I can dress Lickle bear up?" Amanda asked as she snuggled the teddy bear to her chest. "But not baby Flack."

"That's right," Lindsay nodded as she scooped Flack up in her arms and cuddled her puppy. Scratching the tiny puppy's ears, Lindsay giggled as he licked her cheek.

"Flack really wubs you, mommy."

"I'm the one that feeds him and takes him for walks," Lindsay reminded her little girl, "This mommy is his meal ticket. You're his playmate."

"Huh?"

"You're his mommy that looks after him when he wants to play. I'm the mommy he comes to when he's hungry."

"He has two mommies?" Amanda gasped as she carefully pet the puppy. "Can I have two mommies?"

"Is one mommy not good enough?" Lindsay asked sadly. "Shall this mommy go away?" Lindsay asked as she pointed to herself.

"I miss you," Amanda cried as she flung herself to Lindsay's lap. "Don't go!"

Lindsay laughed as she pressed a kiss to Amanda's temple while she wrapped her free arm around her daughter. "What are we going to do about this mess, Amanda Messer?"

"Daddy clean!" Amanda giggled.

Lindsay raised her eyebrows in jest of the idea. "Do you really think Daddy would clean this piggy sty M&M? Cause I don't think he would."

Amanda sighed and shook her head. "Mommy and me?"

"Yes ma'am." Lindsay informed her daughter. "Go and get me the pink container that is sat right there," Lindsay said as she pointed at the huge pink storage container that lay overturned on the floor.

Amanda stood and pointed at the same container. "That?"

"Yup. Turn it over," Lindsay instructed.

Amanda did so.

"Okay," Lindsay said taking a deep breath, "What I want now is for you to pick up all your dresses and put them in there,"

Amanda furrowed her brow, "Mommy..."

"You heard me baby girl, pick up all your dresses and put them in there."

"But..."

"You made this mess, Amanda... I will help you tidy it, but you're doing it – you're not getting out of it."

Amanda sighed and considered having a tantrum as her bottom lip quivered.

"You cry, scream and flail, and Mommy will be even more sold on making you do this by yourself."

Amanda sighed as she weighed up her two options. Do it and have the possibility of Mommy helping, or Mommy even more hell bent on not helping.

Flinging Lickle bear to her bed, Amanda picked up her Cinderella dress and laid it in her costume box.

"Good girl," Lindsay praised as she played with Flack's ears, "Now the others."

Slowly, but surely Amanda Messer learnt a lesson.

Never let Mommy open the door in the middle of a play session with Flack.

Ever.

* * *

Three hours, five tantrums, four time outs and seven hugs later, Lindsay took a deep breath as she stood up. "All done!"

Amanda sighed and held her arms in the air and giggled. "All done!"

"Do we think it's time to wake Daddy up?"

An hour into mission: tidy up, Lindsay had heard the small sounds of Joshua, crying in the next room. She'd quickly gone, scooped her son up, and carried him out of the bedroom and let him join in on the fun and festivities in his big sister's room, letting Daddy sleep.

Amanda considered it, before laying down on her carpet – free of any obstructions and poked Joshua's button nose as he laid there, eyes wide, staring up at his sister. "Joshy says yes."

"What does Amanda say?" Lindsay smiled.

"M&M says yes too! Can I jump on him?"

"Daddy might get a little sad if you jump on him, baby."

Amanda shook her head, "He wubs me,"

"He might not wub you jumping on him when he's sleepy though honey. We could go wake him up nicely."

"But..." Amanda sighed. "Okay. Can Joshy comes though?"

"Sure, Josh can come and wake Daddy up too."

Carrying Joshua with Amanda hot on her tail, Lindsay headed to the master bedroom and pushed the door open. Before she could even blink, her toddler had run into the bedroom, flung herself onto the bed, and was currently ready to pounce on her father.

Lindsay held her breath, waiting for the explosion. She closed her eyes as she waited for Danny's shocked roar to greet her ears. But what she heard was something entirely different.

It was squeals.

From her daughter.

"You're so silly thinkin' you could get past Daddy. Daddy don't miss a thin'." Danny Messer laughed as he pinned his two year old to the bed and tickled her as she squealed with excitement. "You wanted to jump Daddy, well watch this." Danny growled as he pushed Amanda's top up her belly and blew a raspberry on the area. "How'd ya like that?"

Amanda squirmed and flailed on the bed, trying to get away. "No Daddy!"

"More Daddy?" Danny laughed as he pressed another raspberry to her belly. "Again?"

"NO!" Amanda cried. "No Daddy, no!"

"What's that?" Danny asked, winking at Lindsay, "You think Mommy should give you raspberries too?" Danny shared a look with his wife as she rocked Josh in her arms. Lindsay moved toward where Amanda lay on the bed. She leant down and pressed a kiss to her daughter's belly, before blowing a long raspberry to her belly; making her shriek with giggles.

"DADDY NO MORE!"

Ceasing his assault on his daughter, Danny pulled her top down and let her go as she squirmed away from both her parents, anticipating another attack.

"How long've you been up?" Lindsay asked as she sat down on the bed and laid Joshua down next to her.

"Meh, not long. I've just been lying here taking a minute or two to just chill."

"While I fought with mess in her room with the tantrums that accompanied the mess – charming."

"Pretty much," He grinned as he pressed a kiss to her temple. "It worked – I got to just chill, and you got to bond."

"All I do is bond with her." Lindsay growled. "I'm just the discipliner, you're the fun one."

Danny raised an eyebrow. "Amanda, baby..."

"Hmm?"

"Who do you have more fun with, Mommy or Daddy?"

Amanda blinked – as if it was a trick question.

"You won't be in trouble, M&M – who do you prefer to play with, Mommy or Daddy?"

"Mommy," Amanda giggled. "Wait, Daddy. No... Mommy."

Danny wiggled his eyebrows at his wife. "Look a' that, she said you... twice."

"She was torn," Lindsay shrugged, "It could have gone either way."

Danny nodded and turned to Amanda again, "baby, why do you like playin' with mommy?"

"Cause she's fun and I wub her wots, daddy." Amanda beamed, her toothy grin flashing both her parents. "I wub my mommy wots and wots."

Lindsay bubbled with pride as Amanda smiled at her. "I do mommy, me pinky swear!"

"I love you too, honey. Lots and lots!"

"I hungwy." Amanda sighed heavily.

"Who wants... Pancakes?" Danny cried as Amanda's eyes widened and she gasped.

"ME!" She bellowed, jumping on the bed and waving her arms in the air. "ME! PICK ME!"

"Any takers?" Danny mused out loud. "Anyone?"

"I guess I could take some pancakes," Lindsay shrugged, ignoring their desperate little girl. "What about you daddy?"

"I'd love some pancakes." He nodded, "What about you, Joshua?"

"I think Josh'd love some..." Lindsay glanced to Amanda who was dying as she jumped on the bed with her arms waving above her head. "Are we forgetting someone daddy?"

"I'm not sure," Danny said, stifling a laugh, "There was me, and I wanted some... Mommy wanted some... Joshy wanted some... Who else is there?"

"ME!" Amanda cried, "Me, M&M!"

"Oh, yes!" Danny cried smacking his forehead lightly in a mocking fashion. "M&M! How silly of us to forget, Mommy. Would you like pancakes, Amanda?"

"YES!" Amanda cried as she flailed down to the bed, exhausted from her frantic way to attract Danny and Lindsay's attention.

"Last one downstairs has to load the dishwasher," Lindsay whispered in Danny's ear before scooping Joshua up and dashing out of the room.

Danny cursed under his breath as Amanda climbed onto his lap and wrapped her little arms around his neck. "Carry me, Daddy."

"Mkay," He sighed, adjusting to the idea of loading the dishwasher. "You gotta promise me you'll help Daddy clean up though, k?"

Amanda sighed but nodded. She held a finger to her father's lips and giggled, "I wub you too, Daddy,"

Danny crinkled his forehead, "What do ya mean baby?"

"I wub you, Daddy." Amanda whispered as she laid her head on Danny's shoulder.

Danny didn't really need to know what it was his daughter was talking about. He wrapped his arms around her as he stood up from the bed and pressed a kiss to her temple as he did so.

"I love you too, baby girl." He whispered against her wispy honey brown curls.

"C'mon cowboy and M&M! Joshy's starvin'!" Lindsay bellowed from the bottom of the stairs.

"Shall we go kick Mommy's butt?" Danny asked his little girl.

"Do it!" Amanda giggled as she furthered herself into Danny's protective hold he had on her.

"I heard that!" Lindsay cried.

Danny let out a contented sigh. As crazy as his life was, he wouldn't change a thing.

* * *

**As ever - you guys keep me smiling and going with this one. Thank you** **to:**

twinkeyrocks

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Courtney


	183. I Love You, But God You're An Idiot

**A/N: Yes. I suck. I am totally cheating on WYHTG and Amanda with the show and Lucy. And I suck. I'm sorry! :( I hope there's still people out there sticking around! LOL **

**Recap anyone?... um... Danny and Lindsay are married and have a baby girl and a baby boy. It's been that long, I'm gonna have to spend the next week reading my own story to refresh my memory. **

**Blame college. I do. For everything. Haha. **

* * *

Swinging her legs against her seat and car seat the SUV, Amanda Messer sighed heavily. "Daddy?"

"Yeah sweetheart."

"Will it hurt when your haired gets cutted?"

Danny glanced up in his rear view mirror at his daughter and furrowed his brow. "Honey, no..." he fought back the chuckle as he looked at her terrified face. "Why?"

"Cause I don't wanted you to get hurted, daddy. It'll make me and Lickle bear sad," she informed her father as she waved a ballerina dressed teddy bear in his direction

"Aww, well, you and Lickle bear can be rest assured that Daddy will be fine. It doesn't hurt. You can't even feel it."

"Lickle bear wants a muffin, daddy. He just tolded me."

"Aw; well do daddy a favour and tell Lickle bear that he needs to learn from his mommy. He just had his breakfast."

"But he's starvin' to death, daddy!"

"I don't hear his tummy rumbling," Danny chuckled.

"Well, could me have one?"

"Sorry, can you what?"

"Can me have a muffin?"

"What baby? What did you say?"

"Can I have a muffin?" Amanda cried.

"There we go," Danny smirked at his frustrated baby girl. "We'll see."

Amanda flailed and kicked her legs, "I knewed you say that! Daddy! Please! Joshy stoled my froot loops. I hungwy."

"I do not believe that for one second, Miss Messer."

"WHY!?!" Amanda bellowed as she flailed her arms on her car seat. "Daddy! I want Mommy! You's so mean!"

"What do you think this is? If Daddy says no, go ask Mommy?"

"Why didn't Joshy steal my froot loops, Daddy? He did! He did!"

"Why? Well, I believe Joshy is still learning the ropes regarding his bottles, so for him to steal a froot loop is not gonna happen Amanda."

"He clever like me, Daddy." Amanda informed her daddy.

"He might be, M&M," Danny nodded, "I think you have more of a chance getting a muffin if you told me Flack ate your froot loops."

Amanda thought about it in her head for a second and then sighed, "'Cause Flack is a baby puppy and naughtery?"

"Naughty? Yeah," Danny nodded. "So next time you wanna worm your way into getting what you want, just remember who you're gonna blame. I don't think you can use Joshy for a while yet, baby girl."

Amanda sighed and took in her father's words and then fell silent.

Danny chuckled as he glanced in the rear view mirror. "What are you thinkin' baby girl?"

"Daddy,"

"Yes?"

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"Daddy, Flack ate my froot loops. Can me have a blueberry muffin?"

Licking his lips and shaking his head, he sighed as he merged into a different lane. "Alright, let me see what I can do, K?"

"YAY!" She giggled as she clapped her hands excitedly. "T'anks Daddy!"

"The things I do for you," He grumbled as he pulled into car park of the barber's. "You better not tell Mommy."

"Daddy,"

"Yes my baby."

"Can me has my muffin from 'bucks?"

"You're starting with the expensive taste already?" Danny grumbled. "Are you kidding? Starbucks?"

He glanced into the rear seat as he put the car into park, and saw Amanda's toothy grin flashing at him, melting his heart.

"Fine, but we're walking across the road to get it, k?"

Kicking her legs and smacking her hands together Amanda nodded enthusiastically as she wiggled in her seat.

"Hold up," Danny growled as he put a hold on the conversation while he climbed out of the car and opened her door. "Don't knock yourself out there, k?"

"Huh?" Amanda asked as she cocked her head as Danny unsnapped her seatbelt.

"I'm reducing puppy and Amanda time," Danny teased his little girl as he leant over her car seat; "You're starting to look like the damn puppy cocking your head to the side. Actually you look like man Flack too when he gets confused."

"Damn bad word, daddy. I tell mommy."

"Mommy's got you trained too good, baby," Danny laughed as he bundled his little girl in his arms and affixed her to his hip and locked the SUV, "How about we buy a muffin and some milk and daddy promises not to curse if Amanda promises not to tell mommy."

"Mommy sad when I fibs, daddy."

"Mommy won't ask if daddy cursed, so you won't have to fib, k?"

Amanda considered it and nodded as Danny headed down the sidewalk of the shopping plaza towards Starbucks on the corner, "Daddy put monies in bad box, right?"

"In the swear jar?" Danny nodded, "Yeah, I do, and that makes daddy sad, 'cause he never has any money, and that means I can't buy M&M stuff."

Amanda gasped. "But that makes ME sad."

"Well then we'll be both sad together when you tell mommy,"

Leaning forwards and taking hold of Danny's face with her little hands, Amanda laid her forehead against her father's and looked into his eyes. "I won't tell her daddy," she whispered. "Jus' make sure you keep pennies."

"Sounds like we got a good plan, baby girl," Danny nodded as he held his pinky finger out and wiggled it. "You in?"

"Me's in." Amanda giggled as she latched pinky's with her daddy and proceeded to kiss the intertwined pinky's.

"Good doin' business with you, baby girl." Danny smirked.

* * *

Refreshed and with full bellies, Danny and Amanda slowly made their way over from Starbucks to the Barbers.

Pushing in through the door, and hearing the door chime, Amanda giggled.

"What's funny baby girl?"

Pointing at the man currently in the barber's chair, Amanda giggled. "Daddy, he gots no hair on one side of his head, and lots on the other! He looks silly!"

"He'll hear you," Danny shushed his daughter, "You'll hurt his feelin's."

"But it's true," Amanda cried as Danny sat his little girl in a chair and plopped Lickle bear down on her lap. He nodded towards his usual hairdresser in acknowledgement and a silent plea for him to wait two minutes while he attempted to settle Amanda in her chair.

"Now Amanda, Daddy's gonna have to go sit over there now, k? I need you to be a really good girl and sit here, alright? I'm trusting you to be a big girl and I want you to show Tim over there how good you really are for Daddy, okay?"

Nodding vigorously, Amanda sat, swinging her legs with her arms folded across her chest. "I pinky sweared!"

"Okay, good," Danny laughed as he ruffled her honey brown curls and headed over to his hairdresser.

"Danny Messer, father and husband extraordinaire – long time no see..."

"Yeah yeah," Danny muttered as he sat in the chair, "Laugh it up, Tim..."

"How you been doin' Danno? Still with the Crime scene?"

"Yeah." Danny laughed, "What else could I possibly do?"

Tim shrugged, "You'd suck at everything else. How's the Mrs.?"

"She's fine. She just had a baby."

"That sucks. Did you beat the guy for touchin' her?"

"He's mine you moron,"

"See Messer, us single guys still have this thing called a sense of humour..."

"Yeah, I get that. Usually though those guys crack jokes that make sense."

"Well I didn't wanna say anythin' but..."

"You gonna cut my hair, or just bust my onions?"

"But I get so much pleasure from windin' you up the wrong way,"

"Look, I got an angsty two-year-old sat over there... You want her to start playin' up, you carry on and be my guest... When she's cryin'..."

"Usual?"

"I'm under strict instructions that it's got to be long enough to lace my wife's fingers through..."

"You know what, that was way too much information my dear friend. Way too much."

Danny chuckled as Tim quickly made work on cutting and styling Danny's hair.

"Special occasion?" Tim asked, "'Cause usually I only ever get to see you when you've got somethin' goin' on."

Danny chuckled to himself. "You don't even wanna know..."

* * *

Smiling to herself as she wheeled the stroller out of Life systems in Midtown, Lindsay Messer cooed down at her perfectly healthy son. She knew he was – as nothing had arisen in his first six weeks to her knowledge - but for the doctor to smile at her while saying that her and Danny's baby boy was perfectly healthy... well, it was what all mothers hoped for.

She pulled her cell out and balanced pushing the stroller, texting and weaving in and out of the crowded footpath.

_Mommy and Joshy are all healthy, see you at home. L x _

She clicked send, and inhaled the fresh autumn air.

It was going to be a good day.

* * *

"That grin suggests that this hair cut wasn't for no reason." Tim commented as Danny handed him a twenty.

"You'd be right about that." Danny smirked he slipped his cell back in his pocket. "So if you wouldn't mind..."

"Daddy?"

Danny blinked down at his daughter, tugging at his jeans. "What baby?"

"Can me gets my hair cutted?"

Danny blinked again. "Amanda, I don't think Mommy would like it if Daddy cut all your beautiful curls off." He tentatively reasoned, "Plus, are you sure you want to sit in the chair for that long?"

"I just want a little cutted off. I wanna be like you Daddy!"

His heart melted. He couldn't say no to her, especially that she'd just said that.... but he had his darling wife in the back of his mind, shoving a blanket in his arms as she pointed to the couch after she'd seen the lack of Amanda's beautiful honey brown curls.

Amanda blew up, trying to move the bangs from her face. "Daddy? Can I?"

"You cut bangs, Tim?" Danny inquired.

"I could try," Tim shrugged. "How hard can it be?"

Danny smiled and bent down to pick up Amanda. He carried his two year old to the chair, and set her in. "Now, are you sure Amanda? Once Tim cuts your hair, not even Daddy can stick it back on."

"Does Daddy want his hair stucked back on?" Amanda asked.

"No." Danny shook his head. "Daddy wanted his hair cut..."

"Well then," Amanda smiled brightly, "M&M doesn't want her hair stucked back on."

"Positive?"

Amanda nodded vigorously. "I pinky swear, Daddy."

Danny shrugged and stepped back from the chair, allowing Tim to wrap the black piece of material around Amanda, catching the hair from her bangs as he trimmed them.

"You've got to stay really, really still Amanda, okay?" Tim told her.

Amanda nodded and widened her eyes, making her eyebrows disappear underneath her bangs. Danny snorted at his daughter's face and shook his head. "Baby, you can move your eyes and face. Just don't move your head, k?"

"K." Amanda whispered as she stayed locked in her wide eyed position.

"She's scaring me," Tim whispered to Danny. "Make her stop her eyes."

"Just cut her bangs for cryin' out loud."

"Don't make her laugh... she moves and I mess up. I don't usually cut two year olds hair."

"What the hell do you do then?" Danny muttered.

"Morons like you," Tim replied before bending in front of Amanda with his scissors. "Okay sweetie, I need you to be a really good girl, and look straight at me, but don't move, okay? I need you to keep your head really still."

Amanda barely even blinked.

Snipping the first section of her bangs, Tim the barber held his breath.

Hoping for the best.

* * *

"MOMMY!"

"In the living room, sweetpea." Lindsay Messer called to her daughter as she heard the front door open

"MOMMY! LOOK!" Amanda cried as she skid into the living room in her socked feet. "LOOK!"

"Sweetie, what happened?"

"Daddy cutted my hair, Mommy... look!"

"I see that, you look pretty baby... Where's Daddy?"

"Bringing in your fwowers."

"Flowers?"

"He said he in BIG trouble." Amanda nodded. "Can me go played with Flack?"

"Yeah honey, take Flack up to your room, k?"

"Otayyy!" she grinned before bellowing for her puppy and then turning back to face Lindsay. "Mommy! Joshy gate!"

Lindsay headed into the hallway and locked eyes with her husband and glared at him as she undid the baby gate and then walked with Amanda to the top of the stairs, Flack trailing behind them so she could undo the second gate and usher Amanda onto the second story. "Play nice,"

Lindsay then turned. Suddenly, the flowers Danny had brought home to soften the blow, didn't feel so adequate anymore.

She licked her lips, shook her head then headed into the living room after she'd refastened both safety gates.

Instantly Danny was on her tail, "The doctor's appointment was a success then? We're all good to go?"

She merely raised her eyebrows in recognition as she tidied the living room.

"And Josh is all good?"

"S'what I said in the text message." She snipped as she threw a throw pillow onto the couch.

He took a deep breath; he knew he was opening the flood gates, but he wasn't one for Lindsay's silence...

"Is there something wrong, baby?" he asked as he padded over to her, flowers outstretched so she could see them.

"Roses?" She observed. "They're pretty... What's the card say? 'Sorry I fucked up... Love, Danny.'"

"I thought-..."

"... You knew you'd screwed up so went out and bought me roses to soften the blow. I know how you work, Danny. Flowers aren't going to help her hair grow back. I can't believe you... What were you thinking?"

"Babe, come on... it's no big deal."

"Half her bangs are gone!" Lindsay cried. "And don't even get me started about her curls. Don't even get me started. You better hope to God that they grow back, because I swear, I'll kill you if they don't."

"Lindsay, it's just hair."

"Our baby girl's hair..."

"Babe, you're being ridiculous."

Lindsay threw a dolly to the couch, "It's ridiculous you don't care... When she realises her length is short and her curls don't fit into bunches like she likes them... you can wipe away her fucking tears, Danny."

"Lindsay... come on... What the hell's going on? What're you being like this for?"

"You don't get it do you?"

"What is there to get?" Danny cried. "She was sat in the chair, Tim had trimmed her bangs, and she wanted a little more taking off... I didn't see the harm. What's the problem, babe?

"The problem? The problem is that I maybe wanted to be there the first time our daughter had a proper hair cut... Take a few pictures. Grab a lock of her hair for her baby book."

"You mean like this piece I have here folded in a napkin and the eighteen I have on my phone for you."

"I would have liked to have been there. That's all."

"Don't start with the guilt trip, Lindsay... I'm not in the mood, babe. Can we just make up and you know... I won't do it again. Please?"

She opened her mouth to tell him to disappear while she calmed down, but decided that her silence would piss him off more.

And, judging by the banging, huffing and puffing she could hear from the other side of the room, her mission was accomplished.

"It was just a fucking haircut," Danny grumbled. "I had mine cut too. I don't see you having a bitch fit about me."

"I don't give a shit what you do." Lindsay spat as she picked up a cushion from the floor.

"Oh that's nice," he replied.

She narrowed her eyes as she threw the cushion at his head. "Go to hell, Danny."

"Are you PMS'ing or something? I forgot how bad you got. Maybe we should get you pregnant again so I don't have to deal with your shit when it's the time of the month."

And, soon as he said it Danny Messer regretted it.

"Have fun sleeping on the couch tonight." Lindsay said coolly. "In fact, no... Go fucking sleep outside in Flack's doghouse. I don't even want you in here."

"What the hell is wrong with you today, Lindsay? You never curse..."

"You cut my daughter's hair without even as much as a text. I have a right to be pissed, Danny. Her hair was beautiful, you have no idea how pissed I am right now."

"Lindsay, its hair; she takes after you in every single way. Her curls will grow back."

"And if they don't, I..." Lindsay took a deep breath. "I'm too mad to have a conversation with you right now."

"You're being dramatic. I thought you'd see the cut, growl at me, see the flowers and then we'd be okay."

"You thought wrong," she informed him. "You were way off."

"Apparently." Danny scowled at her. "Look, please Lindsay... Just tell me what's going on, k? I know this isn't everything you're mad at."

"I'm mad about a lot of things that you wouldn't care about. I'm mad that Stella didn't call me back about the girl's day we had planned with Jess. I'm mad about the way Mac spoke to me on the phone last week when I said I didn't really want to finish maternity leave early even though he's strapped for people at the lab with us both off, but agreed for you to be on call... I'm mad that I have to constantly walk and take Flack out because you can't get off your butt to do it... I'm mad that every time the laundry is done, folded and put away, I turn around and the basket is full again. I'm mad at you for making that comment about me PMSing, and to top all that off, if my daughter's curls don't grow back, I'm going to have to kill my idiot husband, who despite the fact that I love him very much, makes idiot decisions and just generally acts like an idiot."

Danny bit his lip as he watched Lindsay's flailing arms gesturing at him.

"Jeez Linds, tell me how you really feel..."

"Danny!"

"Baby, I'm kidding." He whispered as he tentatively moved across the room.

"Now's not the time." She sniffled.

"I'm sorry about my comment about you PMSing. I was just being a jerk."

"Well, you are a jerk."

"I'm sorry, Lindsay. I should have called you and talked it over before I said it was okay for her to get her hair cut. I didn't realise you would be this upset, otherwise I would have never said okay."

Lindsay opened her mouth, but Danny's shrill work ringtone cut her off and he sighed as he answered the call. "Messer,"

Lindsay rolled her eyes and rested her hands on her hip as she watched Danny on the phone. He shrugged to her and gestured holding a pen, indicating he needed to take down an address.

"Now?" she whispered exasperatedly, as she handed him the pen.

He nodded and wrote the details down on the notepad sat by the phone's cradle. "Alright Mac, see you soon."

With that, Danny hung up and set the phone back on it's charger as he ripped the address from the notepad. "I gotta go."

"Now?" Lindsay sighed. "Danny..."

"Look Linds, he's strapped for people. I know we're not finished here, but I'll work on my apology and you won't wanna say no by the time I'm done, k?"

Despite her reluctance, she shrugged and turned back to what she was doing. "I'll see you when you get home then."

"You will," he nodded, despite the fact her back was turned to him. "Can I have a kiss before I go?"

"I'm still mad at you." She sniffled. "Just go,"

"Babe, at least give me a kiss."

"No. Let me be mad at you. I'll call you later on."

"Fine, I don't care... be like that; I'll see you later."

"Danny..." Lindsay sighed. "Dan..."

"No, it's fine. Be like that Linds... I was trying to make you feel better and make it up to you, but whatever it's fine. I'll see you later."

"Are you going to say bye to Amanda and Josh?"

"Just tell them Daddy had to run to work. I'll see you later."

"Dan..."

"Linds, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later."

Lindsay sniffled as she watched Danny disappear into the hallway and the front door shutting a few moments later.

She had no idea why she'd snapped at him. And she had no idea why she wouldn't kiss him.

She was just in one of those stupid moods where the world had gotten on top of her.

And now, Danny had left for a shift that was god knows long; with limited time to use his cell, and his brain now had to be focused on other things.

She just hoped he did focus on those other things. She could dwell on their argument. She hoped that now, as Danny loaded himself into the SUV, his work head was screwed on. Tight.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, guys! Comments and reviews as ever are much appreciated. Even if they are just to kick my butt.**

**Sorry, did I mentioned the muse wanted to come back to mix it up a little? No? Please don't hurt me. I have assignments I need to work on.**

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	184. Ummm Mac, I think I killed DL

**A/N: So I have spent Saturday, Sunday and most of Monday writing WYHTG. -pauses for dramatic gasps-. I know, right? Apparently inspiration hit. I have like three whole chapters. Written. Finished pretty much. Epic right? Procrastination and going to bed at 3AM is the best. **

**Thank yous to Megs. for her hilariously funny input with the title. I tried for a good 15 minutes. No bueno. She comes online, "What can I call the chapter?" Boom. Right there. I can write 3000+ words, but have no idea about a chapter title. Figures. **

**Anyways, ENJOYYY! **

* * *

During the entire commute into the City, Danny Messer kicked himself.

Hard.

He knew that he shouldn't have left their home without a kiss. He knew it. He knew it. He knew it.

But he hadn't pushed her and gotten one.

He also knew he should probably call his wife, taking into consideration that she was clearly faltering in her 'no I don't want to give you a kiss' as he left the house – but he was so wound up, he wanted to spite her.

Yet, as soon as he reached the point where it was too far to turn around and go back, he realised that maybe he'd made the wrong decision in deciding not to call or... well, anything.

What's done is done, he told himself as he pulled into the parking garage at the crime lab. There wasn't anything he could do now. He'd remembered just as he was about to head to their address in the Bronx that he needed his kit, considering he'd not had it in his possession since Lindsay had given birth, making him take a little detour.

Taking a deep breath, he prepped himself for the day ahead. All he had to do was make sure his head was screwed on and he kept his eyes open all day, making no rash decisions and no putting himself in a flying bullet or something equally as ridiculous.

Not as if that happened on a daily basis or anything.

He quickly jumped out of the SUV and headed towards the elevator, leaving all of his belongings in the SUV, thinking he'd be back out within ten minutes.

The elevator dinged on the parking level floor, indicating its arrival, and Danny motioned to step in, but was met by Mac walking off the elevator urgently.

"Change of plan," Mac said handing him his kit as the elevator opened. "We're going to the subway."

"Subway? Any reason why?"

"I'll tell you on the way," Mac muttered. "Lindsay's on her way."

"Lindsay?!" Danny gasped, taken aback slightly. "What? Why? She's on Maternity leave still and..."

"I'll explain in the car." Mac ushered him away from the elevator. "Come on Danny, get your head on."

"Where are the kids?"

"She's taken them across the road to your neighbour... Noah I think she said. She mentioned a name Jesse..."

"Jesse is Amanda's little boyfriend that Lindsay's trying to push secretly."

"We need to go." Mac told him. "Come on. You're driving."

"What's going on, Mac?"

"Hostage situation... He's demanding CSI's but he doesn't want me. I know how you and Lindsay work together. You don't even have to speak to know what the other's thinking, and that's what I need."

"What's going on... What's he said?"

"He's killed one already...apparently. Flack's men were in pursuit and well, shots were fired, and a bystander was hit. He wants us to prove it was Flack's men. It's one of those; 'I want you to prove I'm innocent', things."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Washer-dryer combo goes to the first person who can tell me how stupid this is... Of course it was him, Mac. We're wasting our time. Send someone down there, shoot his ass with a sedative and boom, job done. Let's all go home and watch the Late Show."

"Danny, suck it up." Mac growled. "I have crime scenes coming out of my ears right now. I need you and Lindsay here at this one."

"Fine," Danny muttered in agreement. "I'll do whatever."

Silence fell between employee and boss as Danny drove quickly through the congested traffic with his lights on. While he didn't want to be at work in a hostage situation with his wife, he was glad she was going to be there – for moral support in the stressful work setting. And because like Mac had said – he worked with no one like he worked with Lindsay.

Within ten minutes, he was pulling up to the scene. His eyes fell onto Lindsay, sat on Flack's squad car with her arms folded and case sat by her feet.

He jumped out and headed into the back to get his kit before jogging over to her. "Linds?"

"Hey Danny," She smiled weakly.

"What's going on then?" he asked, getting into business instantly.

"Nothing so far," she shrugged slightly disheartened from his brush off, even if they were at work. "We're waiting for him to make contact. He's been told we're here."

"You sure about this," Danny asked her as he glanced at Mac, who was heading towards them. "If something happens..."

"Nothing's gonna happen." She told him as she took his hand and squeezed it lightly. "About earlier... Danny I..."

"I just spoke to Flack." Mac interjected. "When you get to the second set of stairs, you need to toss your badges down and indentify yourselves. Lindsay, use Monroe when you introduce yourself. I don't want him seeing you as vulnerable if you're married. It'll give him an advantage."

Lindsay nodded and glanced at Danny.

"Keep your heads on," Mac instructed. "I don't know what he's wanting you to do other than process the scene. It should be easy; don't make it difficult. Do as he says. Try accessing his state of mind. Flack's running a background check as we speak, so we may know more if he comes back with something. I'm trying to get hold of Adam to get him here so he can process the evidence in the post we've set up across the road."

Danny took a deep breath and picked up Lindsay's case and handed it to her. "Right, let's go."

Danny's hand fell to the small of Lindsay's back for a moment, giving her a bit of courage and support before making their way to the stairs, leading down the to the subway.

Once they'd reached the second set of stairs, Lindsay's eyes fell on the victim and then her eyes trailed up to meet their hostage taker. "Michael?" she said tentatively. "Michael. I'm Detective Monroe, and this is Detective Messer. We're from the crime scene."

Simultaneously they unclipped their badges and chucked them down the set of stairs toward him before continuing down the stairs.

Lindsay glanced down at her outfit and took a sharp intake of breath.

"Danny, we don't have vests," Lindsay whispered. "Danny..."

"Fuck." Danny whispered as he bit his lip. "Okay. It'll be okay."

"What are you waiting for?" the hostage taker growled. "Come on."

Sharing a quick glance between them, Danny took the lead and began down the stairs. He pulled his flashlight out and scanned the various crowds of terrified people, sat against the wall.

He looked at Lindsay and nodded. She knelt by the side of the victim and began taking photographs, documenting the evidence as Danny slowly made his way to the man stood awfully close to the tracks.

"Hey man," Danny addressed him. "You Michael?"

He nodded, his hand clutching his gun. "Yeah... Yeah I am..."

"So Detective Monroe and I are gonna see what we can do here, alright. See if we can find out what went down. What happened, man?"

"I thought you were tellin' me..."

"I just wanna idea of what happened," Danny said calmly. "You were runnin' down here," Danny said, gesturing to the platform, "And he got shot, right? What were you guys runnin' for?"

"He was just stood there. The pigs shot him. I'm not goin' down for somethin' they did."

"Alright, that's fine." Danny nodded. "My partner here will go through the evidence and we can figure out which bullet it was that shot him, alright? No need for anyone to get hurt, right?"

"We'll see."

Danny nodded, his heart racing as he watched Lindsay quickly move around the body, setting down counters as she documented the physical evidence.

"Are there any eyewitnesses?" Danny asked, "Anybody that'll corroborate what you're saying? It'll make this process easier."

"Everyone was cowering in the corner. I've already asked them."

"Mind if I try?" Danny said, lowering his voice. "The badge often triggers memories they try to forget."

Lindsay's head shot up as Michael agreed to Danny asking the eyewitnesses questions. They probably wouldn't agree with the guy holding them hostage. Lindsay was no Sheldon Hawkes, but from her experience she knew for a fact that the bullet wound in this man's chest wasn't from a department issued weapon. Meaning their hostage taker was in fact the killer, from first glance at least.

She shot a look at Danny, and he smiled at her before glancing at one specific person sat against the wall that he'd seen.

Her eyes ran along the line, and her heart lifted a little when she realised who it was that Danny had seen.

Adam Ross.

Blending into the crowd perfectly. Yet, standing out by a mile to both Danny and Lindsay.

From the look in Danny's eyes, Danny could probably get Adam to speak up and keep the perp on side so that Lindsay could process the body, get everyone out of there, and then tell him that he was in fact the killer.

But they'd get to that bridge when they crossed it.

"So," Danny began. "I know you're all a little scared right now, but I need you to think about what you saw here. Did anyone see what happened?"

Adam and Danny caught eyes for a moment, but so that it was innocent. It wasn't see through.

"Come on, guys... Anyone?" Danny pleaded with the business men on the early commute home. "Did you glance up from your newspapers and see anything?"

No response.

Danny sighed. "Did anyone see shots being fired?"

Adam slowly raised his hand and Danny silently thanked the lords that he sounded like a terrified witness at the best of times. "I saw shots being fired from the NYPD."

"Oh right?" Danny asked, zoning in on Adam, thanking him with his eyes. "Did you see any being fired from that man stood there?"

Adam narrowed his eyes and looked at the man, stood with a gun in his hand. "I did see some, but I didn't see which direction they were heading in. But I do know the NYPD were firing shots."

"Thank you Mr...."

"James." Adam said. "Ken James."

"Well thank you Mr. James." Danny smirked before turning. "I'll have a look for bullets and shell casings – what gun is it that you have there?" Danny asked as he turned. "Can I have a look?"

Michael held his gun out as Danny walked over to him. Danny held his hand out and Michael snatched it back abruptly. "Look with your fucking eyes."

"I just want to see the type and size of bullet. If you can tell me that'd be fine."

"9mm." He growled. "Just a usual firearm."

Instantly Danny knew it was a lie. But, he went with it regardless.

"Monroe," he started, "how's it looking?"

She glanced up. She knew it was just because of the situation they were in as to why he was addressing her as Monroe, but their argument earlier left her a little sensitive and it was almost like a blow to her gut to hear him call her Monroe.

She cleared her throat and tried to focus. "Everything so far is inconclusive as I need it to be analysed inside a lab before I can get any solid results." She glanced towards Michael. "Is there anyway we can get this sent up to our team so that they can get a move on regarding the evidence? It'll mean we find out what happened quicker."

"Neither of you are leaving," he growled before turning to look at the collective group of people sat against the wall. "You." He said, pointing toward Adam. "Stand up."

Lindsay's heart raced increased as Adam stood. "Yeah?"

"Take the evidence she's collected up there."

Danny licked his lips. They couldn't have worked this more perfectly if they had tried.

"Ken, is that alright with you? I want you to stay with the evidence and watch them. I trust you." Michael said, looking at Adam.

Adam turned, and Danny coughed. "Ken... Ken is that alright."

It had clicked that Adam had given himself a fake name and he nodded. "Yeah, yeah that's fine."

"I want you to come back down." Michael instructed. "Leave your belongings. Cause if you don't come back down then... well... I'll know where you live."

Adam nodded and quickly picked up Lindsay's labelled evidence bags and quickly disappeared upstairs.

"Bets on he doesn't come back down." Michael muttered, more to himself than Danny or Lindsay. "Least I'll have his address then."

Danny shared a look with Lindsay – that had been the first suggestion that Michael was unstable as he closed himself away from the both of them and continued to mutter to himself.

Danny leant down next to Lindsay. "What's it looking like?" he whispered.

"I can't pretend to be doing something for much longer, Dan." She replied. "Adam needs to analyse everything at top speed."

"He will," Danny whispered as he ran his hand down Lindsay's back before standing up. "So Michael, what's the plan now?" Danny asked.

Michael blinked as he clutched his gun. "We wait for Ken to watch them analyse the evidence."

"Right," Danny nodded. "So, while he's doing that, do you think that maybe we could send some people up?"

Michael glanced at the crowd. "I wanna keep 'em down here."

"But what use are they?" Danny questioned, making sure he kept his distance. "They didn't see anything. Ken's up there telling them what he saw and getting your story across. These guys down here don't really need to be here."

"I want to keep five... wait. Six. I want to keep six. The rest can go."

Danny nodded as he turned and glanced at the crowd. Looking for vulnerable people, Danny gestured to a mother and daughter, an elderly man, a pregnant woman and a man with crutches. "Is there anyone else with an existing medical condition that I need to get out of here?" Danny whispered.

The remaining people looked among themselves and shook their head. Danny could see in their eyes that they were debating lying to get themselves out of there – and he was surprised no one had.

Danny ushered the group of people towards the entrance and sent them up the stairs with the instruction to tell Mac Taylor that Ken James needed to hurry up.

Lindsay glanced up at Danny as she knelt back and pulled her gloves off. There was literally nothing more she could do.

Not until Adam came down with the evidence that would potentially seal their fate.

--

"The bullet wasn't a department issue, Mac." Adam whispered. "I've gotta go back down there and tell him it was him that shot the guy."

Mac ran his hand threw his hair. "Give me a second. I need to call Flack."

Adam nodded as he moved back and forth on his heels, anxious to get back down into the subway and what effectively waited for him, Danny, Lindsay and the others still sat down there.

"He's what?!"

Adam blinked and turned to where Mac was pacing back and forth. "Why wasn't we notified as soon as we'd gotten word?... That's not good enough Don! I sent both Danny and Lindsay down there. Yes both of them! Well, I need more than that. I have to send Adam down now... I'm aware of that, thank you Flack. "

Adam swallowed. Whatever he was going into wasn't going to be pleasant.

"Right. Keep me updated once you hear something more."

"That didn't sound promising." Adam commented as Mac hung up and shoved his phone into his blazer pocket.

He glanced up to Adam and licked his lips. "It's not."

"Should we be worried?" Adam asked.

"Yeah. We should." Mac whispered in a tone that unnerved Adam.

"Well, what's next?" Adam asked.

Mac took a deep breath. "Right now, I'm not sure."

* * *

**I just want to say a huge thank you to all you guys still reading and hopefully enjoying. I get that this is so epically long, but hopefully I keep you guys interested and guessing with what's coming next. Least that's what I try to do. So thank you for sticking around. And especially to those of you that have recently read through the 47 billion chapters and read each update now. I really, really appreciate it! :)**

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	185. The Man Who Can't Be Moved

**A/N: Sorry folks, I totally intended to have this up a little quicker, but my uni's wireless decided to die on the whole of the campus over the weekend. There was some rioting, some assignment writing, some socialising, some shaking in the corners, (mainly my housemates, after socialising with me!! I kids) and then some more rioting for the internet. Mr technical support came speeding down the road past the wheatfield this morning to a mob of angry students with no facebook and hey presto, we have internet. **

**p.s. NY-makes-me-happy, WYHTG is NOT coming to an end. I'll be still writing this in my retirement days. Not to worry. I just decided to add a little spice to the sugar. (haha, did you like that?!)**

* * *

"Where's Ken?" Michael growled at Danny. "What's taking so long?"

"Detective Mes...Monroe, Detective Monroe sent up a lot of samples, they need to analyse all the bullets before they can come to a conclusion about what happened." Danny explained, hoping to God that Michael did not twig on his slip of 'Messer' – Lindsay's _real _name. "It's alright. No news is good news, k?"

"You better not be lying to me," Michael warned him.

"I wouldn't." Danny assured him through gritted teeth.

Michael nodded and glanced down at Danny's left hand. "You got a wife?"

Danny nodded and smiled. "Yeah, yeah I do."

"What's her name?" Michael inquired.

"Elizabeth." Danny lied, using Lindsay's middle name. "She's a school teacher."

"Elementary? Or High School?"

"Elementary," Danny smiled as he imagined Lindsay as an elementary school teacher. "She teaches the third grade. Loves it."

"How long you been married?"

"Seems like forever," Danny said, "But about four years."

"What about you Monroe? Husband?"

Lindsay smiled and nodded. "Yeah, he's a musician. Plays the guitar..." It was one of the hobbies that Danny enjoyed, one that she would never tire of.

"How long have you been married?"

"We got married straight out of high school. So about... God, I don't even know anymore." Lindsay lied trying to do the math. "Fourteen years."

"Children? Either of you?"

Lindsay nodded. "I have a girl and a boy."

"And I have two boys. James and..."

"I have two kids. A boy and a girl." Michael interrupted her. "Before my wife took them away from me..."

Danny swallowed as Lindsay sucked up a breath of shock. They'd gotten so wrapped up in trying to draw attention away from themselves and concentrating on their lies, they missed the brutal looks on Michael's face.

"Well, there's ways around that," Lindsay reasoned. "The department can get you in touch with a good child custody lawyer and..."

"...She took them away because the doctors said that I was mentally unstable."

Both Danny and Lindsay shared a look between themselves.

"Where's Ken?" Michael asked.

"I could..." Lindsay began.

"I don't care what you can do... I wanna know where he is."

"He'll be down in a few minutes." Danny assured him. "The analysis will be done now."

Michael began pacing erratically before heading towards the group of people sat on the floor. He bent down to pick up Adam's wallet. He straightened up causing Danny to gasp and move himself so he was stood in front of where Lindsay was now standing, almost as a shield to protect her.

"Adam Ross?" Michael read from Adam's identification card. "NYPD? What kind of head game is this?"

Danny froze even though he had known it was coming. As did Lindsay. Which was probably the worst thing they could have done. The needed an explanation. A story... And they needed it now.

"I don't know, Monroe... Do you know him?" Danny stammered.

"I've not seen him before." Lindsay said in a quiet voice. "Maybe it's a fake ID? We've been getting a lot of those..."

"It's authentic." Michael growled, raising his gun. "It says he's with the crime lab."

Danny's heart was racing as he took hold of Lindsay's hand behind his back and squeezed it lightly as an act of small reassurance. "Let's go up top and sort this out, Michael. No one has to get hurt."

"You know something! You know him, don't you? You know why this is taking so long!"

"I don't know anything. You've watched my every move, Michael. I've not done anything that you didn't see me do."

"You're lying." Michael cried, his anxiety rushing through him and spilling out as he gripped the gun, causing it to shake.

Danny suddenly remembered that neither he, nor Lindsay had their vests – panic began to set in for him. He needed to get them out of there.

They needed to get home to their kids.

"Look Michael, come on. Let's go up to the street and we can find out exactly what's going on."

"No!" Michael cried. "I go up there, they'll have me."

"Michael," Lindsay said quietly. "I promise they won't."

"You say that... All of you. Jenny said she promised not to take the kids but she did. You lie."

"How about if I promise you? Would that ease a little concern? Cause I can promise you nothin'll happen." Danny said calmly.

He was blatantly lying now, but all he wanted was to get him and Lindsay to street level. He'd lie to his own mother right now if it meant he and Lindsay were safe.

Without realising, Danny had been motioning backwards, and Lindsay motioning forwards, bringing them close together, so that she was practically hidden behind Danny, gripping to the hand that he'd snaked around his back for her to hold.

"What are you doing?" he cried. "Move away from the other!!"

"Michael..." Lindsay cried. "Come on..."

"You've been bullshitting the whole time!" Michael snapped. "There is no Elizabeth. Hell, you Monroe didn't even give me a name for your husband." Michael raised his hand and pointed between them. "He's your husband and she's your wife."

"Michael, no... She's not. She's just my partner."

"Partners don't hold each other like that!" Michael spat. "Move... NOW!"

Danny motioned away from Lindsay, her fingertips slipping through his as he did so.

"I'm gonna give you fifty seconds to tell me the truth before I shoot one of you."

"The truth about what Michael?" Danny cried. "The fact that you killed that man?"

"Danny!" Lindsay cried. "Danny! Don't."

"It's over Michael. The second that gun goes off, you'll be arrested whether you're innocent regarding this crime or not. You shoot one of us, and you won't see the light of day again."

"I get locked up in Bellevue again and I won't see the light of day, so there's nothing much to lose is there?"

"There's everything to lose." Lindsay whispered. "You can still see your children. Arrangements can be made. Visitation. Supervised weekends out. There's everything to gain, Michael."

"There isn't." Michael whispered. "She'll never let me see them."

"You don't know that," Danny replied. "A court order is put in place, she has to bring them. If you want to see them, then it can be made to happen. We'll see to it, Michael."

"You won't!" Michael cried raising his gun. "You wouldn't do that!"

"We would." They cried in unison. "Michael, don't do this." Danny begged as he pointed the gun toward Lindsay. "Come on. You don't want to do this."

"I do." He whispered as his finger lowered on the trigger. "She'll take the kids from you. She'll do it. I need to save you, like I needed someone to save me."

Somehow, a bystander that had been sat against the wall had gone unnoticed in standing up and moving behind Michael as he pressed the trigger, tackling him to the ground and disarming him.

With Michael being knocked to the ground, the bullet's direction had been knocked off it's course slightly as it left the barrel, heading straight for Danny.

His heart raced in the milliseconds it took for the bullet to make its way towards him. He had perfect opportunity to move, but he was frozen. All he could think about was how it wasn't heading for Lindsay. Lindsay was safe.

He waited for the penetration of the bullet, until he realised he was being knocked to the ground.

It took him a split second to realise Lindsay had thrown herself at him, tackling him to the ground. Danny heard another shot go off, and it richocheting off another wall in the subway.

Pushing it to the back of his mind for a moment, he focused on Lindsay. "Babe?"

"Danny," she whispered. "Danny, I'm sorry about earlier."

"Baby, it's fine. It's fine. Are you okay?" he trailed his hands down her back and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, glad she was okay. "Baby?"

She blinked and swallowed at the same time Danny reached her lower back. "Danny, I'm sorry."

"Baby... Montana... Lindsay, listen to me."

"Danny. I can't feel my legs."

"Montana... listen to me." Danny cried, tears rising in his eyes. "We're gonna have to move so I can get you help."

"Don't leave me," she cried, scrambling to grab his shirt as she curled her fingers around the material. "Please don't leave me. Don't leave me, Danny."

"I'm not going anywhere, and you're not goin' anywhere either, k?" he whispered as he moved a lock of hair from her face as she lay on his chest, gripping to his shirt with her clenched fist. "Baby, listen to me..."

"Danny, it's really hurting," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. "It's burning,"

Danny breathed through his tears at Lindsay's pain. At his inability to make it hurt less for her. For it not to hurt at all.

Danny glanced up and his eyes met Mac's. "Mac!! MAC!"

Instantly Mac was bellowing for the EMT to attend to Lindsay. "Lindsay?"

She merely buried her head in Danny's chest while gripping to his shirt.

"Lindsay can you hear me?"

"I can't move, Mac. I can't move my legs."

"It's alright," Mac assured her. "it's okay."

"I couldn't let Danny get shot." She whispered. "I wouldn't kiss him when he left. I couldn't... I had to..."

"Shush," Danny whispered as he held her, brushing her bangs from her eyes, "Don't worry about it, K? I just need you to get better, okay? Hold on there, Lindsay. You can't leave me and the kids, alright? We love you too much. You've gotta hold on, k?"

Lindsay nodded weakly, "I can't feel my legs, Danny."

"It's alright," he whispered. "It's okay. It doesn't matter. It's gonna be alright."

"Danny, tell Amanda and Josh that..."

"Lindsay..." Danny whispered as he pressed a kiss to her lips. "Lindsay come on..."

"Danny, I lov-..."

"Lindsay, come on... None of that," Mac instructed. "You're gonna be alright." He whispered as the paramedics extracted her from Danny's arms and loaded her onto a stretcher to carry her up to the street level. "It's gonna be alright."

Danny sat up and watched as the paramedics carried Lindsay up the stairs and out of sight. He drew in deep breaths as he gazed down to his hands covered in her blood. His wedding ring coated in it. His shirt drenched in it.

He held the back of his hand to his mouth before standing up and walking past Mac who was knelt by the pool of blood.

"Are you alright? You need to get checked out to make sure..."

Danny turned and shook his head at his boss. "Her first shift at work and you send her to a fucking hostage situation with a fucking lunatic." He growled at his boss. "I have two children that need their mother, Mac. Send me into shit like that, but not her. Not my Lindsay. You of all people should know. You lost Claire. If you make me lose Lindsay I swear to God..."

Danny turned and raced up the stairs in the direction where Lindsay had just gone, leaving Mac to bury his head in his hands.

* * *

Danny Messer had no idea how he'd gotten to the hospital in one piece. Nor did he know how he had managed to park the SUV and make it to the trauma unit completely on his own. He figured it was automatic pilot, knowing that Lindsay needed him – just as much as he needed her. It was like a magnetic field between them – each one being pulled to the other.

She had to be okay, because he knew for a fact that he if lost her, he'd never forgive himself. Ever.

He glanced at the directions given on the wall, and headed to the ER trauma unit, with an empty feeling in his stomach. He felt like he'd lost or forgotten something.

He was just hoping he hadn't lost anything.

He finally made it to the reception and enquires desk and cleared his throat. "I'm looking for Lindsay Messer. She was just brought in. Police officer, she's sustained a gunshot wound to her lower back." He didn't know how he was doing it. He felt like he was about to shatter, yet he was still managing to... function.

"Yes," the receptionist nodded as she gazed at her screen and then looked for the corresponding paperwork. "We admitted her ten minutes ago. She's being prepped for surgery."

"Is there anyone I can speak to regarding her condition?" Danny asked with glazed eyes.

"Can I ask who you are?"

"I'm her partner... And her husband."

"I don't know, but if you take a seat Detective. Messer, I can find out for you. I'm afraid though that everyone who will know something is with your wife in surgery. She's in very good hands."

He nodded and let out a deep breath, "Just make sure she comes back to me, k?"

"The doctors are going to go above and beyond," she smiled reassuringly. "Take a seat and I'll ensure someone comes and speaks with you soon."

He took a deep breath and sat down on a row of seats in front of a whiteboard in the middle of the ER. Lists were forming in his head. He had people to call so that they knew Lindsay was in surgery. He had to get Amanda and Josh from Noah's, he had to tell Noah. He had to tell Amanda. He had to figure a way around what he was going to do while Lindsay was in recovery.... if she made it to recovery...

He laid his head back against the wall and took a deep breath – his chest was constricting and he wasn't able to gain a deep enough breath.

He was panicking. He needed Lindsay. He needed to know how she was. Where she was.

"Mr. Messer?"

Danny shot up and looked around for the voice that had called his name. "Yeah?"

"I'm Doctor McKean. I'm your wife's surgeon."

Danny nodded. "How is she?"

"She's being prepped for surgery to remove the bullet. It's lodged into her lower spine, so it is a risky operation, but from our x-rays and initial observations, I believe that it can be successfully extracted without causing any further damage."

"Okay," Danny whispered. "And the effects of her getting shot in her back?"

"She will probably suffer temporary paralysis."

Danny swallowed. Lindsay. Paralysis. The words reverberated in his head and sent him dizzy.

"The spine will swell to protect itself against the bullet," Doctor McKean continued. "which will effectively cut off her ability to walk. I'll know more about her condition after surgery."

"She's not... her heart rate hasn't... has it?"

"She has slipped in and out of consciousness in transit to the hospital, but her heart rate has been surprisingly strong, considering how much blood she's lost. She's been asking for you, obviously, but also for Joshua and Amanda."

"Our kids... Her babies." Danny whispered, tears filling his eyes. "She was adamant I told them she loved them, but I couldn't hear her say that, so I kept cuttin' her off ya'know?"

"I know," Doctor McKean whispered. "I'll have someone escort you to a family room to make you more comfortable and I will personally come find you after her surgery."

"Thank you," Danny whispered.

"And I promise you, she's in safe hands with me."

Danny nodded and watched the Doctor walk away; effectively leaving him with a disastrous tsunami of thoughts swirling in his mind – beginning and ending with Lindsay.

And how she had to make it through her surgery. Had to. Even if he had to go in there himself and pull her through it.

She had to make it through.

She just had to.

* * *

Donald Flack didn't really know what to do for the best as he stood pacing on the driveway outside the Messer's home in Queens.

Mac was currently running himself into the ground with guilt. Stella was freaking out at the lab. Hawkes was catching the next flight in from his conference in San Francisco. Jessica was running the ropes, trying to hold it together. Adam was processing like a mad man. And Nick had decided to stay in interrogation, an inch from beating Michael Roberts to a pulp.

Which of course left Flack to pick up the pieces as everyone ran around trying to deal with what had happened in their own way.

He turned and look across the road to where he could hear the giggling of his 'niece'.

He took a deep breath as he headed toward the house and cleared his throat as he rang the door bell. Upon no answer, Flack decided to investigate and let himself into the backyard. "Hello?"

"UNCLE FLACK?!"

"Hey baby girl." Flack smiled sadly at Amanda as she bounded towards him, a little boy hot on her tail. "You havin' fun?"

"Yeah," Amanda giggled. "This is Jesse. When me and him grows big, we're getting mahwied, Uncle Flack."

"Does Daddy know about this?" Flack smiled.

"It's a secwet." Amanda whispered. "Right Jesse."

Jesse nodded as he took hold of Amanda's hand. "M&M's gonna live with me in our house."

The two toddlers turned and pointed to their makeshift house (otherwise known as a tent) set up in the backyard. "Jesse's daddy saided we could have a pool too," Amanda giggled.

"I'm sure your daddy will be so pleased." Flack chuckled.

"What's you doing? Are you here to play too?" Jesse inquired.

"I'm not buddy. I gotta talk to your Daddy, and then I gotta steal your girl for a while."

"We goin' to get Lickle bear more baby clothes?" Amanda asked hopefully. "NO! PUPPY FLACK CLOTHES!"

Ignoring the name of the puppy, Flack shook his head. "Where's your daddy, Jesse?"

"Inside with Joshy and Zack, babies are too small to play with us big kids, right 'manda"

"It's Amanda." Amanda said, pronouncing the 'A'. "Not 'manda. Amanda. Gee Jesse."

"Sorry 'manda."

"AMANDA!" Amanda cried. "We gonna have to gets a diborce if you can't say my names right, Jesse."

"But I wubs you, 'manda." Jesse sniffled.

"AMANDA!!"

Flack shook his head as he pulled himself away from his niece. He knocked tentatively on the glass door before letting himself into the house. "Hey..."

"Hi, can I help you?"

"I... I work with Danny and Lindsay, see thing is... there's been an accident at work. Lindsay's got shot." Flack said lowering his voice. "I..."

"I'm here for whatever it is you need." Noah said instantly as he stood up from the couch. "Want me to keep hold of them? It's no problem if you..."

"Could you watch Josh? I think Danny needs Amanda to make him keep it together right now."

Noah nodded slowly as Flack trailed his fingers through his hair. "What would you do?" Flack asked slowly. "I have no idea what to do."

"Well how bad is it?"

"The last time I heard, she's gonna suffer temporary paralysis."

"Jesus. Is Danny okay?"

Flack shook his head. "He's not answering his cell. I don't know what to do other than physically take myself over there."

"Go ahead. I'll give you my number and you call me if he wants Amanda there with him. If either of them need anything, I'm here, and don't hesitate to call me, okay?"

Flack nodded slowly and sadly, trying to make sense of the day's events.

* * *

Danny sighed as he sat, staring at the full cup of coffee that had been placed in front of him. He'd not touched it and it'd since gone cold.

The nurse had come into the family room he'd been shown to and asked how he liked his coffee. He'd described Lindsay's perfect coffee without even realising. Milk, two sugars and some cinnamon. The second she'd walked into the room with the coffee, the cinnamon had hit him, reducing him to tears.

That had been about an hour ago.

And he'd not spoken to anyone since. People had called, but he'd let it gone to voicemail each time. He didn't really care for their well wishes and to know how she was doing, because he really didn't know.

And it killed him.

He could still feel her on top of him. The smell of her hair as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head before he found her gunshot wound. The sound of her voice as she apologised to him for not wanting to kiss him earlier.

It didn't matter. It was water under the bridge for him. He just wanted her to wake up from surgery and give her a kiss. A million kisses. He wanted to tell her he loved her, and he was sorry he didn't move that little bit quicker. He didn't go that extra mile to protect her. To keep her safe.

That shouldn't have been her. He should have done something.

But she'd gone and taken a bullet for him.

Oh, if only he could turn back time.

Tears filled in his eyes as he glanced around the room. He was the one that should be in there. Not her.

Not Lindsay.

Her tiny body wasn't anything to stand against a gunshot wound like the one she had. She was so petite. So gentle. So little.

Something as destructive as a bullet shouldn't have... shouldn't be...

"Damn it, Lindsay," Danny cried as he kicked the table away from him, making the coffee on the table spill onto the floor.

The door opened and Danny glanced up, expecting to see a maintenance worker or a random passerby that had heard the scraping of the table against the floor.

But no...

Donald Flack Jr. stood with his arms folded across his chest with an apologetic look on his face.

He'd been the only one that hadn't called.

And deep down, Danny knew why.

He'd been running around here there and everywhere, trying to do everything that Danny couldn't do as he fell to pieces waiting for word on his wife.

The squeaking of Flack's shoes on the hospital floor indicated his movement over to Danny and instantly, Danny reduced to tears as he hunched over in his seat.

Flack quickly moved towards his friend as he watched the tears fall. Minding the coffee on the floor, Flack knelt in front of his best friend and wrapped his arms around him. "I called her parents. I've spoken to Noah. Mac's got him in custody, with Nick an inch from beating the living shit out of him. And I'm here for you for whatever you need."

Danny spluttered as he gripped the arms of his seat. "Don't let her leave me, Flack."

"It's gonna be alright, buddy." Flack whispered as he patted Danny's back. "C'mon, it's gonna be alright. You guys get through shit like this. It's what you do."

"She got shot." Danny cried. "In the back. She's gonna be paralysed, Flack. Paralysis. I can't wrap my head around it." He fell silent for a moment and shrugged Flack off him. "It should be me. Not Lindsay."

"It shouldn't be either of you." Flack told him. "But it was. And you gotta stay strong Danno. For her and for your kids. Because it's gonna hurt like a bitch for her to get back onto her feet. She needs you right now more than she's ever needed you."

"It shouldn't be her." Danny cried. "Not Lindsay. Not my baby."

"Danny. It is her. It is Lindsay, and you have to stay positive for her, k?"

"I just..." Danny took a deep breath. "Give me a minute, here?"

"Sure, sure..." Flack nodded. "Is there anything I can get you? Something to eat? Change of clothes?"

"No." He whispered as he wiped his eyes. "Just some time to get my head around this."

"Want me to...?"

Danny nodded as he swallowed the lump in his throat. "Just for ten minutes."

Flack nodded and headed out of the room and headed towards the cafeteria, giving Danny some time and space.

Reaching for his wallet Danny pulled his crumpled picture of a smiling Lindsay, hands on her knees as she leant towards the camera in their backyard.

He spluttered his tears as he ran his finger over Lindsay's face.

The door opened once again, and through his tears, Danny glanced up and instantly straightened up and stood from his seat. "Doctor McKean?"

"Mr. Messer... Wipe your tears. She's through the worst of it..."

Relief washed over Danny.

"...But, it's going to be a hard road from here on in. Your wife is going to suffer from temporary paralysis."

"Temporary though, right?" Danny sniffled. "Temporary as in not forever."

"Temporary as in it all depends on your wife."

Danny nodded. If he knew Lindsay, temporary wasn't going to be an option. She'd be back on her feet before he could blink.

"Can I see her?" Danny asked quietly.

"She's getting transferred to the ICU. Just as a precautionary measure."

"Can I bring our daughter? Would that be wise? She's only two, and Lindsay would probably kick my ass, but I just need her right now, you know..."

"She'll have to find out sooner or later, Mr. Messer. You know your daughter better than anyone. It's a decision only you can make."

"When can I see Lindsay?"

"I can take you to her now."

Danny nodded slowly and wiped his face to rid the tears. "I'm pretty sure this isn't in your job description. Taking sobbing husbands to the ICU."

Doctor McKean shrugged and glanced to the badge on Danny's belt loop. "When people like you and your wife put your lives on the line for us, I think everyone should go that little bit further to thank you guys."

Danny nodded slowly. Silence fell between the two men as they stepped into the elevator together.

"She's a strong woman you know," McKean commented. "She didn't give the fight up once."

"She's as stubborn as a mule." Danny chuckled. "That's Lindsay. Her way or no way." He paused. "You know... the reason... the reason why... she..."

Doctor McKean laid a comforting hand on Danny's shoulder. "Go on."

"The reason why she's... where she is, is because we argued this morning." Danny started. "I had our little girl's hair cut, and she wouldn't kiss me goodbye when I went to work. Turns out, we got thrown into a hostage situation together, and she threw herself at me so that I wouldn't... be mad at her for not wanting to kiss me. Crazy right?"

"I've heard crazier. Think of what her tackling you to the ground stands for. You'd argued earlier. She'd refused to kiss you, and you hadn't verbally cleared the air. Despite that, she still took a bullet for you without taking a second to think about it. That to me shows how much she loves you."

Danny nodded slowly. "They teach you psychology in Doctor School these days?"

"Doctor School?" McKean smiled. "Med school?"

"Oh yeah... that." Danny said as they stepped off the elevator. "I knew that... I just."

"It's been one hell of a day for you."

Danny nodded as he took a deep breath. "Where is she then?"

Doctor McKean pointed across the hallway before taking the lead and leading Danny into a private room.

"If you need anything, there's a button there that will attract the nurse's attention. I'll be back later, Danny."

Danny listened but didn't react as the man that saved his wife's life walked out of her room.

She looked so small in the middle of the big bed. IV's feeding into her... Out of her... All around her...

He sat down slowly by her side, took her left hand and closed his eyes as a tear fell down his cheek. "Baby, I'm so sorry."

His words fell on deaf ears, because he knew there was no way she was about to turn round and answer him. He just wanted to apologise to her on the off chance she could hear him. That she was listening.

"Your surgeon said that you're gonna be alright. You're gonna have some temporary paralysis, but that's nothing we can't get passed, ya'know. We can make sure you're back on your feet in no time, going to the gym and chasing Amanda and Josh and everything. 'Cause you have to get better, Linds. You have to. I really need you to wake up."

A tear trickled down his cheek as he gripped to her hand tighter. "I don't know what I'm gonna do if somethin' happens to you baby girl. I really don't."

He took a deep breath and stood up from his seat before pressing a kiss to her forehead and taking a moment to just inhale her scent.

"God I love you, Lindsay." He whispered as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear before sitting back down in his chair by the side of her bed. "Please be alright, baby. Please."

He sat back in his chair, still holding her hand and listened to the slow laboured breathing and the heart rate monitor.

"I'm not gonna leave you Montana," he promised as he ran his thumb over Lindsay's hand. "I know you didn't want me to leave you, so it's me and you, k? Me and you."

He settled in his chair so that he was mildly comfortable.

Because there was no way in hell he was leaving this chair for anything.

Unless it was for Lindsay.

* * *

**A/N: I know you're all thinking "what in the bloody hell is she doing?!" right about now, but there's a method to my madness. While watching season 6 I've been wondering what it'd be like if the roles were reversed, and Fred latched onto the idea for WYHTG. I get that this might not exactly be popular, but hopefully you'll enjoy what I'm planning on. **

**And to everyone who reviewed last chapter, I absolutely loved reading your reviews, and I appreciated every single one of them. I'm sorry I didn't reply because I really did enjoy every single one of them and would have loved to reply to you all individually. **

**Special thank you to: **

twinkeyrocks

Megan is not writing her paper - (You dork, you...)

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Lindsay1234


	186. Anywhere But Here

After tracking Danny down in Lindsay's private room, Flack had tried to coax Danny into getting changed into some clean clothes he'd brought him. He begged him to clean himself up a bit. Eat. All the while reassuring him that Lindsay was still going to be there when he got finished doing everything he needed to do.

When that hadn't worked, Flack had proceeded to drum it into Danny that running himself into the ground wasn't going to be beneficial to Lindsay in the slightest. That when she woke up, he'd have to be there for her, instead of parked in a bed next to her; starving, unshaven and to be quite honest, smelly. So while she was sleeping, now was his time to get things in order. To get himself in order.

That was what had done it. Danny had changed, washed his face and gotten some food down him.

Flack had then handed him a pillow as he settled back in his seat on the other side of the room an hour later and told his friend to sleep. And that he was going to sit and keep watch while Danny closed his eyes.

He didn't have to sleep, Flack had told him. Just so long as his eyes were shut.

Four hours later Danny was stretching in his chair, asking for Amanda.

Which led Flack to where currently was; taking deep breaths as he held Amanda's little hand while she skipped next to him, trying to keep up with his strides.

Now, it wasn't exactly the best idea, Flack thought to himself. But that being said, put in Danny's position; he had no idea what he'd do. He wouldn't know what to say to his daughter if it was him and Jessica in Danny and Lindsay's position.

"Uncle Donnie, did Mommy has another baby? Is that why you and me are heres? I missed Mommy and Daddy lasted night. Jesse's house isn't as nice as Daddy and Mommy's house."

Flack sighed as he bent down and scooped Amanda up in his arms. "I wish it was, sweetheart. We're here for a different reason."

"Did Daddy has a baby?" Amanda giggled to herself. "Uncle Donnie?"

"Hmm?" he whispered. "What?"

"Daddies can't have babies, 'cause only Mommies have babies but you didn't laugh. Are you sad?"

"I am a little sad sweetheart, yeah."

She blinked. "Why?"

He saw the tears pooling in her eyes and as selfish as it was, he couldn't be the person to tell her what had happened. He wanted to leave it to Danny. Let Danny deal with it.

So, he went with the second best explanation.

"I left my teddy at Auntie Jess's when I had a sleepover last night and I can't see him until tomorrow now."

"Aww no! And it's sooo early in the mornin' too!!" Amanda gushed as she placed both her little hands on either side of Flack's face, holding him in place. "Uncle Flack! You can borrow my puppy if you wants. He takes my mind off Lickle bear all the time."

"It's alright," Flack nodded. "I have a back up teddy bear."

"That's good." Amanda nodded as she glanced into Lindsay's room and saw Danny stood pacing. "DADDY!"

"Amanda shush!" Flack all but growled at her. "You gotta be quiet sweetheart."

Amanda leaned back in Flack's arms, trying to get away from him. "I want my Daddy. Where's Mommy?"

Flack motioned for Danny to come outside and he set Amanda on the floor. "Uncle Flack's gotta go make a phone call baby..." Flack explained as Danny made his way into the hallway, "I'll come see you in a minute, k?"

"Mmkay," Amanda shrugged before turning to her Daddy and holding her arms up. "You look sad too, Daddy." She observed as she snuggled into her father's warm embrace. "Are you sad about Uncle Donnie's teddy too?"

Danny took a deep breath and glanced around the hallway before heading into a family room across the hall.

He didn't want to tell his baby girl about her Mommy in front of Lindsay in the room. He didn't want Lindsay to hear Amanda freaking out if she could hear something. Nor did he want the whole of the intensive care unit watch his baby girl break down like he expected her to. He switched the light on and sat Amanda on a chair before bending down in front of her. "Now baby, Daddy has something to tell you, okay."

Amanda nodded slowly. "Otay. Is it about your teddy?"

"Not exactly sweetheart."

Amanda furrowed her brow in confusion.

"I don't want you to be scared, alright? It's going to be okay..."

Amanda blinked. "Daddy, are yous otay?"

He knew he was doing it all wrong. He knew that if Lindsay could see him now, she'd have a better way to handle it. A better way of making sure that Amanda knew what was going on, but only to her level of understanding. Not what he was about to tell her.

"Do you remember yesterday when Mommy took you across to Jesse's to play because she had to go to work?"

Amanda nodded slowly.

"Well, when Mommy and Daddy were at work, something happened and Mommy got hurt."

"Mommy..." Amanda's eyes widened and tears filled her eyes. "But Daddy..." she whispered. "I... I... Mommy...."

"She's going to be okay," Danny reassured her with a firm nod. "The Doctors made her okay again... But she's going to have to ride around in a wheelchair for a little while. So that she gets super better. Do you remember what that is?"

Amanda nodded as her tears threatened to fall. "What they tooked her out to the SUB when she tooked Joshy home with us."

"That's right," Danny nodded. "Except this wheelchair will be comin' home with us."

A tear fell down Amanda's cheek. "I want Mommy..."

"Mommy's asleep right now, baby girl." Danny sniffled, as he swiped a tear from Amanda's cheek with the pad of his thumb. "But Daddy's here,"

"But I want Mommy." Amanda whispered. "Me needs to know Mommy otay."

"Baby..." Danny trailed his fingertips through his hair. At this point, Lindsay would have stepped in and taken over, saving the day.

Making Danny realise how much he needed Lindsay.

"Was she in that room you wered in?" Amanda sniffled as she wiped her tears on her sleeve.

"Amanda, listen to Daddy..."

"No, I listened to Mommy!"

"Baby, listen to me..."

"Mommy only wented to work cause she wanted to say sowwy to you, Daddy! If you hadn't been a mean boy, she would have stayed with me and Joshy! She tolded me so!"

"Baby," Danny sniffled as he took a deep breath as he took his little girl's hands in his.

"I want Mommy to talk to me." She cried as she snatched her hand away. "I don't want you."

"Mommy's sleeping. We can go talk to her though. She's listening."

"I want her to talk to me though. I need to tell her Jesse and me are getting a diborce."

Danny looked up as a tear ran down his cheek, trying to hide it from Amanda. "Well, we can go tell her if you want."

"I want... I want...."

Amanda sat in the chair for a few moments, her chest heaving before bursting into tears and crawling up into a ball. "I want mommy!" she wailed almost incoherently.

Danny stood up and scooped his daughter up and rocked her as she gripped to him, sobbing as she did so.

"It's gonna be alright, baby girl." Danny whispered, glad it was just him and his daughter and no other eyes as she broke down in his arms. "Daddy's got you. You're safe, Daddy's got you."

"I want Mommy," Amanda cried, kicking her legs against Danny. "I want my Mommy. I don't want you. I want Mommy."

"I know you do," Danny whispered, trying to calm her. "I know M&M. I know you want her to give you a cuddle, but she's sleeping to make herself better."

He rocked Amanda as she sniffled and cried in his arms until she fell silent and merely lay in his arms, completely unresponsive.

"I want a drinky, Daddy."

"You wanna go get you a milkshake? Something nice for your tummy?"

Amanda nodded slowly as she wiped her nose on Danny's t-shirt. "I wanna go with Uncle Donnie." Amanda sniffled. "I'm sad with you."

Danny rocked her in his arms trying not to let her words break his heart. "Alright, I'll call Uncle Flack and we can get you a muffin or something, how does that sound?"

"Blueberry," she reminded her Daddy as he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.

"How could I forget sweetpea?"

Danny quickly made the call to Flack, telling him they'd meet him in the hallway and what it was Amanda wanted to do. Flack okayed it, and assured Danny he'd be there as soon as possible.

Cautiously, Danny moved out of the room with Amanda still wrapped in his arms; her thumb affixed in her mouth.

He merely rocked her as he paced up and down the hallway, making sure not to go as far as Lindsay's room on the off chance Amanda caught a glimpse of Lindsay.

Flack crept up behind them and stuck his tongue out at Amanda, to which she just shrugged out of Danny's arms; into Flack's and settled back into the crook of his neck; like how she had been laid in Danny's arms; her thumb affixed in her mouth.

"Is she okay?" Flack whispered.

Danny shook his head no before running his fingers through his hair. "I made a huge mistake, put it that way."

Flack shook his head. "She needed to know."

"Not like that." Danny said, scolding himself. "Lindsay would be askin' me what the hell I was thinkin' right about now. Probably smackin' me upside the head, NCIS style..."

"You were thinking you needed your baby girl as a moral support. And if Josh was old enough, he'd be here right now as well. You don't keep secrets from these kids, Danno. You're straight up honest with them, and that's what you did here. You didn't make a mistake; it's just an emotional and upsetting thing. Go sit with Linds; I'll take Amanda's mind off it for a while."

Danny nearly cracked a smile, before nodding and patting Flack on his arm. "Thanks Don."

"You don't gotta thank me." Flack whispered. "Say bye to Daddy, M&M. Let's go riot in the cafeteria."

Amanda barely blinked before snuggling further into Flack's neck, effectively hiding her face.

"She's just upset and scared." Flack reasoned. "She'll be alright in a little while."

Danny nodded as Flack turned and headed in the direction he'd just come from, leaving Danny to get back to Lindsay.

* * *

Flack took a deep breath as he sat Amanda at an empty cafeteria table, muffins and milkshakes on a tray.

"So," Flack said as he pulled the head off of the muffin and laid it on a napkin, before unwrapping the packaging on the rest and laying that next to the top on the napkin, so that Amanda could eat them in order of how she liked. "What are you thinkin' about sweetheart?"

"I can't cwy." She whispered as she prodded her finger into the squishy muffin, her head laid on the table.

"Why's that M&M?"

"I gotsta be a big girl for Daddy and Mommy. I sad with Daddy but he wubs my Mommy a lot, and he's been cwying. And even thoughs I mad, I kinda wub Daddy too."

"Babe, you don't gotta be brave. You can cry if you need to."

"Daddy needs M&M to be a big girl." Amanda said as she broke a bit off the muffin, but just let it fall to the table and blew it away from her as her head still lay on the table. "Mommy always says happy smiles."

"It's okay to be sad right now, Amanda." Flack assured her as he prodded her nose. "Nobody's going to be upset if you're upset. The reason me and your Daddy are upset is because your Mommy got hurt, and you can be upset about that too if you want."

"I don't." She sniffled as she sat up and took a sip of her milkshake. "Daddy needs a big girl. Not a cwy baby."

"You're not a cry baby, Amanda." Flack told her as he wiped her mouth with a napkin. "I don't know where you've got that from. You're the bravest girl I know."

"Me just don't wants to be sad, k? I cwied and now I has to be otay for Daddy."

Flack shook his head and reached across the table as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and then took hold of her chin and stood up so he could press a kiss to her forehead. "I love you, baby girl. You know that?"

"I wubs you too, Uncle Donnie." Amanda said before pushing her muffin away from her. "Can I go backs to Daddy now?" she whispered. "I was mean to him before, and he's sad."

"Let's go the long way. I want to take a walk with my favourite girl." Flack smiled softly at his niece.

He took Amanda's hand, helping her down from the seat and let her pad along side of him, Lickle bear snuggled into her arm as a best friend support.

He looked down at his niece and shook his head.

He'd never truly realised how smart, clever and loving his best friends were.

Well... not until he met their daughter.

* * *

"I told her," Danny whispered as he took up his position back at Lindsay's bedside after he'd watched his daughter disappear down the hallway with his best friend. "She took it as I thought she would... and then I don't even think that justifies it.. It broke my heart; she really needs you, Linds." He paused. "You need to wake up for that little girl, Lindsay. You have no idea how much she needs you... How much Josh needs you."

Danny took a deep breath.

"Stella took a day out. She went to get Josh last night from Noah's, but Amanda had already fallen asleep, so she let her be. She didn't wanna freak her out, ya'know... But Josh just wouldn't settle. He wanted his Mom. He wanted you, Linds. So that's why you've gotta wake up, baby. You've gotta wake up and tell everyone they're actin' like idiots, and you need to tell them that they need to get on with it, like I know you're gonna. You and me can get through your therapy and stuff. Everyone else can just go on with what they're doin' right? It's me and you against the world..."

He took her hand and squeezed it softly. "Linds..."

He sat back a little and took a deep breath. If she wasn't ready to wake up, she wouldn't. He knew that from the alarm clock in the morning. Lindsay, since moving to New York, had turned into a 'ten more minutes' kind of girl, and wouldn't budge until she'd had her extra ten minutes. Begging her wouldn't make her wake up any quicker. He knew that.

So he went with plan B.

"So musician then?" he started out. "You surprised me with that one, sweetheart. I thought you were gonna go for 'hobo' for my job description after how I'd been acting. I've not played the guitar in a while... I take it that was your hint for me to blow the dust off and try it out again?"

He chuckled to himself for a minute.

"A musician and an Elementary School Teacher; we'd be quite the pair, wouldn't we? Me being the bum at home, writing songs, being Mr. Mom while you went and taught at some school... Could you imagine?" he shook his head. "We'd... it'd certainly be a different life, wouldn't it?" he whispered. "We wouldn't be here if that was the case."

He ran his free hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "If I was to sing would you wake up? Because you don't know how hard I'm findin' this babe. You have no idea."

His only reply was the steady sounds of Lindsay's heart rate monitor and her soft and constant breathing.

He pulled his chair further to her bed and lay his head down on her pillow as he wrapped his fingers through her's.

"You're gonna make me sing, aren't you? You're laid there, dying to giggle at me singin'. I know you baby. I know you're doin' this to torture me."

He knew she wasn't. If she could wake up, she would... it wasn't her time yet. Lying to himself though was quite an effective coping mechanism while Lindsay lay in the hospital bed.

Danny took a deep breath and pressed a kiss to her temple, "I want you to live, I want you to love; I wanna go back to the way it was; to..."

As he took another breath, the door swung open and Amanda bound towards Danny who sat on the far side of the room. "Baby?"

"Daddy!" she cried. "I sowwy!"

Danny shook his head as he moved away from Lindsay and scooped Amanda up in his arms, "Sweetie, it's alright. It's okay."

She snuggled into his hold he had on her before wiping her eyes and nose on him and glancing at Lindsay. "That's Mommy?" Amanda whispered in realisation and disbelief.

"Yeah baby, that's Mommy."

Amanda sniffled and nodded against Danny's gruff cheek. "I okays. It's otay."

Flack appeared in the doorway, "I'm sorry Danno, she got..."

Danny waved it off as he sat down on the chair next to Lindsay's side and sat Amanda on his knee as Amanda leant forward and prodded Lindsay's hand. "She's getting better. I promise sweetheart."

Amanda nodded slowly.

"I'm gonna go," Flack whispered as he held his hand to his ear to demonstrate a phone, "Call me when she wakes up."

Danny nodded and whispered thank you, as Flack turned and shut the door.

Danny let out a slow breath and snuggled his daughter close to his chest, "You know M&M, Daddy is really proud of you."

She turned and cocked her head to the side, "Huh?"

"You're being a huge help to Daddy by being his teddy bear."

She giggled and squirmed as he squeezed her softly. She quickly settled in Danny's arms and laid her head against his chest as she stuck her thumb in her mouth, gripping Lickle bear all the while.

Danny pressed a kiss to the top of Amanda's head and held her close.

"Daddy." Amanda whispered in the silence of the room with her thumb still in her mouth. "Daddy?"

"Yeah baby?" He whispered as he removed Amanda's thumb from her mouth so she could speak easier.

"Daddy... is Mommy dying?"

"Is Mommy dying?" Danny blinked at his daughter. At two-years-old, she shouldn't even know how to say dying – it was a word that shouldn't be in her vocabulary – let alone her be able to use it in the correct context.

"Daddy? Is she?" Amanda pressed. "Is she Daddy?"

"No baby. Mommy isn't dying."

"Might she die?" Amanda whispered. "Might she leave us and go to heaben?"

Danny shook his head as the tears slipped down his cheek. "Sweetheart, Mommy isn't leaving us. Her body is just sleeping to get her back better, k?"

"But Daddy... Looked at Mommy. That doesn't look like my Mommy, Daddy. Where'd Mommy go?"

"Baby, Mommy isn't going anywhere, k? The doctors worked really, really hard to make sure that Mommy was safe and she didn't leave you, Joshy or me, okay? Mommy isn't going to die. All this sleeping she's doing is making her better quicker. When you get a boo boo, your body works super hard when you're sleeping to make sure when you wake up, you're okay, and that's what Mommy's body is doing."

"Do you promise?" Amanda whispered. "Pinky swear me, Daddy."

"I pinky swear you to the moon and back, okay?" Danny whispered. "I promise you, Mommy isn't going anywhere."

"Can me lay with Mommy?" Amanda whispered. "Just for a widdle bit."

Danny glanced at Lindsay. He couldn't believe it, but just looking at her, it was like she'd moved her arm so that Amanda would fit perfectly snuggled into her side.

"Only for a few minutes." Danny said. "Mommy's still fragile okay, sweetheart?"

"I only want to cuddle her for a widdle bit, Daddy."

Danny stood up with Amanda in his arms before carefully laying her next to his wife on the bed. "Be careful, Amanda."

"I wills." She nodded as she lay her head on Lindsay's chest. "Daddy... Can I talk to Mommy?"

"Of course you can M&M, go ahead. She's listening."

"By myself," Amanda slowly added. "I wants to tell her something, but it's a secwet."

Danny hesitated, but didn't have the strength to say no to her. "I'm gonna go stand outside for a few minutes, k? I'll even take Lickle bear so you've got no one listenin' in," Danny smiled at her as he picked the teddy bear from the seat where he'd fallen as they'd stood up.

Amanda nodded and sniffled as she snuggled further into Lindsay's side.

"I want you to be careful though, Amanda, okay? Super careful."

"I pwomise." She told him before he turned and shut the door, so that it was open barely a fraction.

Amanda sniffled as she pressed a kiss to Lindsay's arm that was coincidentally wrapped around her as she lay next to her mother. "Mommy, it's me... M&M... Not Joshy... Justed in case you were wonderin'," Amanda whispered. "Daddy really wants you to waked up, k? He sad and it's making M&M sad 'cause Daddy's sad. And Daddy's never sad. And I miss you too. Daddy's not very funned when you're sick, Mommy. He doesn't smiled and..."

Amanda sniffed as tears slipped down her cheek and hit Lindsay's arm.

"Jesse and me are getting diborced, Mommy. He can't sayed my name right, and it makes me sad. So I tolded him I don't want to live with him when I grow bigger like you said I could. So I decided you needed to waked up now and telled me I has to marry Jesse cause he's nice and it'll make Daddy sad in a better way than Daddy sad when Mommy sick sad. So wake up now."

Amanda blinked.

"... Now?"

Amanda sighed.

"... Now?"

There was no response from Lindsay other than the sounds of her heart monitor beeping steadily and constantly.

"... Now Mommy? Mommy pwease now?"

Amanda's tiny little hand slipped into Lindsay's and wiggled it. "Mommy, now?"

Amanda sighed and squeezed Lindsay's hand slowly, waiting for a little squeeze back.

Giving it one last try, Amanda squeezed a little tighter, and for a little longer, while waiting a little longer for that squeeze back.

She held her breath for a few seconds as she stared at her hand intertwined with Lindsay's.

And, just as she was about to give up, Lindsay's fingers curled around Amanda's little fingers and squeezed them softly.

Amanda blinked and squeezed again, and she squealed when Lindsay squeezed back in response.

"Daddy!" She cried, desperate to get his attention from where he stood outside the room. "DADDY!"

Danny was inside the room in a flash frantically trying to figure out what was going on. "Amanda?"

"Mommy!" she cried as she wiggled up in her position. "Mommy squeezed my hand."

Danny sighed, "Amanda..."

"I pinky swear," Amanda cried. "Daddy, look!" Amanda cried as she squeezed Lindsay's hand, to which Lindsay squeezed back with. "Daddy!"

Danny pulled his chair, scraping over the floor as he took hold of Lindsay's hand once Amanda had let go and squeezed it himself. "Lindsay? Linds?"

She squeezed his hand, and slowly but surely her eyes began to flutter open.

* * *

**A/N: I'm horrible, I know, but I'm too sniffly and sad to add on anything else to this chapter. See! *points to tear currently rolling down cheek!* Too sad to write anymore! **

**I probably should have given y'all a warning, but where's the fun in that? :P**

**As ever, thank you all for your continued love for WYHTG - it's such an epic, and it really flatters me and makes me smile, (despite the tears it still causes) that you guys enjoy it every time I update. It means a lot! :)**

Special thank you to:

twinkeyrocks

Once again Megan is rebelling (Really now?! LOL)

Hypedupash

afrozenheart412

piper maru duchovny

madmush

unlikelyRLshipper

JavaJunkie4evr

iheartcsinewyork

vikkilynne93

egoofy34

DantanaMM

NY-makes-me-happy

ncisabbylover

messerlovesmontana

Baby Jefer

saderia

k1324x

MeredithandDerekfanforever

uscrocks

Lindsay1234


	187. Take Out All Of Your Frustration

**A/N: So, it's 4am and I can't sleep. So, I figured a WYHTG chapter was in order. Hope you guys enjoy it.**

* * *

Danny blinked in disbelief as his wife peeled her eyes open and smiled weakly at their baby girl. "M&M, just the angel face I wanted to see," Lindsay croaked.

"Me?" Amanda gasped as she wiggled away from Lindsay. "But..."

"It's alright, baby." Danny reassured his daughter, as he handed Lindsay a drink and proceeded to trail his fingertip down her cheek affectionately. A part of him just wanted to see whether this was really happening. That she was awake. Putting his emotions aside, he cleared his throat and smiled brightly at his daughter. "See, I told you Mommy was just sleepin', didn't I?"

Amanda looked to Lindsay for her to back Danny up. "Yous not going anywhere?"

Lindsay held her pinky up and wiggled it. "I'm not going anywhere if you're not... Deal?"

Amanda nodded and tentatively latched her pinky with her mother.

"M&M, I have some colouring books in my bag here..." Danny took a deep breath as he watched the tears slowly fill their daughter's eyes, and he was just hoping Lindsay hadn't caught a glimpse of them.

"Can I colour Daddy!?" Amanda gasped as she flung herself off the bed and into his arms. He was hoping that the gasp she'd emitted was merely at the mention of colouring, but deep down he knew she was just looking for the ticket to scramble down from off the bed. Away from Lindsay.

Danny pressed the nurses' button, attracting their attention and then he proceeded to set Amanda up. He lifted his little girl up and carried her across the room, before setting her in the oversized chair sat in the corner of the room. He passed Amanda the colouring book and he glanced around the room. It was pretty much exactly the same layout and style that Lindsay's room had been when she'd been in, giving birth to his son.

They were there for a whole different reason this time though.

"Daddy?" Amanda sniffled. "Colour..."

"Sorry baby girl." Danny sat clearing his throat as he handed her the crayons. "I'll be right back." Danny told his wife before dashing into the hallway and signalling to the first nurse he saw. "My wife..." he began, "Lindsay... In room 601, she's woken up and..."

"I'll be in a few minutes to make sure she's comfortable and we'll talk about moving her, Mr. Messer."

Danny nodded. "So she's alright then, I don't have to get anyone in right now seen as..."

"Mr. Messer," The nurse smiled, "Go sit with your wife, I will be in after I grab her file, okay?"

Danny nodded and sighed as he turned on his heel.

He wasn't sure what to say to her.

He smiled encouragingly at her as he took his seat next to her and instantly took her hand.

"How's Joshua?" She whispered. "Is he okay? Where is he and..."

"He's okay," Danny nodded, "Stella took a day and she's been focussing on staying sane for Joshy." Danny explained. "He's been a little colicky and won't settle, but I looked it up, and that's about right for his age..." He lied. He hadn't looked it up. He'd barely left her side. He'd barely taken his eyes off her.

"You're a liar. You've not looked it up." _Busted, _Danny thought to himself. "But thank you for trying to make it seem not as.... whatever it's been like."

Danny shrugged. "To be honest, I've been worried about _you_. How are you... feeling?"

"I still can't feel my legs," Lindsay whispered as she glanced over at Amanda colouring. "That's not good, is it?"

"It's not great," Danny sat on the side of Lindsay's bed and pressed a kiss to his wife's temple. "But it's temporary." he whispered as he searched for comforting words. "I promise. There's full chance of you getting back on your feet, Montana."

"What if I don't?" Lindsay whispered. "What if this is it? What if they're wrong?"

"What if they're right?" Danny countered knowing exactly what Lindsay was trying to say.

Lindsay fell silent. "Everything's gonna change." She whispered as Danny wrapped his arms around her.

"Why? What makes you say that?"

"Well, I'm not going to be able to do any of the stuff I do now, Danny. I'm not going to be able to cook. Do laundry. Do..."

"That's what you're thinking about?!" Danny implored, "Babe, I'll hire a fuckin'..."

"Danny!" Lindsay scolded as Amanda snapped up at his harsh tone and then Lindsay's in retaliation. "It's alright baby," Lindsay smiled at her daughter, "Carry on with your picture, okay?"

Amanda nodded and smiled.

"You need to lower your voice," Lindsay instructed him. "You're scaring her more than what she's already scared."

Danny took a deep breath, sending a quick and silent prayer, thanking the Gods that she was back; doing exactly what it was he'd wanted her to do earlier.

"Danny?" Lindsay prompted after he'd taken a few moments to himself.

"I'll hire a freakin' maid to do all that shit." He continued. "All I care about is you, and you being here with me and the kids. That's all that matters to me. That you're here, livin' and breathin' and not on some type of life support..."

Lindsay fell silent before letting out a disappointed sigh. "It's still gonna change though. I'm not going to be able to rock Josh to sleep in his room. I'm not going to be able to carry Amanda to bed. Hell, I can't even get to bed."

"My love for you isn't gonna change, that means nothin's gonna change." Danny promised her. "We'll make adjustments and adaptations. Some modifications here an' there... You can still do laundry. You just find a different way of doing it." He took her left hand and pressed a kiss to her wedding ring. "You can still rock Joshua to sleep and carry Amanda to bed. It's just gonna take time for you to be able to do that. All I care about Lindsay, is that you're alive right now, okay? I literally couldn't care less if you're in a wheelchair for the rest of your life; so long as you're with me, that's all that matters to me, k?"

"What happened?" she whispered. "I remember being down in the subway, but everything... there's just gaps where I can't..."

Danny shuffled closer to his wife, mindful of her back as he did so. "What do you remember?"

"I remember everything up to him walking over towards the wall. After that, my mind's blank." She whispered.

Danny took a deep breath. His memories were still a little too raw to share with even Lindsay; who was right there with him.

"...Danny?" she whispered. "I know you don't..."

"He found Adam's ID." Danny began with a deep breath. "Obviously realising that Ken James wasn't Ken James. Then he realised that..."

"... We weren't just partners." Lindsay finished.

Danny nodded as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Yeah baby."

"What then? I remember we were trying to reason with him, talk him out of doing anything stupid."

Danny nodded. "Yeah, we were doing an alright job, or so I thought... Then he raised his gun, but someone had managed to tackle him to the ground. Instead of the bullet heading for you like he was aiming for, the bullet was coming for me." He took a deep breath as tears filled his eyes. "That's when... When..."

"When I got shot..." Lindsay finished, in a matter of fact tone.

Danny spluttered as he buried his head in the crook of Lindsay's neck. "Why Linds? Why'd you have to go and do that?"

She laid her head against his and squeezed his hand. "Because I hadn't kissed you goodbye," she whispered. "And you didn't have a vest on, and you weren't moving. I made a decision, and I'd make it again."

"I wish you hadn't..." Danny sniffled as tears filled his eyes. "What would I have done if something had gone wrong? If it'd had been more serious than what it already is?"

"Oh yeah, and what would I have done if you had been shot and killed?" Lindsay gently countered.

"What would the kids and I have done if you had gotten shot and died?" Danny countered. "You would've managed a lot better if it had been me that hadn't made it." Danny spluttered once again; tears slipping down his cheek and hitting Lindsay's hospital gown. "It wouldn't kill me that you did that for me because I was a dick to you and upset you..."

A knock at the door sounded, and in came a smiling nurse as she glanced at Amanda concentrating on her colouring, before turning to face Lindsay and Danny and she then stopped in her tracks.

"I can come back," she spoke with a quiet voice.

"No," Danny coughed as he moved away from Lindsay and wiped his eyes. "No, I want you to do whatever it is you have to do for her, k? I need to take my daughter home and get a few things in order."

"We already have her room ready on the general ward; 324. What time will you be back? Later this afternoon?"

Danny glanced at Lindsay and nodded. "Are you gonna be okay, honey?"

She blinked and swallowed. "Yeah, yeah I think so."

"I promise I'll get everything done as soon as I can, and I'll be back."

Lindsay nodded slowly as he motioned to the door and gathered their things together.

He worked in silence. Quickly and efficiently. He needed to call Flack and ask if there was a way for him to watch Amanda for an hour. He needed to blow off some steam and get the emotions out.

To deal with the past day's events.

He realised he'd gathered everything together and smiled brightly as he ruffled Amanda's honey hair. "You ready kiddo? Go say bye to Mommy and tell her we'll be back later on with pictures for her to look at, k?"

Amanda padded quietly to the bed where Lindsay lay, and stood up on her tiptoes in her pink converse so that she could reach Lindsay. "Byes Mommy. I be backs later with prettyful pictures for you to looked at."

"I'm excited." Lindsay told her daughter. "Use lots of pink and purple in your masterpieces, k? And remind Daddy to bring blue-tac, because Daddy'll forget." Lindsay giggled.

Amanda nodded and grinned as she pressed a kiss to Lindsay's hand. "Wubs you, Mommy. I glad nappy time finished for you."

As Amanda moved away, Danny moved over to Lindsay and dropped a kiss to her head and tucked a curl behind her ear. "I'll be...-"

Lindsay grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled him down towards her, so that his ear was parallel to her mouth. She leant forward and licked her lips. "I want to hear you say my name again; I wanna see you smile again..."

He stood up and smiled. She'd finished the chorus of the song he'd sung to her; twenty minutes previous. "You did hear me."

She smiled and squeezed his hand, "I'll see you later."

He returned the smile and pressed one last kiss to her temple. "I love you," he whispered.

* * *

Danny took a deep breath as he strode through the precinct, ignoring the looks, gasps, and whispers.

He was a man on a mission. Well, a man on two missions. One was to go undetected on Mac Taylor's radar.

The second... Well.

He'd heard from Flack, when he'd dropped Amanda off with him and Angell for the afternoon, that Michael Roberts was still sat in interrogation with Nick Stokes. There'd been a backlog at Bellevue, accompanied with cut backs, lack of communication and a want across the entire precinct to see Michael Roberts suffer.

And then some.

Danny slipped into the interrogation room, as Nick sat reading through a case file, while Michael sat cuffed in his hard, cold metal chair.

"You." Danny growled as he moved across the room with intent. He ripped the chair from underneath Michael and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck before slamming him against the wall, hands still cuffed behind his back. "Do you have any idea what you've done!?!"

"Danny!" Nick spluttered as he stood from his chair. "Danny... What happened? Is Lindsay alright? Danny...?"

"My daughter asked me if my wife was dying." Danny spat as he clutched the collar of Michael's shirt as he pinned him against the wall, completely ignoring Nick and his concern about Danny's outburst. "My _two_ year old daughter. She asked me if her Mommy was dying. You had a wife. You had a daughter. What the fuck would you have done if your baby... your baby girl asked you if the person that you love with all your heart was dying? How would that make you feel?" Danny growled at him.

"Danny..." Nick warned. "Dan... Calm down, Danny... You...-"

"Tell me," Danny continued, still ignoring Nick's pleas. "Tell me what you'd do."

Michael blinked at Danny. "I... I..."

"Go on, what the fuck would you do? Would you beat the shit out of the person that had put you into the situation? Beat the shit out of the person that had shot your wife. Shot the person that gives you a reason to wake up in the morning. Shot the mother of your children? Go on, Michael... What would you do?"

Michael swallowed and looked to Nick, who was now stood on the other side of the room with his arms folded. "Who is this guy? Get him off me."

"Who am I?" Danny bellowed at him. "Who am I!? I'm the fucking guy that nearly had his life destroyed by you! That's who I am!" Danny cried as he beat his fist against the wall. "That's who I am!"

"Danny, come on. You've made your point." Nick coaxed gently. "Before this escalates..."

"I haven't made my point till he's six feet under," Danny growled. "Give me two minutes Nick, two minutes is all it'll take."

"Danny." Nick said, shaking his head as he pulled his friend and colleague away from Lindsay's shooter. "Come on. It's done. He's going away for the rest of his life. He's not gonna get..."

"He wouldn't get it anyway!" Danny cried. "He's a fucking crack pot! He doesn't even remember the guy he nearly shot. He doesn't remember the woman he shot."

Nick dragged Danny off Michael, who was merely frozen against the wall. "You need to disappear." Nick growled at him. "You shouldn't be here, Dan. I got this. I have it under control."

"What are you waiting for?!" Danny cried. "I want him in fucking Sing Sing... As of yesterday. You're a day late on that one. What the hell are you waiting for?"

"We're waiting for..." Nick trailed off as he realised what he was saying.

"Go on..."

Nick closed his eyes. "We're waiting for the analysis of the bullet the Doctors' extracted from Lindsay's..."

When Nick opened his eyes again, Danny Messer was gone.

* * *

Lindsay Messer blinked back tears as she lay, propped up in her hospital bed.

Paralysed.

Paralysis.

She couldn't go to the bathroom. She couldn't even shower. She couldn't even stand.

Hell, she...

She couldn't do a lot of things.

She couldn't do a lot of things, but hell was she determined to get to the stage where she _could_ do all those things. She wanted to get to a stage where she could lay on the grass at Central Park with her family on a picnic blanket watching Danny teach their son how to play baseball, while she and Amanda played with dollies and had a tea party. She then envisioned her family running off and chasing Flack as he bounded through the park like the mischievous puppy that he was.

She wanted to be able to dance around her kitchen with a wooden spoon singing to the latest Everly album that she begged and pleaded Danny to buy from iTunes. She wanted to be able to sit on her kitchen counter, feet dangling while she watched her husband make them dinner.

She wanted to do all of that, and she'd not even made it into a wheelchair yet.

When she'd spoken to her doctor shortly after Danny had left, he'd told her that it was going to be a hard struggle to get from A to B. That she and Danny weren't going for a walk in a park. They were training for the marathon.

She took a deep breath as she focussed on trying to wiggle her toes. It frustrated her that she couldn't physically do it. It frustrated her that she couldn't understand why she couldn't do it. It frustrated her that she couldn't do it; and there was no way around it.

It was literally just a waiting game.

She shifted slightly in her position and gasped at the burning in her back as she did so. She'd never been shot. She'd never experienced such a sensation before – in such a place.

She glanced up and her eyes fell upon her Doctor who was smiling encouragingly at her.

"Nice to see you're already trying to escape my care."

Lindsay smiled at him and shrugged carefully. "It's nothing personal."

"Personally, I'd love to see you walk out of here in an hour..."

"... Let's get to it then," Lindsay said excitedly, swimming in denial.

"... But it's going to be a process, Lindsay."

"I know, you told me that." Lindsay sighed heavily as her Doctor took a seat next to her bed in a chair that was reserved for Danny. "It's all I've been thinking of."

"Is it really?" Her Doctor pressed.

"No," Lindsay sighed.

Doctor McKean glanced up and into the ward before standing up from his seat and shutting the door before re-taking his seat. "I'm quite good at listening if you want to talk it through."

Lindsay shook her head adamantly. "You have a million other patients to check, I'll talk to Danny when he gets here. You've already gone above and beyond what you had to do for us."

Doctor McKean raised his eyebrows and blinked once at Lindsay in a disbelieving manner. "I get the feeling what you're thinking about is Danny. Are you really going to tell Danny about Danny?" The Doctor chuckled lightly. "I have my beeper," he said as he set the electronic device on Lindsay's table. "It goes off, and I'll go. It doesn't, I'm here till you're done."

Lindsay glanced at the beeper on her tray table and sighed.

Sometimes, she thought, sometimes spilling your innermost feelings to a stranger really did help.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment before releasing the breath and then opened her eyes.

"You see," she whispered. "The thing is..."

* * *

After Danny had walked out of the interrogation room, he realised he needed to let out his pent up emotions and energy through something constructive before he exploded.

He needed to beat the crap out of something. Pronto.

He wanted the punching bag to be Michael Roberts' face. He wanted to beat the guy to a pulp over what he'd done to Lindsay. His Lindsay.

He smashed the bag over and over again; sweat dripping from him as he picked up his pace and wailed on the bag. His emotional pain was being channelled through what was going to be his physical pain of beating the bag with his knuckles.

What he needed was something to numb his emotions. Numb his feelings. Numb his guilt.

He shoved the bag away from him and kicked the heavy, lifeless bag before throwing a punch, sending it flying.

Danny heard the door open to the empty gym room and continued his assault on the punching bag. One thwack after the other.

"I didn't know he was unstable, Danny." A voice said over the sound of the bag being smacked by Danny's clenched fist. "I didn't... I wouldn't have put you in that position. I wouldn't have sent Lindsay down there if..."

"He had taken hostages, Mac," Danny spat as he continued smacking the punch bag. "and you let him."

"There wasn't anything I could do..."

"Flack's guys were in pursuit you told me." Danny panted, out of breath as he stepped his pace up to which he was smacking the punching bag. "That to me says all of this could have been avoided. I don't really have anything to say to you. I need to finish up here before I can get back to the hospital to be with Lindsay."

"How is she doing?" Mac whispered

"She's paralysed from the waist down." Danny spat as he shoved the bag away from him and stopped momentarily. "That's how she's doing. How the do you think she's doing? We're both dealing with it. I need to be there for her, but I can't, because if I'm not here, beating the living shit out of this fucking thing then I..."

"How are the kids?"

Danny snorted as he clenched his fist and smashed the punching bag. "Amanda asked me if Lindsay was going to die. You be the judge." Danny said coolly as he smacked the punching bag again with his fist. "Die. What two-year-old knows what 'die' means? And she can use it in the right context..."

"Danny," Mac said as he took hold of the punching bag, keeping it in place for Danny. "she's a smart girl; just because..."

"You're missing my point," Danny growled as he continually smashed the bag with great force. Breathless as he spoke. "My daughter... My two year old daughter asked me if her mother was dying. Two. Amanda's two and she was close to losing her Mommy. Joshua's barely six weeks old. I could have been a widow yesterday, Mac. I could have been a single parent to two under three year olds. They wouldn't have their mother. Hell, I don't think they'd even remember her. And that kills me, because she's... She's their Mommy. And they'd have no idea how amazing she was."

"She's still here, Danny."

"Only cause someone up there was lookin' after her. She had no vest on, Mac. Nothing."

"Danny..."

"Mac I know you were just doing your job, but sometimes..." Danny held his gloved hands up. "I don't really want to talk right now."

"Danny..."

"Leave it," Danny warned him as he shoved the punch bag away from him. "Unless you want me to mistake you for this thing then I would..." Danny licked his lips and closed his eyes. "I know this is not your fault. I'm just upset, k? I don't want to take this out on you, but... she's in that hospital with not a damn thing either of us can do and I just can't cope, alright. I can't deal with her suffering like that. She can't walk because she wanted to make sure I was still around. I can't even... That's a sacrifice I never thought she'd have to make. I'd thought about it a million times, and each time, it was me diving to save her..."

"She loves you." Mac told him. "She'd do anything to keep you safe."

"That's not her job though, Mac." Danny snapped. "It's my job to love, cherish and _protect_ her. I did some job of protecting her..."

"She promised you the same on your wedding day, Danny... You don't have to..."

"I do, alright. Don't fucking tell me otherwise. I should be the one in that hospital bed, k? Not her. Me."

"Danny..."

"No Mac," Danny cried as tears pooled in his eyes. "She's my wife; I should have been the one that was there to save her."

"You were there to save her. She would have freaked out if you hadn't been there."

"Had I not been there she wouldn't have been there herself, and she'd be home right now..." Danny glanced at his watch. "Making lunch for us and we'd be looking forward to me gettin' back to work tomorrow... Now I'm coming back to work tomorrow, there's no one to watch the kids, and Lindsay's going to be in the hospital. You explain to me what the fuck I'm supposed to do right now."

"We'll manage, Danny."

"_We'll_ isn't an option here, Mac... She's _my_ wife. Not the team's."

"But Danny, we are a team."

"No, but she's my wife. I have to be there for her. You guys don't have to be. I need to be there. I want to be there."

"We want to be there too, Danny."

"Yeah but she's not the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, Mac... I have to make sure I get the rest of my life with her, because if I don't..." he paused and sniffled, "If I don't..."

Mac stepped forward and pulled Danny into a hug as he reduced himself into tears.

And, just like when Louie Messer had been beaten by the Tanglewood boys, what seemed like a million years ago, Mac Taylor took hold of Danny and soothed him as best he could.

"You guys are going to be okay, Danny." Mac whispered as he patted his back. "You're gonna get through this."

Danny spluttered as he stood lifeless in Mac's embrace.

"She'll be on her feet before you know it," Mac told him. "I promise you."

"What if she can't?" Danny sobbed. "What if she physically can't do it? She's only little, Mac... That bullet did some damage to her..."

"This is Lindsay we're talking about." Mac said, cutting Danny off. "If anyone can get through this, it's her."

"It shouldn't be her!" Danny cried. "It should be me. I should be laid there, not her. It's so fucked up. It shouldn't... she shouldn't..."

"You need to get a grip," Mac growled at him, his patience wavering. "I understand you're very upset and stressed, Danny, but blaming yourself isn't going to get her on her feet. She needs you to be her backbone right now. You need to be there to help her up when she falls. Both emotionally and literally."

"I don't know whether I can be there to see her struggle like that," Danny whispered as he wiped his tears, "It's gonna hurt me to see her like that. To see her cryin' cause it hurts her to walk. I can't be there to see that. I can't do it."

"Could you do it if she did it on her own with no support from you?"

Danny fell silent. He didn't know which hurt more – him wiping her tears away, or deep down being the reason why she was crying; at the lack of his presence.

"What do I do, Mac?"

"You take her hand and do this together." Mac said as he released his colleague. Released his friend. "You keep yourself smiling. You pick her back up when she's thrown the towel in. You pick her back up when she falls and you tell her you love her no matter what happens. Everything else – you'll figure out."

Danny sniffled and wiped his eyes. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do about work tomorrow, Mac. We can't afford to have both of us on leave. We need an income. We have to pay for when we had Josh, and we now have the added cost of her stay in hospital and her surgery till the insurance kicks in. We're gonna need someone to be there when she gets home to look after-..."

"Danny," Mac said, cutting him off. "We'll work around it. We'll find a way that works. I don't expect you to come back to work-..."

"I need the money," Danny whispered, cutting his boss off. "We need the money."

"... If you'd let me finish... I don't expect you to be at work when you have a newborn and Lindsay to look after. Not to even mention Amanda. I'll do some thinking and figure something out. I won't let you guys suffer though, okay?"

"Mac, it's not your responsibility to look after our financial..."

"It is my responsibility to look after Amanda and Amanda's parents."

Danny took a deep breath, "Look, I appreciate it, but I need to get back to Lindsay. She's gonna be wondering where I've been..."

"I'll make sure it's gonna be okay, Danny... I promise."

"You can't promise me that." Danny told him honestly. "Unless you can tell me that when I get to the hospital Lindsay's gonna be on her feet, you can't tell me or promise me it's gonna be okay, Mac... because as of right now, it isn't going to be okay."

"It will, Danny. It will; you know it'll turn out alright. This has just been put in your way to make you and Lindsay stronger."

"We just had a baby, Mac. We couldn't be stronger."

"Obviously someone begs to differ, Danny. Everything happens for a reason. You don't know why this happened right now, but somewhere down the line, it will all make sense. You and Lindsay will come out of this together."

"I hope so," Danny whispered.

"I know so." Mac replied.

* * *

**Thank you to all those that reviewed last chapter. I know that it's been a while since I last updated and you guys probably think it sucks and I suck for taking the story this way, but bear with me... pretty please?! :)**

**Special thank you to: **

twinkeyrocks

Come on Laura, It's ME! (really Megan? The originality continues?)

piper maru duchovny

.cowboy11

afrozenheart412

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iheartcsinewyork

messermonroeforever125

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Baby Jefer

Courtney

DannyMessersGirl324iLOVEhim

DantanaMM

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uscrocks


	188. Happy 2nd Birthday, WYHTG!

**A/N: Well all; considering it was Christmas yesterday - it means that WYHTG is officially TWO YEARS OLD. OMG! It's crazy - thank you to every single one of you for your fabulous support and reviews. You are all so lovely and always make my day. This story was a oneshot, now two years later i'm still writing - crazy, crazy times! And this year I got about a bunch of REALLY appreciated awards from the fanfic awards for this story. Hell, Amanda was recognised as an OC - it baffles me as she's just M&M... But yeah. wow. You guys are epic!**

**Two years is crazy. Two thousand plus reviews is crazy. Hell, nearly two hundred chapters is crazy. **

**Now this chapter is pretty short, but I didn't want to add anything else and go all out like I use to, as I felt it would take away from the rest of the chapter, so I will just have to work on the next one. I just wanted to post a chapter on WYHTG's two year anniversary! **

**Once again, a huge, huge thank you to everyone who's favourited, reviewed, PM - anything with this story. I appreciate all of you! **

**And, lastly. HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! :) **

* * *

"Ahhh," Lindsay Messer smiled at the figure in the doorframe. "Just the person I wanted to see."

He turned and glanced behind him into the hallway before turning back to face her. "Are you talkin' to me?"

"Who are you, Robert DiNero? Yes I'm talking to you. Come and sit."

"Can I get you anything first?" He inquired as he set his bouquet of flowers with the others before heading to sit next to her. "Water? Fluff your pillow?"

"Kiss my ass?" Lindsay smirked.

"Glad to see you're still a wiseass," he said as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "How's Danno?"

"I get shot and you ask me how he is. Typical."

"Well, I gathered how you were doing. You're still as sarcastic as ever. However, I don't see your right arm... Which makes me think something's not quite right."

"Well, it's been..." she glanced up at the clock, "Five hours since I saw him last. I'd say he's doing splendid."

"Linds; sarcasm never got anyone anywhere..." Flack smirked at her before his grin dropping slightly, "He's probably just..."

"I'm just... Look, never mind." She cut him off and moved the conversation on. "I hear you now have both my children."

Flack smiled. "Who told you that?"

"A little bird."

"That bird isn't a dark haired one that goes by the name Jessica Angell by any chance is it?"

"Possibly." Lindsay smiled. "You know her?"

"I've met her briefly. She call you?"

"Said you were on your way over with a bunch of flowers from the Gas station; you shouldn't have by the way."

"It's alright, they were only fifty cents. It didn't break the bank... Much. Didn't know whether you were worth the whole fifty..."

"If I could kick your ass, I would."

"Go on, Monroe... You do it; I'll give you a million dollars. Buy you a private jet. All that good stuff."

Lindsay settled into her pillow cautiously, mindful of her injuries and her limited movement. "Thank God for Don Flack."

"Excuse me?" Flack laughed. "Was that sarcasm, Monroe? What did I just get through tellin' you?"

"Actually, it wasn't sarcasm." She smiled at him. "It was a genuine, thank God for Don Flack. You're the only one that's been in here that hasn't one, been bawling, two, treated me as if I were dying or three, not been at all."

"Give you special treatment? Please; that'd be the day. You were off kissin' Messer when I was playing Humpty Dumpty, recovering from my insides being blown open. Like hell I'm gonna give you an ounce of sympathy."

He flinched after he'd said it. He'd gotten a little too carried away by their playful banter that he'd forgotten how tough it was going to be for her. For both Lindsay and Danny. He _did_ have sympathy for her. He had sympathy for their family. Their kids. Amanda and Joshua; who really had no idea what was actually going on. He ran his fingers through his hair. "Linds... I..."

Lindsay straightened up slightly and shook her head, "I knew what you meant."

"I do have sym-..."

"It's not your fault." She cut him off. "It's my own damn fault for going down there with no vest on."

"It's nobody's fault but Michael Roberts, Linds." Flack said as he scooted closer to her bed. "Nobody's fault but his."

"Tomato, tomatoe." Lindsay shrugged. "Either way, I'm here... And will be here for God knows how..."

"You'll be out before you know it." Flack cut her off. "Danny'll have you in physical therapy before you can say Montana, and you'll be walking quicker than you can say 'random amplification of...'"

"I get it," Lindsay laughed. "I get it."

"Are you sure? Because I learnt that just for this little speech so you sure you don't wanna hear me go all CSI?"

"Positive." She smiled and took a deep breath. "How are my babies?"

"Amanda's fine; she's colouring up a storm... Only using pink and purple; it's weird; she won't use any other colour no matter how much I bribe her."

Lindsay laughed. "I asked for pink and purple in my drawings. She's gonna decorate the room."

"Ahh," Flack nodded. "Makes sense."

"Now how is she really doing, Don?"

Flack scratched his head. "Want the truth or do you want the rehearsed story I made up on the way over?"

Lindsay stared at him. "What do you think?"

He sighed. "She's okay for a while, and then she'll sit up from where she's been lying on the floor, look around the room, walk over to Jess or me, crawl up into our arms and bawl her little eyes out for about fifteen minutes solid."

Lindsay sighed heavily as tears threatened to fall; Flack's story so far was weighing heavily on her heart.

"She's cryin' for you, wantin' to come see you and Danno, but then when Jess and I offer to bring her over; she freaks out and cries a little more. I think she wants you Linds, but she's scared ya'know? She knows something's going on, but she doesn't know what the matter is."

Lindsay nodded slowly, now avoiding eye contact.

"She's been good with Josh though," He added as he reached for her hand, cautious of the IV. "When he cries, she immediately climbs onto the couch and puts a pillow on her lap like you guys taught her. She bangs it against her knees for me or Jess to put Josh on her lap and she supports his head. It's so cute Linds, she kisses his forehead and pokes his little nose. I think she was even rubbing his belly one time. Does it till he calms down, then she'll click her fingers and then hold her pointer finger to her lips, shush us, then tell us to take her 'baby bro'... her words, not mine. You'd be so proud of her, hon."

Lindsay's eyes filled with tears. "That's my baby girl."

"Boy's got one hell of a protective sister, there ain't gonna be no one stealin' his Mike and Ikes at snack time if M&M's got anything to do with it."

"Look at the example she has. Her Daddy is Daniel Messer... I need not say anything more there... And her Mother jumps in front of flying bullets to protect her Father..."

Flack laughed and shook his head. "Lindsay, your kids are going to be superheroes. Plain and simple. They're gonna be running around after Kindergarten gets out, saving mankind, while Mommy and Daddy keep the streets of New York safe. I see it now. They'll be a sitcom based on it and everything. You'll be like the human Incredibles."

"It saddens me that you know what the Incredibles are." Lindsay rolled her eyes. "Disney geek."

"Ain't nothin' wrong with being a Disney geek, Monroe."

"There's nothing good about it."

"I resent that!" Flack scowled mockingly.

"Oh yeah?" she smirked. "Give me one reason why being a Disney geek is a good thing."

"It gives me a reason to sit and cuddle my godkids for a good hour. That's why it's a good thing."

They fell into silence, Lindsay fighting back her tears for a moment before Flack squeezed her hand. "You're one hell of a woman, Linds." He whispered. "You could'a... You really..."

"I wouldn't kiss him goodbye before he left," he explained in a mere whisper. "I wouldn't kiss him and I couldn't have watched him..."

"Room in here for me?" A voice sounded at the door, bringing Lindsay's admission to a standstill. "I know I'm a little late, but I had some things to take care of."

"Danno Danno." Flack singsonged as he let go of Lindsay's hand as she wiped her eyes. He moved himself out of 'Danny's chair'. "Keepin' it warm till you got back."

Danny smiled as he set his bag down and headed straight to Lindsay's side and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He then laid his own forehead against hers and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "How you doin'?"

"Alright," she replied with a kiss to his lips, glad Danny hadn't spotted her tears. "They've got me on pain medication so I don't feel the gaping hole in my back from my bullet wound, and I still can't feel pretty much anything from the waist down, so it's just a party in here."

"And with that pain medication I see they have some wiseass and sarcastic sauce mixed right in there," Flack teased as he examined Lindsay's IV. "Come look at this Mess. It's some heavy shit they've got her on."

"I have things I could throw at you," Lindsay informed him. "I have impeccable aim. You heard about the boys back in Montana, no?"

"I forget you moonlight as Dennis the Menace." Flack teased. "I'll pipe down. I don't want something being launched at my head, thanks all the same though."

Danny sighed heavily as he picked his bag up off the floor and set it in the chair. "I brought you some pyjamas and stuff. Make you feel a little more comfortable..."

Lindsay licked her lips. "What else have you been up to then?"

"Me? Um... Nothin'... Nothin' really. This an' that."

Lindsay nodded and glanced around the room. "Hey Don?"

Flack turned from where he was examining Lindsay's 'get well soon' cards. "Yeah?"

"Could you go and get me an orange juice from somewhere?"

"You allowed it?"

"I don't know, go ask a nurse."

"Will they sell it in the cafeteria?"

"Search for it until you find it." Lindsay smiled sweetly at him.

Catching Lindsay's hint of disappear for a while, Flack silently slipped from the room and shut the door.

"Now are you really going to tell me what you've been doing for the last five hours," Lindsay began as she saw Flack move down the hallway. "Or are we both going to pretend that I'm that doped up on pain medication to the point where I can't see the cuts and bruises on your knuckles?"

Danny fell silent and looked to the floor.

"Should I be coming up with an alibi for the guy you beat up?" Lindsay pushed him a little more, hoping to get something out of him.

"I went to the gym." He mumbled.

"After beating the crap out of whom exactly...?"

"A punching bag," Danny admitted. "A wall or two..."

"Because you were mad at the fact you'd misplaced your brain or...?"

"Lindsay!"

"If you're punching walls Danny then clearly when I shoved you to the ground you hit your head. Do me a favour..."

"What?"

"Push that nurses' button and get them to check your head for a concussion or something."

He rolled his eyes as he sat down.

"Don't roll your eyes at me, Daniel. I'm serious. What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking you're gonna be in a wheelchair for fuck knows how long with God knows what wrong with your back. I'm glad you're not worryin' about this, Lindsay. Really."

"How can I possibly worry; you've got that down for the both of us. You're beating yourself up is what you're doing... Quite literally."

"Someone needs to."

"I'm laid here, and it's you having the pity party?" Lindsay implored. "Danny, do you hear yourself? Listen to me... Are you listening?"

"Do I have a choice?" he sighed heavily as he ran his fingers over his swollen knuckles on one hand.

"I don't know, you tell me."

"Knowing you like I do, I'm going to say I have no choice... go on."

"You need to knock it off, okay? I made the decision. I put myself in that situation; so it's something I have to deal with, okay. Just because I can't walk doesn't mean you have to go start beating the crap out of yourself as a punishment or something. I would have much rather you sat with Amanda, holding her while she got upset rather than spending a ridiculous amount of time at the gym feeling sorry for yourself. Look at me – I'm not sat here with a party hat and a kazoo feeling sorry for myself. Shit happens, and we've got to deal with it."

"Lindsay, you don't get it."

"I do get it." She interrupted him. "I do get it. I get what it is exactly. I'm in a wheelchair and you can't stand the fact that you couldn't protect me. You couldn't take the bullet for me. That I took a bullet for you. You can't deal with the fact that you now have to adjust to doing things you've not done before. We both have to. You can't deal with the fact that my dependency on you just rocketed."

"It's not that, Lindsay. You know you can depend on me and I'll be there no matter what; it's not that I'm struggling with..."

"It's part of it. Everything's amounting to you not dealing with what's happened. So, to tackle how you're feeling, you're channelling your anger, confusion and emotions through the physicality of punching the crap out of a punch bag."

Danny settled in the chair and let his head roll back, effectively avoiding eye contact.

"You can sigh, roll your eyes and avoid your eye contact all you want Daniel, but you know I'm right. Had you come back three hours ago, you'd have seen me crying..." His head snapped up. "But, I cried, I dealt with it, I moved on, and now I'm verbally kicking your ass. I'm going to need you, Danny. I'm saying it once, because I don't know whether I can say it again. I need you to be there for me when it's tough, and I need to know you're going to be able to do it. If you can't do it now when I'm still in recovery then I don't know whether..."

Danny snapped up. "Of course I'm gonna be there for you. I'm always there for you."

"You weren't there when I needed you three hours ago." She said, her matter of fact tone dissolving.

"Because I needed to find the guy that put you here and either beat the shit out of him, or beat the shit out of something that looked like him because I was going to explode Lindsay. I wanted to be here. God I wanted to be here with you, but I couldn't."

"I needed you." She whispered. "I needed you to tell me all the stuff I just told you. I needed you to hold me."

Danny sat back and took a deep breath. It was like she'd heard him when she was 'asleep'. He'd wanted and begged her at times to wake up and tell him he was being silly. That he needed to just get on with it. Not to dwell on what had happened.

And she had.

But not so far beneath that tough exterior was his wife, begging and pleading for her husband to hold her. Reassure her that things were going to be okay. That she was going to get better... That they'd be okay.

"I'm here now," he whispered. "I won't leave again. I'm here for you, baby."

"Good, cause I could really do with a hug right now," she whispered as a tear slipped down her cheek.

He'd already been in transit to her bed when she'd said it, and he settled next to her as he carefully wrapped his arms around her, letting her head disappear into his chest. He lowered his head and pressed a kiss to the top of her head and inhaled her scent. "It's gonna be okay, baby." He whispered. "I promise you. I'm gonna be here for you in whatever you need. I'm gonna be there at all your therapies. You're not gonna do anymore of this alone, k? It's me and you, baby, me and you."

She whimpered in his arms as a tear hit his arm. His hands went to her face and cupped her cheeks, effectively pulling her away from him so he could look at her. "Listen to me sweetheart."

She sniffled as her chest heaved a little from her tears.

"Are you listening?"

She nodded slowly.

"It's going to be okay," he promised as he looked her in the eyes. "I'll make sure it's okay."

"How do you know?" she whispered.

"Because I promised you. And I don't break my promises, do I?"

She shook her head in agreement. "But..."

"There is no but," he interrupted her. "We're going to be fine."

"You're going back to work though, I can't look after..."

"... I've sorted it all out." Danny told her. "Mac and I. I'm staying home until we get the hang of..."

"... We can't afford for you to do that, Danny. With me not being able to go back to work, you can't stay off work as well; we need some form of income."

"Which is why Mac pulled some strings... He moved things around and used a few favours he had stored in the back of his cupboard... I've got paid leave until you're strong enough to at least look after the kids yourself."

"But I don't...I'm in a wheelchair Danny, I don't know how long I'm going to..."

"... be in your chair." Danny finished. "That's why I'm gonna be around until you can do it. You need to stop fighting Lindsay. I have this taken care of."

She released a breath. "Is that where you were?"

"After I had beaten the crap out of the punch bag, I went home and moved some things around; I just needed to get my head clear and everything..."

She raised her eyebrows. "Say what?"

"The baby gate to the kitchen is gone." He began to explain. "The pool table is sitting in our bedroom and our bed's downstairs in the room where the pool table was. We already had the downstairs bathroom, and the living room has been moved around so that it'll be a lot easier for your chair to get in there. I've not moved your clothes downstairs, but I figured you'd be in jammies and sweats for a while so that you're comfy and everythin' so I can just bring them down as and when you need them. With the bath and shower you'll need me to help you, but that might not be so bad." He winked at her.

She blinked at him. "You did all of that?"

He nodded.

"Why? How?"

"Why? Because I want it to be as accessible for you as possible... There's no way you could get up a staircase right now, so what point is there to have our bed up there if only one of us can sleep up there? If you want a nap, I want you to be able to do it by yourself unless you want me to help you. I don't want you to have to feel like you need to ask me every time you want to go to sleep, or lay down with Josh or Amanda. So, I figured that if our bed was downstairs, you'd be okay."

Lindsay reached out and took hold of the material of his polo shirt, before tugging him towards her, and she placed a loving kiss to his lips. "Thank you," she whispered against them.

"You don't gotta thank me, baby." He whispered.

"Oh I do." She nodded, tears filling her eyes.

He wrapped his arms around her and trailed his fingertips down her arm. "Have they given you a timeline of how long you might be in regards to gettin' out of here?"

Lindsay nodded slowly, "A week if no complications arise."

Danny nodded. "Right, okay... Yeah that's... we can bring Joshy in every day for an hour with Amanda and then-..."

Lindsay's eyes were beginning to feel heavy and Danny's words were slowly making less and less sense to her.

"... But we'll talk more when you're actually awake." He finished with a kiss to her temple. "You need to get some rest baby girl."

"Hmm?"

"Sleep." He smiled as he slowly and moved from her bed and tucked her covers around her. "I'll be back in a little while. I'm going to go and make sure Josh and Amanda are alright, k?"

Lindsay sleepily nodded and held out her hand, reaching for his. "I love you," she managed as her eyes fluttered shut.

He knelt down by her bed and pressed a kiss to her forehead and took a moment to inhale her scent.

He turned on his heel and smiled at his friend that stood in the doorframe.

"Flack."

Don Flack merely shook his head at his best friend as he draped his jacket over his arm.

"What you shakin' your head for?" he whispered as he turned the lights down in Lindsay's room and headed out the door.

Flack shook his head and shrugged his shoulders as he opened and closed his mouth. "You... You're."

"You can do it," Danny smirked. "I know you can."

"You're a different guy." He finally managed. "Earlier you were... and now you're..."

The two friends walked in silence through the hospital wards before getting to the reception area and heading out into the main lobby. "She opened my eyes."

Flack raised his eyebrow. "How exactly?"

"She showed me how I should be acting. Yeah, I can be hurtin' on the inside, but I can't let her see that. Like you said to me earlier, she needs me more than she's ever needed me before, and she said that to me, and it just reaffirmed everythin' I already knew."

Flack went fishing in his pocket for his keys as they headed through the parking lot. "She cried, didn't she?"

Danny nodded slowly.

"I knew she was holdin' back and not wantin' me to see her... ya'know."

Danny nodded. "I know."

"She's a strong girl." Flack said with a hand on Danny's shoulder. "You're both really strong, considering what's happened."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Me... Strong? Please. Who was cryin' like a little girl earlier?"

"Me? In the guy's toilets after seein' Linds how she was..."

"You did not."

Flack raised his eyebrows and pulled out a tissue from his pocket, "Wanna bet?"

Danny let out a breath.

"You underestimate yourself Mr. Messer." Flack said while shaking his head. "You followin' me...?"

"Why not. I might take the kids out for dinner... Well, Amanda..." Danny considered out loud. "Go to the mall, the three of us."

"Take their mind off it?"

"I was thinkin' I could get them to make a bear for Lindsay."

"Oh, Amanda'll eat that up."

Danny smiled, "Get an outfit for Lickle bear and baby bro."

"Josh actually paying attention to his bear?"

"We've found that he sleeps better with the bear in his crib, so I mean he doesn't love all over it like Amanda does with her bear; it's more of a comfort thing for Joshua, but he still loves his bear."

"Dress it up as a Yankee and it'll make it a little cooler."

"Get your ass in the SUV and wait for me," Danny said with a roll of his eyes.

"Waiting on you," Flack smirked as he opened his truck and closed the door before rolling his window down. "Don't go fixin' your makeup when you get in; I'm not waiting forever."

"Bite me."

"Save it," Flack smirked as Danny headed away from Flack's SUV.

Flack considered rolling up the window, but caught a glimpse of Danny's retreating body in his wing mirror and instead decided to lean out the window and call out to Danny. Danny turned and raised an eyebrow at Flack. "Can I help you?"

"I'm proud of you buddy."

Danny smiled at his friend before turning and unlocking his own SUV with the key fob.

Flack smiled to himself as he rolled his own window up. Although Danny hadn't said anything; Flack knew his words of encouragement gave Danny that little burst of an 'I can do this' feeling.

And if it meant it kept him smiling; Flack was all for the sappy bromance.

Even if it did deflate his manliness that iddy biddy tiny little bit... It was all in the name of friendship. A friendship to which he treasured.

* * *

**I would as ever love to know what you all thought. **

**Well guys, as usual... Special thank you to:**

twinkeyrocks

Hand asleep(yes Laura it does) - (Megan, WTF? LOL)

ioanhoratio

KTmac09

piper maru duchovny

unlikelyRLshipper

gwen24

afrozenheart412

Baby Jefer

MeredithandDerekfanforever

ZoeyBug

iheartcsinewyork

vikkilynne93

buddymt96

Lindsay1234

nciscsinyluver

CSIRanvir

DantanaMM


	189. Moving Onto the Next Chapter

**A/N: Your eyes do not deceive you. It is in fact a WYHTG chapter. I am so, so, so sorry I have made you all wait for so long. With college, my new apparent obsession with the songfic thing I have sunk my teeth into, and the post-ep oneshots I write, WYHTG fell off my radar for a little while - but as some of you have asked for me to get my butt to update this one - I couldn't not! So thank you those people (you know who you are!) Who have inspired me to revive WYHTG. **

**I know that my updates with this story have been sporadic as of late, but when I was writing this chapter, it reminded me how much I love this story, so I hope to get some more updates written for you guys soon... I hope you're all out there! **

**And last but not least - I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

"Daddy?"

Danny glanced down at his daughter as she slowly padded next to Joshua's stroller, hand affixed tightly to the handlebar. "What baby girl?"

Amanda let go of the stroller for a moment and pointed ahead of them. "Is Mommy gonna be's riding in one of 'dem?"

Danny sighed as he stopped in the middle of the mall. He picked her up and settled her on his hip before pressing a kiss to her temple. He smiled apologetically at the elderly woman Amanda was still pointing at before turning back to his daughter, "Yeah baby, Mommy's gonna be in one of those for a little while. How about we lower that arm of yours, k?"

"Why?"

Danny sighed as he spied a free bench. He turned the stroller slightly and decided to take a moment to just talk to his daughter and explain things to her.

"Why Daddy?" she pushed as he snapped the stroller's breaks on and set Amanda on the bench, before taking a seat next to her. "Why can't she walk? Why does she got to be in a growed up stroller."

"Because she got hurt sweetie;" Danny finally began, "her body needs to get better and she needs to rest her legs so that she does get better."

"But why did it happen to Mommy?"

Danny wrapped his arm around his little girl and pulled her close. He took a deep breath, mustering the courage to give her the most honest answer he had. Her chocolate eyes bore into him as she hung onto her question; waiting for his answer.

"Daddy doesn't know princess."

She let out a disheartened breath. "But... I don'ts... You knows everythin' Daddy. You has to knows."

"Daddy doesn't know, baby." Danny admitted. "I don't know why it happened to Mommy."

Amanda's bottom lip quivered; making a part of Danny wish he wasn't having this conversation in the middle of a busy mall.

He pulled his little girl onto his lap and she instantly buried her little face into his chest as she sniffled. "I miss Mommy, I wished she was here to come and go build a teddy withed us."

"I wish she was here too. And I bet you she'd love to be here with us too."

"But she isn't." Amanda stated sadly.

"So we have to have even more fun than if Mommy was here, to make up for Mommy not being here. We don't want to go see Mommy and have sad faces do we?" Danny questioned. "We want to go and see her to tell her about the fun we had here, right?"

Amanda nodded. "Mommy doesn't like sad faces."

"Exactly. Only happy smiles." Danny nodded as he prodded Amanda's chubby cheek. "So how about we go make Mommy a get well soon bear and then we'll get some lunch. How does that sound."

"Nom nom."

Danny smiled as he blew a raspberry on his daughter's cheek, making her giggle and squirm in his arms.

"That's better." Danny smiled. "There's the giggle Daddy loves."

He stood and placed Amanda on the bench so that she was stood up. He backed away a little and held his arms extended in front of him so that she could jump to him. Shrieking as she did so, Danny caught her and snuggled her close before taking hold of his son's stroller. "And you little man, I think it's time we took you to see Mommy too. Mommy is missing you a heck of a lot."

"Is Mommy missing me too?" Amanda inquired.

"Mommy's missing all of us."

Amanda smiled before frowning. "When's Mommy coming home?"

"When the Doctor says she can."

"How long will that be?"

"Whenever the Doctor says she can; I'll see if I can find out today, k?"

"I want to count the sleeps," Amanda sniffled.

Danny nodded as they carried on toward Build a Bear. "I'm pretty sure we can do that," he assured her.

Amanda smiled and licked her lips. "Can I pick out an..."

"Yes Lickle bear can get a new outfit," Danny sighed, already knowing what his daughter would be asking.

"I wubs you, Daddy." Amanda exclaimed as she skipped next to the stroller.

Glancing down at his daughter, Danny felt his heart flutter as she smiled. The sparkle in her smile reminded him of Lindsay and made him feel like she was there despite her being across the city.

"Hey baby," Danny said trying to get Amanda's attention.

"Hmm Daddy?"

"I love you, baby girl."

Amanda stopped and took hold of Danny's leg, hugging it tightly and effectively making him stumble a little. "Me wubs you too, Daddy. And Joshy. And my puppy. And Mommy..." she paused. "Does anybody elsed live with us?"

"Just the dust bunnies under your bed," Danny teased.

"I don't has them!" Amanda cried. "I just has a puppy. No bunnies."

Danny laughed softly at the look on his daughter's face as they made their way into Build a Bear.

"Alright Amanda, can you do Daddy a favour and..."

By the time Danny had cast his eyes down to his toddler she had run to the section of the store with the wide range of teddy bears. He sighed and rolled his eyes before finishing the sentence to no one in particular.

"...make sure you don't run off."

--

Danny took a deep breath as he gripped to Amanda's little hand with one of his hands, as the other held Joshua close to him. The diaper bag was hanging of his shoulder with Jeffrey, Lindsay's teddy bear, strategically peeking it's head out of the bag; arranged of course by Amanda.

"Now Joshua," Amanda whispered as they headed down the hallway, "You has to be quiet when we here's. Do yous hear me?" she tugged on Joshua's blanket.

"Hey, hey." Danny glanced at his daughter. "Me and your brother had a talk, k? He knows what's going on."

"But Daddy, he mights cry!"

"And Daddy or Mommy will take care of that, k? You don't gotta worry."

Amanda sighed as she snatched her hand out of Danny's hold he had on her. Stopping abruptly in the hall, Danny stared at his daughter. "Paw."

"But...!"

"Gimme your paw," Danny instructed.

"But Daddy, I a big girl."

"Put your paw in mine right now,"

"Daddy!" Amanda sniffled.

"Amanda." He glared at her. "I can stand here all day; Mommy ain't goin' anywhere, so we can wait till you do what I say."

Amanda sighed heavily before offering Danny her hand dramatically. "It's a hand, Daddy. Not a paw. Lickle bear has a paw."

"I'm Daddy and if I say your little hand is a paw, then it's a paw. K?"

"Otay." Amanda sighed, relenting – knowing full well she wouldn't win. She glanced up at the door they were about to come to and she squealed. "MOMMY!"

Joshua jerked up off of his father's chest and looked Danny straight in the eyes at the sound of. 'Mommy'.

"You hear that little guy?" Danny asked his son as he untwisted the handle. "You wanna see Mommy?"

Amanda bounded into the hospital room, flinging her jacket to the floor and kicking her shoes off as she made her way to her mother's bed. "MOMMY!"

"M&M!" Lindsay giggled.

Amanda scraped the chair sat by the side of Lindsay's chair so that it worked as a staircase for her to get onto Lindsay's bed. With great ease, Amanda managed it and sat beaming at her mother.

"Hi," Lindsay giggled.

"HIIIES!" Amanda shrieked before putting a finger over her lips. "Hiiies."

"Hi." Lindsay repeated.

Shaking his head as he made his way across the room, Danny shot a look at his daughter to which she stuck her tongue out at, making both her mother and father giggle. Placing their son in his wife's arms, Danny dropped a kiss to her forehead and tucked a curl behind her ear before pressing a kiss to her cheek. Lindsay turned and caught his lips for a brief, yet sweet kiss.

When Danny and Lindsay parted, Amanda had her eyes scrunched shut.

"M&M?" Danny chuckled as he sat at the end of Lindsay's bed.

"Ewww!"

"Ew?" Lindsay asked. "What do you mean, honey?"

Amanda knelt up on the bed, mindful of Lindsay and her baby brother in her mother's arms and moved the hair from Lindsay's ear. Amanda glanced at Danny before cupping her hands around Lindsay's ear.

Giggling, Lindsay smiled brightly at their daughter and whispered something back.

"But he's got cooties, Mommy!" Amanda whispered.

"I don't got cooties." Danny gasped, offended. "You have cooties."

"Real mature, Daddy." Lindsay glared at her husband. "How's my baby boy?"

Joshua blinked as Lindsay trailed her index down Joshua's arm. When her finger got to his hand, Josh enclosed his tiny fist around his mother's finger, making her heart flutter. She dropped a kiss to her son's forehead as he shrieked and snuggled into his Mother's warm hug.

Amanda gasped dramatically and flung herself off the bed as she ran to Danny's side and tugged on his pants leg. "Jeffrey!"

With a raised eyebrow Lindsay glanced at her husband. "Jeffrey? We've changed Joshua's name in my absence and no one thought to tell me?"

"Jeffrey." Danny winked at her before whispering some instructions to Amanda. She scurried off to where Danny had dropped the diaper bag and snapped up as she held something behind her back.

"Should I be scared?" Lindsay giggled nervously.

"We made you something." Amanda finally revealed. "Me and Joshy wants you to get better soons, so we made you this." Amanda flung Jeffrey to Lindsay's bed and smiled. "We made him! We both kissed the heart too! Well, I did.. Joshy kinda slobbered over it. It wasn't very nice, Mommy" Amanda retold their afternoon at build-a-bear.

Lindsay, with her free hand, picked up her teddy bear and smiled as tears glistened in her eyes. "Guys, I love him!"

"We called him Jeffrey." Danny started with a smirk on his face. "Ask me why."

"Go on, I'll bite... Why?"

"Because Amanda made herself a boyfriend in the Bear factory, didn't you?"

Amanda sighed. "He not my boyfwiend, Daddy."

"He can't be," Lindsay piped in, "Otherwise Daddy would not be smilin' about this."

Danny smirked. "Tell her what you did."

Blushing, Amanda began her tale. "I wanted the t-shirt Jeffrey's wearing..." she sighed. "But this boy had it, and wouldn't give me it."

"Well baby, if it was his and he'd picked it first then-..." Lindsay reasoned.

"Wait for it," Danny smirked.

"I'm not going to be impressed, am I?"

Danny shook his head and laughed. "Go on baby girl, tell Mommy what you did."

"Well, he saided I smelt," Amanda sniffled. "So I kicked him."

"Amanda!" Lindsay gasped.

"Where did you kick him, Amanda?" Danny prompted.

She hung her head and sniffled sadly. "Where I shouldn't,"

Lindsay's jaw fell to the floor as Danny bit the inside of his mouth, desperate not to burst out laughing. "Amanda!" Lindsay scolded. "I..."

"Daddy made me say sowwy." Amanda continued. "And I had to pwomise him that I'd name my teddy after him to say sowwy when he stopped cwyin'." Amanda paused before adding. "Like a girl."

Lindsay bit her lip and shook her head. "But you got the top?"

Amanda nodded.

"Jeffrey's lovely, baby girl." Lindsay said, words otherwise failing her.

Amanda smiled. "Can I colour Daddy?"

"Sure," he smirked before rooting in the diaper bag for a colouring book and crayons. He soon set Amanda up in the chair before taking his seat on the bed next to Lindsay. "She kicked his ass."

"Daniel!" Lindsay glared at her husband. "You can't be seriously encouraging her."

"She got what she wanted." Danny shrugged. "He was a jerk to her and she was sticking up for herself. She's just doin' what we taught her back with that Emily bitch."

Amanda glanced up in time to see Lindsay smack Danny's arm. As she glanced back down to her colouring, a little smile graced her lips.

"Oh yeah," Danny smirked as he rubbed his offended area. "Great example there, Lindsay, show her how to do it right, why don't you?"

"If I could, I'd be kickin' you somewhere too." Lindsay glared.

"You wouldn't," Danny reasoned. "You want another baby."

"You sure about that?" Lindsay smiled as she poked Joshua's little button nose.

"Sure? I'm positive." Danny smirked. "I've seen the way you dote on our kids. Joshy gets to Amanda's age you'll want another little baby."

She raised her eyebrow. "Shall we get him out of bottles and me out of a wheelchair and we can talk then?"

"You'll see." Danny smirked.

"How's Flack?" Lindsay asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Puppy or Man Flack?"

"Puppy." Lindsay rolled her eyes.

"He's fine. We went for a walk an hour ago; he ran around the park about a million times. Had the time of his life."

"So he has gone out?"

"No," Danny smirked. "I thought I'd just forget about him and let him fend for himself. With the name Flack, he'd manage right?"

"You better hope you're kidding."

"Of course I'm kidding." Danny snorted.

Lindsay smiled as she gazed down at her son. "How's my baby boy been?"

"Well, he misses his Mommy." Danny began. "It's not quite the same without you around, you know?"

Lindsay offered him a sad smile.

"He's lethargic and very clingy at the moment." Danny continued. "Like once I pick him up, he won't have me putting him down for anything."

"He's probably wondering what's going on... He's used to me being around and... I'm not anymore."

"You will soon though," Danny said with an encouraging smile.

"Not how I used to be there for him though. I won't be there to give him a cuddle at three am, unless Daddy's there too."

"Baby, everything happens for a reason."

"What? So that my baby doesn't have his Mommy around?"

"It's not that at all," Danny said, shaking his head. "And you know that. You're going to be there just as much as what you would be standing."

Lindsay shrugged as she glanced down to her son. "I'm just angry."

Danny nodded in understanding at her frustration.

"Not at you," she continued. "I'm glad I did what I did."

Danny let out a little sigh of relief; although he would never, ever admit it – that was weighing on his mind. "But..."

"I'm angry that this happened to me... to us." Lindsay trailed her fingers down Joshua's cheek. "My kids shouldn't have the memory of me being in a wheelchair."

"But Linds, this is going to be so insignificant, it'll literally be a distant memory. Hell, Josh will only know from photographs."

"How do you know that?" Lindsay whispered. "How do you know that I'll get out of the chair?"

"How do I know?" Danny asked with an arched brow. "I know because I know you, and I know that when you put your mind to something; it'll get done. And, you've got me, and there's no way in this world I will let you stay in that chair, Lindsay."

"Danny..."

"Linds," Danny sighed. "It isn't up for a debate baby girl,"

"I guess my head has been here and there while I've been sat in this room. Some days I swear I'm going to crack up."

"So would I," Danny nodded. "Either that, or develop an allergy to pollen... How many vases of flowers have you gotten?"

"In total?" Lindsay smirked. "Seventy."

"You're lying," Danny blinked.

"I've had a fair bit of spare time on my hands, baby..." Lindsay reminded him. "I'm positive..."

"Well, safe to say you're loved."

"Duh," she smirked. "I dread to think how much people have blown on the stuff they've sent me."

"Well, obviously they want you to know they're thinking of you."

Lindsay smiled.

"That, or you have sixty nine other guys on the go."

Lindsay winked. "You know it,"

"It's a good job our boy looks like me, otherwise I may have been asking some questions, Mrs Messer."

"Oh yeah?" she said with a raised eyebrow. "I'd love to have seen you try."

"Have you spoken to the Doctor recently?" Danny asked randomly.

"Not really..." Lindsay shrugged. "About what?"

"Just about when you're coming home," Danny shrugged. "Anything?"

"No," Lindsay said, shaking her head. "Why?"

Danny licked his lips. "Because if you don't come home soon, I may go crazy."

"Why because of the kids? Danny..."

"No," Danny said, interrupting her. "Because I miss you so much."

She smiled as tears sparkled in her eyes. "I miss you too."

"I'm serious." Danny assured her. "If I wake up one more time in the morning without you, I'll crack up. I hate not having you there next to me in the morning."

"Well," she smiled, "When I get home, you won't need to worry about me not being there next to you because I don't think I'll be going very far."

"Sounds like a damn good plan to me baby girl," he smiled as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

"I bored," A little voice sounded from the chair. "Mommy, will you read me a stowy?"

"A story?" Lindsay considered the idea. "Let me see, which story might you be thinking of?"

"PLOP!" Amanda giggled as she flung herself from the oversized chair, and skidded across the floor on her knees, her tights helping her to slide.

"I don't want no holes in those pretty girl tights, Amanda." Danny growled. "All I do is buy you damn tights for your skirts and dresses."

Lindsay reached out and collected some material on Danny's shirt as she pulled him towards her. "You know you love her and her girly ways."

"Girly?" Danny asked with a raised eyebrow. "May I draw your attention to the toddler skidding across the floor with her tights," Danny said, gesturing to his daughter who was taking a run before she slid on her knees on the slippery floor. "I'm more freakin' girly then her."

Lindsay's snorts startled a dozing Joshua, who had been happily napping in his mother's arms.

"Get your book then," Lindsay smiled. "We'll have some a story."

"I might go find your Doctor," Danny considered. "Seen when we can have Mommy come home."

"Is my Mommy your Mommy, Daddy?"

Danny smiled as he shook his head as he stood from Lindsay's bed and crouched next to Amanda who was fumbling in her bag trying to find her story book. "Mommy isn't my Mommy." He said as he found the book and handed it to his daughter. "But she's your Mommy, and that's what we call her. Like how Mommy calls me Daddy."

"Oh," Amanda nodded and smiled. "Otay."

Danny ruffled her hair before standing up and picking his daughter up, placing her on Lindsay's bed. "C'mere little man, how about you and me go see those Nurses I spied at the Nurses' station."

"I already warned them about you." Lindsay smirked. "Apparently you dated two of them."

Danny blinked. "What do they look like? Is one of them blonde, because if she is, it was this one time thing and I never even..."

"I was kidding," Lindsay laughed as she placed her hand on top of his. "But nice to know where you are with that."

Danny breathed a sigh of relief. "Sometimes Lindsay..." He growled playfully at her. "We shouldn't be long." He said with a smile as Lindsay handed him their son. "Say bye to Mommy, son."

Whimpering, Joshua fussed in Danny's arms. "I know you love your Mom, kid, but you gotta come with your old man for two minutes. We gotta let the girls do their thing for a minute." He held Joshua close before he whispered, "I'm saving you, believe me, kiddo." He shot a wink in the direction of Lindsay and Amanda.

"Go aways Daddy. We gotta read about Plop and how he is scaredy of the dark!"

"Ain't Plop an owl?" Danny asked as he glanced at the front cover. "An owl who's scared of the dark."

"Yup!" Amanda squealed. "He gets to be braved! And he goes out with his Mommy and Daddy at NIGHT!"

"Where have I been? Why do I not know this book?" Danny implored.

"You were going to see when Mommy was going to escape this prision." Lindsay reminded him. "Go on, off you go."

Danny winked again before heading out of Lindsay's room, and as he passed the window in her room so that she could see into the hallway, he winked at them both, making Amanda giggle and Lindsay blush a little.

Lindsay let out a breath as she opened worn book. "Alright little one, here we go."

"Plop was a baby barn owl," Amanda began from memory. "He lived with his Mommy and Daddy at the topped of a talled tree."

"You're getting good at remembering that," Lindsay smiled. "You want to carry on?"

Amanda cleared her throat, "Plop was the samed as every other baby but for oned thing... HE WAS SCAREDY OF THE DARK!!!"

Lindsay giggled at Amanda's dramatic last sentence.

"What's funny?" Amanda inquired as she helped her mother turn the page. "Mommy, what's funny?"

"You just make Mommy smile." Lindsay smiled as she prodded her daughter's nose. "That's all."

Amanda nodded, she glanced at the book before reaching to the page Lindsay was holding and shut it. "Mommy, are you scared?"

"Scared? What of, honey?"

"Not walking like how me and Daddy does."

"Scared? A little," she nodded honestly. "But like in this book, Plop gets over his fear, just like how Mommy will."

Amanda nodded before letting out a sigh. "Mommy, are you sad that you have ride in a chair with wheels?"

"Are you sad I have to ride around in a wheelchair?"

"What's a wheelchaired?"

"A chair with wheels," Lindsay smiled using her daughter's explanation.

"Oh," Amanda considered it for a moment. "Not rweally. Are you sad though?"

"I'm not sad," Lindsay shrugged as she wrapped her arm around Amanda and snuggled her close. "What I am sad about is that it's gonna take Mommy longer to do fun things with you and your brother."

"Baby brother," Amanda corrected. "He a baby Mommy."

"But he's... he's your baby brother." Lindsay smiled, deciding she couldn't really argue with Amanda's reasoning.

"When will you be able to walked again?"

Lindsay sighed, "As soon as possible, baby girl."

"Tomorrow?"

"If it was possible, then yeah."

"When den, Mommy?"

"Baby, Mommy doesn't want to put a time on it because I don't want to disappoint you if I can't walk by then."

Amanda sighed sadly. "Why can't you walked 'gen Mommy?"

"Because I can't feel my piggies." Lindsay explained.

"What if I wiggle them?" Amanda suggested as she moved away from Lindsay's side and began to scramble down the bed. "We sees!"

"It's not that easy princess pea." Lindsay said sadly as she grabbed Amanda's hand and tugged her lightly back towards her.

"But why?"

Lindsay sighed as she wrapped her arm around her daughter. "Because Mommy got hurt, sweetheart, and my body has swelled up to protect my back."

Amanda blinked. "Daddy keeps saying that, but it doesn't maked sense, Mommy."

"Alright, I'll tell you what... You know when you get a mosquito bite?"

Amanda cringed. "Ouchy."

"Exactly," Lindsay nodded. "Your skin around the bite swells up and gets puffy so that the bit of your body where you got bit can get better, right?"

Amanda nodded. "Mhmm,"

"Mommy's body has done something similar; but instead of it just itching like crazy, it's left me so I can't walk for a little while so that everything is healthy again."

Amanda sighed. "Daddy tolded me this, Mommy."

"Well, Daddy's right, honey. Mommy wishes she could walk right now, but it's not possible. I will get to walking though, Mommy pinky swears you."

Amanda latched her pinky with Lindsay's and kissed it. "I missed you last night at bedtime, Mommy."

"I missed you too, I miss you lots and lots."

"I think Daddy misses you the mostest though," Amanda whispered as her eyes sparkled with tears. "I hear him when he's sad."

"You do?"

Amanda nodded. "He says naughty things about some man."

"He does?"

Amanda nodded. "They're really bad, Mommy."

"Well Daddy knows better than to say that sort of stuff. You know that you're..."

"I wouldn't say thems!" Amanda gasped. "And I don't thinks Daddy means it, I pwomise."

"I know, baby." Lindsay smiled reassuringly. "I'm glad you told Mommy."

"Are you mads with Daddy?" Amanda asked quietly.

"No," Lindsay said, shaking her head. "I'm upset with him that he's saying those bad words in front of you."

"Well, I only heards him once in the hallway going potty and he..."

Lindsay brushed Amanda's hair out of her face. "It's okay." She smiled at her baby girl.

"I just wanted you to knows, cause you cans, I don't know... talked to him and make him happy like he makes me happy."

Lindsay shook her head. "How old are you again?"

Amanda blinked and scrunched her lips up before holding up three fingers. "Two."

Lindsay giggled and turned down one of her daughter's little fingers. "Two."

Amanda glanced at her fingers and nodded in confirmation. "Oh yeah. Two!... Why Mommy?"

"Nothing," Lindsay giggled as she pressed a kiss to her daughter's temple. "Sometimes Mommy forgets that you're still her baby girl because you're so smart."

"I'm not a baby!" Amanda glared, bottom lip quivering. "I a big sister, Mommy. 'member?"

"You'll always be Mommy's baby." Lindsay informed her daughter. "Even when you're as old as what I am, you'll still be my baby."

"I be as old as you?" Amanda gasped.

Fighting back the giggle, Lindsay nodded. "I used to be a little girl, just like you."

"You did?" Amanda gasped dramatically.

"Yep! And, a long, long time ago, I was as little as what Joshy is now."

Amanda's jaw dropped. "You were?"

Lindsay nodded. "And so was Daddy, and so was Uncle Flack, so was that nice man stood in the hallway," Lindsay said, pointing through her window to some random fellow stood in the hallway discussing something with a nurse. "And," Lindsay continued, "So were you," she smiled as she prodded Amanda's nose. "And Joshy will grow big, just like you."

Amanda blinked. "So everyone is a baby one timed?"

"Everyone." Lindsay nodded. "Cool right?"

"Where do babies comed from, Mommy?" Amanda inquired. "Where did you get Joshy?"

"Remember how he was in my belly for nine months," Lindsay said, "That's where I got him from. He was in my tummy. Just like you were."

"How did he get in there though?"

Lindsay swallowed. Suddenly, the conversation had turned a little awkward. "Well honey..."

Just then, Lindsay's door opened suddenly as Danny thrashed through it. "Amanda, grab your stuff. Go pick your crayons up and put your Converse back on."

Lindsay snapped up, "What? Why?"

Danny ignored Lindsay for a moment as he strapped Joshua into his stroller.

"Danny..."

He continued to ignore her as he helped Amanda gather up her crayons and shut her colouring book.

"Danny, I swear, if you don't tell me right now what's going on..."

"We're leaving."

"But why?" Lindsay implored. "You just got here. Why do you have to leave so soon."

"Because..." Danny paused, a smile stretching across his face, "you're coming home with us."

* * *

**Huge, huge, huge thank you to every single one of you still reading - and those of you who are reviewing. You are all the reasons why I'm still writing this two years later. (Well, that and I love these characters a lot more than what is probably considered healthy.) All your support has been amazing. Thank you all so much!**

**Special mention to: **madmush, Lindsay1234, piper maru duchovny, dantana-balscofanxoxo, Baby Jefer, messermonroeforever125, webdlfan, buddymt96, DreamerChild88, vikkilynne93, iheartcsinewyork, ZoeyBug, DantanaMM, Yes Laura, WTF! (thanks Megan! LOL?), unlikelyRLshipper, afrozenheart412, MeredithandDerekfanforever, messerlovesmontana, gwen24, & Hope06


	190. A Step in the Right Direction

**A/N: No your eyes do not fail you my loves. It's a WYHTG update. I KNOW, right?! Alright, alright, don't be too shocked, hehe! :P I know it's been a long while, and I don't really have any other excuse other than it was hard to get something going for this one, but today I had a burst of energy and had this one written in a few hours funnily enough. If only I could write a three thousand word paper as easy.**

**I tried a different format with this one, and the italics denote flashbacks, but I've given you a time frame anyway. I hope it all works how I want it to, and you enjoy the update :)**

**P.s. ****Alex Joleta**** - Thank you very much for your reviews - they were my kick up the butt in realising that people do love this story, so here's to those dedicated fans I guess. **

* * *

Lindsay bit her lip as her hands gripped the arms of her wheelchair.

"Now, just take it nice and slow, Lindsay."

Lindsay offered her physical therapist a kind smile through her gritted teeth. "How else does it look like I'm gonna take it?"

Tim laughed.

Lindsay could feel the sweat beading on her forehead. She had to do this.

She had to.

Not for herself – heck, not even for her son or daughter.

But to prove a point

* * *

Three months earlier

_Letting out a breath of air, Lindsay settled in the front seat of her SUV and flashed a wary smile at her husband. _

"_You okay? You comfortable?"_

"_If I could feel from my waist down, I'd let you know, but..." she sighed and shrugged. "I guess."_

"_You alright there, M&M?" _

"_Yup Daddy!" Amanda squealed from the back seat. "So's Joshy!"_

"_Good." Danny smiled as he shut Lindsay's door and folded her wheelchair, placing it in the back of their SUV. _

_Lindsay was finally coming home. He didn't even want to fight the smile on his face. He quickly made his way around to the driver's side and fired up the engine. "Home?"_

_Lindsay smiled and nodded. _

_He knew the smile was fake, and she had simply plastered it on her face, despite her pain and uncertainity of her condition and the prognosis of ever being able to walk again. _

_But, she was alive and breathing. _

_And to Danny, that was all that mattered. _

* * *

"That's it, Lindsay. Just take that step; I can see it in your eyes. You want to take the step. The first step is the hardest, but after that, everything becomes a lot easier."

Lindsay bit her lip as he fingers curled around the bar tighter. In some twisted way, she felt that if she gripped the bar with all her might, it would take away from the pain shooting through her legs. She knew it wouldn't work. But if she could trick herself, it'd make everything a little easier.

Well, she hoped.

* * *

Three months earlier

_She could feel a figure hovering over her as her eyes squeezed shut. Her upper body felt the comforter shifting dramatically which made her think someone was down by her legs, examining, and possibly poking her legs. _

_Not that she could feel it. _

_She laid for a few more moments with her eyes shut; and although she would never admit it outloud, a part of her was praying she'd feel the poking and prodding that she assumed was taklng place. _

"_AMANDA!" She heard her husband's hushed voice startle the little culprit. "What the hell are you doing?"_

"_Helping Mommy walk." The two year old answered brightly. "I thoughted that maybe if I poke her piggies like you poke Mommy's nose to wake her up, her feet would wake up, and she could come and play with me."_

"_I thought you wanted to play with me, kiddo." Danny said as he took a seat on the bed, still making sure his voice was in a mere whisper. _

"_I miss playing with Mommy. Mommy makes me giggle."_

"_Mommy's sick though baby, remember? She's trying to get better." _

_Amanda sighed. "You keeped telling me. I'm bored of Mommy being sick. I want her better now, Daddy."_

"_Well, I wish she'd get better now too, baby," Danny sighed, "But that's not gonna happen."_

"_Why though?"_

_Danny sighed and Lindsay just knew he was running his fingers through his hair. "Because, baby girl."_

"_Because is a silly reasoned Daddy."_

"_Because is the only reason Daddy's got though, princess. How about we go and leave Mommy to sleep?"_

_At that point Lindsay knew she should have opened her eyes. Gotten Danny to help her into her chair and started the day... but as she felt Amanda jump towards Danny and he left the bed, she let out a silent sigh. _

_She just didn't have the strength to pretend that everything was okay. _

_Not today she didn't. _

_

* * *

  
_

"Lindsay, come on, once you take that first step, it's done, you can take the rest of everything that's gonna face you."

Lindsay gritted her teeth and closed her eyes for a second.

She could do this.

She knew she could.

* * *

Two months earlier.

"_Mrs Messer?" _

_Lindsay sighed as she reached and took the brake off her chair, she began to wheel her chair into the doctor's office when she felt two hands take the handles of her chair. "I got it."_

"_I'm fine."_

"_No, no, baby. I've got it."_

"_Danny!" Lindsay bellowed in the middle of the waiting room. "I can do it!"_

"_I'm just trying to help, Linds." He growled as he let go of the handles. "I'm just trying to make it easier for you."_

"_Well don't!" she continued to bellow. "Just leave me alone. This is MY problem. I can deal with it by MYSELF!" _

"_This isn't the place to have this conversation baby," Danny whispered as they approached the office. "K? So let's just go in there and see what the doctor has to say."_

_Lindsay turned in her chair and shook her head. _

"_Hmm?" he pressed at her odd behaviour._

"_Can you wait here? I'd prefer to go on my own."_

"_Lindsay..."_

"_Just wait here," she whispered as she reached for the wheels of her chair and rolled herself through the open door. _

_Leaving Danny dumbfounded and heartbroken; stood alone in the middle of a crowded office. _

_

* * *

  
_

"I need a break," Lindsay whispered as her arms shook. "I just need..."

"Andrea, get her chair!" Tim, Lindsay's physical therapist, called to his assistant. "It's okay, Lindsay. You take a breather, alright? Take your time," he said as he helped her lower herself into the chair and handed her a towel.

Lindsay took a deep breath as she wiped her face with the towel. Her eyes watched Tim walk away briefly, before she turned and stared at the real thing she'd wanted to stop for.

And as she stared at the empty doorway, she hoped and prayed he'd be there, despite everything. She hoped that he'd know that deep down, she wanted him there; despite her bullshit and pushing him away.

She just didn't know how long she'd have to wait.

* * *

One month earlier

"_Daddy, this spaghetti is nommmmmyyy!" Amanda giggled as she twirled the cut up spaghetti around her spork. "Mommy, isn't Daddy's cooking nommy."_

"_It's nice," Lindsay nodded as she ran her fork from one side of the plate to the other. "Make sure you eat it all up." _

_Danny reached across the kitchen table and trailed his fingertips down Lindsay's propped up arm. "Everything okay?" he whispered. "You're quiet."_

"_She's eating, Daddy!" Amanda giggled. "She's supposed to be quiet because you can't talk and eat at the same time because you seed food in your mouth and that's yukky."_

"_It is yukky," Danny nodded in agreement, "But... but..." Danny paused as Amanda sat with a spork full of spaghetti, suspended in the air as she stared at her father, waiting for his answer, "Carefully honey," he said, leaning across the table, guiding her hand to her mouth. "There we go."_

_Amanda smiled brightly before leaning back in her chair and rubbing her belly. "Daddy, i fulled."_

_Peering at his daughter's plate, he shrugged and backed her chair away from the table. He grabbed the pack of baby wipes he'd placed on the table and cleaned her face and hands. "Alright, go back to colouring; it's bath time soon, baby girl."_

"_Okies!" Amanda giggled as she skipped away from the table. _

_The sound of cutlery was the only thing that could be heard in their dining room, and the silence was killing Danny. "Linds..."_

"_What do you want me to say Danny?" Lindsay snapped as she threw her fork down. "What do you want me to say?"_

"_I don't know? Anything? Something. There's been so much distance between us, I don't know where I stand with you, and it kills me because all I want to do is help."_

"_Exactly!" Lindsay cried. "That's all you want to do. You don't want to look at me, you don't sit and watch TV with me. You're always cleaning, or running to the store with the kids. You don't even ask me to go."_

"_I... I didn't realise you wanted to... I just..." he let out a sigh as he trailed his hand down his face. "I just wanted to put you first and make sure I took the slack with you being in the chair."_

_Lindsay rolled her eyes and shrugged. _

"_Linds... Come on, we've talked more just now than what we have since you were in the hospital. Don't shut me out now," he whispered as he moved his chair around the table, and turned her chair. "Let me in. Talk to me."_

"_About what?" She whispered, her eyes filling with tears. _

_He laced his fingers through her's and placed their intertwined hands on her lap. "Tell me everything."_

_She hesitated._

"_Linds?"_

"_Go bathe Amanda and I'll be waiting."_

_

* * *

  
_

Lindsay ran her hands down her face and took a deep breath.

"Tim?!" She called through the gym like area.

Her therapist turned and raised his eyebrows. "Yeah?"

"I'm ready."

* * *

One month earlier.

_She looked up from where she had managed to position herself on her side of the bed. "She go to sleep okay?"_

_Danny nodded as he made his way to his drawer and pulled out some sweatpants. "She was a little fussy, but she is nowadays."_

"_What do you mean?" Lindsay whispered. _

_Danny sighed as he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it into the laundry basket. He then moved to Lindsay's drawer and held up a pair of pyjamas, waiting for Lindsay's approval before he made his way over to her. He carefully undressed her and replaced her clothes with her pyjamas. "She's... she's..." he took a deep breath as he took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Want the truth?"_

_Lindsay nodded. _

"_She's scared at night that when she wakes up, something will have happened."_

_Lindsay furrowed her brow. "How do you mean?"_

_Danny sighed as he stood and moved to his side of the bed. "She's scared 'cause we were at work when it happened," Danny indicated to Lindsay's legs, meaning her accident. "And she's scared that something's going to happen to you."_

_Lindsay let out a sigh and closed her eyes. "I was afraid of that."_

"_So was I." Danny whispered as he climbed underneath the comforter. _

"_You were?" Lindsay asked as she peeled her eyes away from her lap._

_Danny nodded. "Yeah, along with a hell of a lot of other things I'm scared of."_

"_Like what?" Lindsay whispered. _

_He took a deep breath. "This was about you telling me things. About what's on your mind; not me."_

"_Well, I think I need to hear this." Lindsay said softly. "It might open my eyes a little."_

_Danny took a deep breath. "You want the truth?"_

"_And nothing but it." Lindsay assured him._

"_Well..." he paused. "The main thing I'm scared of, is how you resent me, considering it's you that got shot, and not me."_

"_It was a choice I made, and I'm glad I made it." Lindsay informed him. _

"_Yeah, but it still goes through my mind that if you hadn't taken me down with you, you'd be okay." _

"_But I did and we can't change that." _

_Danny nodded. "Another one of my fears is that you're never going to walk again." _

"_Mine too." Lindsay whispered. "I think that's my biggest fear." _

"_And I'm scared that I'm not doing everything right. I know what you want, and I know what you need Lindsay, I just can't give it to you right now."_

"_You're doing everything I need you to." She assured him as she took his hand and intertwined her fingers through his. "It's just... I'm struggling to deal with things and I'm pushing you away." _

"_I got that," Danny whispered. "And I know it shouldn't, but it's hurting me Linds. I never for one second thought that you'd push me away through this. I really didn't."_

"_I don't mean to." She instantly spluttered. "It just... happened." _

"_Well, somewhere in the process I lost my best friend, you know? And Amanda and Josh lost their Mommy."_

_Lindsay bit her lip. His words stung. _

"_I'm trying."_

"_You're not trying hard enough, Lindsay." He snapped at her. "I mean it's fair enough for you to say to me that I'm treating you differently. It's a fair comment you saying to me that I'm not treating you how I should be, but that's because I'm so scared that I'm going to lose you if I push you. I don't know what to do for the best. I don't know whether to push you, or to let you do it in your own time. I need you to tell me what you want, and I haven't felt like I can ask you that."_

"_I don't know what you want me to say, Danny." She shrugged as the tightness she had on Danny's fingers began to slip away. "I don't know what you want."_

"_I want my wife back. I want the mother to my children back, Lindsay. I want the wife that used to smile at me and make the day better, regardless of what was happening. I want to hold you like I used to. I want to feel like I can kiss you and not worry about you pushing me away."_

_Lindsay fought the tear that slipped down her cheek. "I'm... I'm sorry."_

"_Sorry?" Danny uttered as he shuffled across the bed and wrapped his arms around her, "Baby, you have nothing to be sorry about. Just... let me in. Let me be there for you."_

"_I don't feel like I know how to anymore, Danny. It's been so long." Tears kept slipping down her cheeks, and Danny made sure that he caught each and every one. "I didn't mean... I..."_

"_I know," he whispered as he laced his fingers through her hair and pressed a kiss to her temple. "It's gonna be okay, Linds... I promise."_

"_What if I never get the feeling back?" She asked him, her chocolate eyes filled with tears. "What if this is it for the rest of our lives?"_

"_Then we'll make it work." He promised. "But you will get the strength back in your legs, baby. It's just a matter of time." _

_Lindsay took a deep breath as Danny moved her so that she was snuggled into his side. _

_She just hoped he was right. _

_

* * *

  
_

"There we go Lindsay..." Tim smiled. "Like last time, that one step will start you off."

She knew she'd be able to take the step. Taking the first step wasn't the problem.

It was taking that first step without him in the room to see her do it, was proving harder than she thought.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. If she couldn't see him not there, it probably wouldn't hurt as much, right?

... right?

* * *

One week earlier.

"_Danny!" Lindsay called from where she sat in the living room. "Baby?"_

"_What?" she heard him call from somewhere in the house. _

"_Come here and see what!" she chuckled. _

"_You wheel your butt into the kitchen Linds, I'm doin' somethin'."_

"_But honey..." Lindsay whined. "Baby, please!"_

_She listened for a moment, holding her breath. After a few seconds she heard Danny slam his knife down on the counter and heard him pad out of the kitchen._

"_What?" he said as he leant against the doorframe, dishcloth hung over his shoulder. _

"_I love you." She smiled. _

"_I love you too." He smiled before his grin dropping and him returning back to business. "Now what?"_

"_I have a favour to ask."_

"_What do you need?"_

_Lindsay took a deep breath. _

"_Linds..."_

"_I want to start therapy. I want to get out of this chair, Danny."_

"_Linds, it's been a three months. You need to be patient and let yourself heal."_

"_Danny, I haven't felt anything. Nothing. If I start therapy the process of it all may kick start something that just needs a trigger inside of me."_

"_Lindsay, you know how I feel about you pushing yourself." Danny said shaking his head. "It's not happening."_

"_What like me not going to work isn't happening either?"_

"_It isn't up for discussion," Danny shrugged. "It isn't happening."_

"_Amanda's at preschool Monday through Friday; you're at work... Joshua takes his naps through the day... And I'm left to sit here and do what?"_

_Danny padded into the room and stopped just in front of her chair. He leant down and pressed a kiss to her forehead and rested his head against her's so that they were at the same eye level. "Your job is to sit here and get better."_

"_How can I if you won't let me...?"_

"_Without pushing yourself too far," Danny added with a kiss to her lips. _

"_You can't wrap me up in cotton wool, Danny." Lindsay reminded him. "I know you want to protect me and everything, but I really need to push myself, or else I'll be won't be needing a seat for Joshua's college graduation, cause I can just wheel myself to the front row in this damn thing."_

_Danny sighed as he took a seat on the couch and moved Lindsay's chair so that she faced him. "You know I love you, right?"_

_She nodded. _

"_And I'll do anything for you?"_

_She nodded again._

"_The only thing I won't do is sit here and watch you push yourself when you're not ready. When you've felt something I'll carry the damn chair to the therapy joint... til then baby, I'm not lettin' you push yourself to hurt yourself more. I do it cause I care."_

_Lindsay let out an aggravated sigh. "If the tables were turned we would be having a different conversation right now."_

"_We would?" Danny asked. "How?"_

"_Because I would already have the car going and I'd take you on down to wherever you wanted to go to get you out of this chair."_

"_And if it were me, I would be waiting until I had some feeling."_

_Lindsay licked her lips; her anger and frustration flowing through the looks she was shooting at Danny, "Well it isn't you. It's me. It's been me sat here for the past three months, so you can't tell me what you would do, Danny."_

_Danny licked his lips as his eyes glistened. "I'm just trying to take care of you sweetheart.... like how you took care of me by saving me from that bullet."_

_Lindsay pursed her lips and looked down to her lap. _

"_Linds?"_

_She blinked. _

"_Lindsay?" Danny asked. "Something you want to tell me there, babe?"_

"_No," She growled as he hands went to her chair and unfastened the brakes. "Call me when Dinner's ready."_

"_Where you going?"_

"_I'm going to lie down."_

"_Wait, I'll give you a hand." He offered. _

"_Don't bother."_

_

* * *

  
_

The day before.

_Slamming the phone on the receiver, Danny stormed into the living room and shoved the door open. _

"_Amanda, go upstairs for Daddy for a minute."_

"_But Mommy's reading me a stowy!" Amanda giggled. "Can I go up later?"_

"_This will take two minutes." Danny said through gritted teeth, "I'll be up soon to bring you back down."_

"_But..."_

"_Now Amanda." Danny growled, not blinking as he stared at his wife. _

_Amanda casted her eyes to Lindsay who nodded subtly, before pressing a kiss to her daughter's temple, and helping her down from her lap onto the floor. Amanda quickly ran from the room and scrambled upstairs. _

"_Is Joshua asleep?" Lindsay asked as she pushed down on the arm of the chair she was sat in to shift in her position. _

"_Why Lindsay?"_

"_Why? Why what? Why is he asleep? Because it's seven oclock..."_

"_Why did I just get a phone call confirming your first physical therapy session tomorrow? I thought we decided that you would wait till you felt something?"_

_Lindsay smiled. "Surprise." _

"_Surprise? What the fuck, Lindsay?! What's the effing point in going in for therapy if you can't feel anything?"_

_Lindsay took a deep breath as she shuffled in her seat, she glanced down to her sock covered feet and smiled. "See the thing is..."_

"_You know what?" Danny growled. "Save it, Lindsay. I don't give a crap anymore. Do what you want. Do whatever the fuck you want. Don't expect me to be there tomorrow. It's pointless – POINTLESS you going when you've not felt a thing. But whatever, don't listen to me. You know best. Obviously."_

_He turned and slammed the living room door shut, making the tear that brimmed in Lindsay's eye fall down her cheek. She swallowed as she gazed down to her feet and curled her toes. _

"_Surprise." She whispered. _

_

* * *

  
_

"Lindsay?" Tim pressed as he foot hovered mid air. "Come on, take that step."

She let out a breath as she placed her foot on the floor. She'd done it. She'd taken the first step.

"LINDSAY!" Tim roared in excitement. "Lindsay, well done!"

Still with her eyes squeezed shut, Lindsay lifted her other foot to take another step. But, for some reason, before she took that next step, she paused and opened her eyes. Instantly her eyes filled with tears as they fell upon the one person in the world she had wanted to be there.

He'd come through for her.

She smiled at him as he swiped his tears away. He'd seen her take her first step like she'd hoped and prayed he would. Her eyes glistened as their eyes met across the room, while she took another step. And then another; and then another. They were steady, and they were dead slow. But they were steps. They were steps in the right direction.

She offered another smile in Danny's direction; her eyes explaining everything, and in return he mouthed the words 'I'm sorry' and 'I love you' towards her. With those words, he had told her everything she had needed to hear. And for the first time in a long time, she felt safe in his promise to her that everything would be okay.

* * *

**Well, there we go, I didn't want to drag out Lindsay's recovery, and of course she is only at the beginning with this therapy stuff. I mean, don't get me wrong, I know very little about PT, and the extent of my knowledge is basically what we saw on screen on the show with Danny's recovery. So, I do apologise if there's something I have done slightly wrong, etc. But yeah, I felt that covering bits and bobs in flashbacks over a period of time would tell the story better than stopping and starting like I have been doing so - which I do apologise for! :) I know a lot of you love this story, and I love it too. It's just finding the time to do the story justice.**

**I hope you've enjoyed, and your thoughts and comments are always appreciated.**

**Thank you all for tuning back in, despite the constant stop/starts. :)**

**Special mention to:** Hope06, saderia, DreamerChild88, DantanaMM, piper maru duchovny, messermonroeforever125, uscrocks, Lindsay1234, kdzl, ncisabbylover, afrozenheart412, miscme, Baby Jefer, Yo! This is Puck. (you're such a geek, Megan :P) jennifer32485, buddymt96, dantana-balscofanxoxo, unlikelyRLshipper, BellaEdwardCullenfan4life, iheartcsinewyork, gwen24, ZoeyBug, messerlovesmontana & Alex Joleta.


	191. Bursting With Pride

**A/N: A WYHTG chapter? Really? YES! Believe it or not. I actually wrote this about three weeks ago when I was on my teaching placement and forgot about it. So it was a completed chapter, just sat there waiting for me to remember about it. It was quite the surprise when I found it earlier, and thought MUST. UPLOAD. NOW! I'm uber sorry it's been so ridiculous with updates for this story this year; I guess writing random oneshots appears to be easier to dip in and out of when my workload is sky high... But with me finishing my first year at University. -hold for a proud smile- these four months I have off should give me some time to get my ass back in gear and shake the muse into writing more for this story I've dearly missed. **

**I hope there are still some of you out there half willing to read this update. To recap on last chapter, we had a few flashbacks of Lindsay's tough times over the three months she was in her wheel chair, and we also saw her in PT taking her first steps with Danny getting there just in time to see her. **

**This one is told in the majority of Danny's POV, but I'm pretty sure you'll get that... I hope - if I've done my job right. **

**Hope you enjoy! :) **

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After his outburst at Lindsay the day before, he felt downright shitty. He'd been horrible to her, and his behaviour had been inexcusable. He didn't know what had gone over him when he'd gotten a phone call from her physical therapist confirming the details of her appointment. He hadn't thought to ask her motives in organising a therapy session; he'd instantly just assumed... well; he didn't know what he'd assumed. But he had assumed something.

He knew Lindsay and he knew that she wouldn't have organised a therapy session for the sheer thrill of doing so. She'd gone before he'd woken that morning; which was an extreme rarity in their home as of late. She had left him a note, telling him that she'd see him later and that she'd gone to her session with Angell giving her a ride. She'd even added a smiley face to soften the tension between them after their mini argument.

He'd read the note a few times, examining the hidden meaning in his wife's message. He could feel the pleading in the note for him to come through for her and turn up at the session. He figured that if she was pissed (which was more than in her right to be) with him, she wouldn't have bothered with a note. The fact that she had – and added a smiley face, told him that she was begging him to give her a chance to show him exactly why she'd arranged an appointment.

He let out a breath as he pulled into a parking space and killed the engine. His instincts had never failed him before, and right now he was praying that they weren't about to start.

He quickly made his way to the elevator as he searched his memory for the information he'd been given the night before over the phone by her therapist's receptionist, confirming Lindsay's appointment.

_Sixth floor_ he remembered in the back of his mind as he keyed the button once he was inside the elevator.

His heart was racing as the elevator ascended through the various levels as he travelled from the parking lot. He was a little unsure of what to actually expect when he walked into the therapist office. Would he see Lindsay struggling with some form of gym equipment, specially developed to increase the strength in her legs, or would he see her walking? He had no clue... But, he would have had he given her five minutes the night previous.

Beating himself up wasn't the way to do this; he silently reminded himself. This wasn't about him. It was about Lindsay.

The past three months had killed him. Mentally, physically and emotionally, he'd been at his end many of times for a variety of different reasons. It killed him on a daily basis as he helped Lindsay into her wheelchair. It absolutely destroyed him inside when he heard her cry when she was sat 'relaxing' in the bath. He had sat listening to her, shedding a tear or ten himself as he realised that there was nothing in the world he could possibly do to help his suffering wife. He wanted to just take her in his arms, give her a hug and take all of her worries and pain away.

But he knew that wasn't possible.

She'd pushed him away; which was understandable; she was going through some emotions he couldn't even comprehend. He couldn't say though that it didn't hurt him. He desperately wanted to be there for her and support her, but when she'd closed herself off to him, it made it really, really difficult. He had to remember that he wasn't slowly losing his wife, but his children were slowly losing their mother. He understood that Lindsay was dwelling on the constraints of being in a wheelchair, but their two year old daughter didn't really understand why Mommy wasn't really the same... let alone what their newborn son thought of the whole situation.

Despite all of his hurt feelings over the past few months, he had to give it to Lindsay; keeping their home together was a hell of a job. He'd never realised how much energy it took to keep Amanda entertained, Joshua pacified and the refrigerator stocked. It was things he just thought happened, and until he had to pick up the slack himself, he hadn't really appreciated everything Lindsay did. He was by no means a lazy father. He'd gone food shopping a million times for his wife, but he'd done just that. He'd done the food shopping – and more times than not, he'd gone on his own, or with just one of the kids. Having to take both of the kids while tending to them and remembering everything on the list was something Danny found to be hugely difficult... Long story short the respect he already had for Lindsay had sky rocketed.

Lost in his thoughts, he nearly missed his intended floor. He took a step off the elevator and searched his brain for the name of Lindsay's therapist. Tom... Tag... His eyes widened as his eyes fell on an office labelled with the name Tim. He'd remembered from the night before inwardly laughing for a moment, thinking of his barber, Tim in the role of Lindsay's therapist. He made his way through the door and glanced around looking for his wife; or at least someone who could help him find her.

He let out a breath as he padded through the quiet welcome room before his eyes caught sight of Lindsay. Not only was she stood, she had just taken what appeared to be her first step. He gripped to a nearby rail as his emotions began to overtake him at the accomplishment of the woman he loved more than life itself. He berated himself at how he doubted her, but in the few seconds after she'd taken her step, he'd never been more proud of her in his life.

And that included her testifying in Montana all those years ago, and giving birth to both of their children.

He could tell that she was squeezing her eyes shut ready to take her next step, but she was pausing. He willed her to open her eyes to see him stood there. He wanted her to see him come through for her, and just as a tear slipped down his cheek at his pride and astonishment at her accomplishment, Lindsay's chocolate eyes met his baby blues. He could tell from the glistening in her eyes that his instincts had been exactly right. She had wanted him to look past everything and be there for her whether he agreed with her taking on therapy or not.

With each step she took, he could feel the pride quickly bubbling inside him to the point where he felt he was going to explode. He took a deep breath as he mouthed the words, "I'm sorry" and "I love you" towards her. They were words that he probably said every single day to her for one thing or another; but as he stood in that moment, he hadn't meant them more.

He knew that Lindsay needed to regain her steps steadily, but he couldn't bear to be on the other side of the room any longer. His strides increased as he made his way towards her and by the time she'd reached the end of her makeshift path, he was stood at the end with open arms to which she collapsed in, relief flooding over her.

"I'm so sorry I didn't give you the chance to show me that you'd felt something." He whispered into her sweaty hair; evidence of how hard she'd been working through her therapy session.

"It's okay." She whispered, out of breath. "You're here now."

"I am." He nodded as he pressed a kiss to her temple. "And I'm not going to be going anywhere again, you know?"

"I know." She whispered.

"I'm so proud of you," he whispered against her temple, still pressing soft kisses to the area. "You have no idea."

Her arms were now gripping particularly tight around his neck and he could see the pained look on her face as she fought with her shaking legs.

"You need your wheelchair, Lindsay?" Tim inquired cautiously.

"I think so," she said, almost painfully as she gripped to her husband.

Within seconds, Danny was able to help Lindsay lower herself to her chair and she let out a breath of relief from the strain no longer being on her legs.

"How about we call it a day for now?" Tim prodded softly. "Give you and..." he paused as he tried to remember Danny's name, "I'm sorry..."

"Danny," He introduced himself with an outstretched hand. "Danny Messer."

"Nice to meet you," Tim returned the handshake. "Give you and Danny a chance to celebrate your break through here... Same time Wednesday?"

Lindsay nodded.

"And you have my number if you need to reschedule the appointment if you can't get here."

"Oh she will." Danny finally made his voice heard. "I'll make sure she gets here personally." He smiled down at his wife.

"Good to know." Tim smiled. "So I guess we will see you both Wednesday then."

Danny shared a look with Lindsay before nodding and answering for her.

"You sure will."

Using Danny as her aid, Lindsay pushed herself into the SUV, fighting the shaking feeling in her legs.

"You okay? You got it?"

"I'm good." She smiled at her concerned husband as he stood, bouncing on his heels; his hands ready to lift her if she needed it.

"You sure?"

"I'm positive." She assured him as she settled in the front seat. "See,"

Danny smiled and let out a breath. He placed his hand on the roof of the car and leant into the SUV for a moment. "Do you know how proud I am?"

"I think you mentioned it." Lindsay blushed. "But I'm just glad you came."

"So am I." He whispered.

Silence fell between them for a moment before Danny dropped his head, pressed a kiss to Lindsay's temple, and shut her door. He quickly made his way around to the driver side and started up the engine.

"Random question..." Lindsay began. "But you do realise that we have no children with us, right?"

"No shit, Sherlock." Danny smirked at his wife. "Flack's got them for the afternoon."

"So, is anyone actually working in the NYPD this afternoon then, or have we all decided to pack our careers in?"

"Wisebutt." Danny smirked.

"That's a name I haven't heard in a while." She smiled.

"Well, you haven't been a wiseass recently." He reminded her gently. "And I don't dish the name out willy nilly."

"You've been spending too much time with our daughter." Lindsay teased him. "If the thirty year old version of yourself could hear this thirty four year old version of yourself, you'd never live it down."

"Who says I want to?" he smirked as he reversed from the parking space and made manoeuvred the vehicle around the parking garage skilfully. "And anyway, there's no such thing as spending too much time with your kids."

"Can't argue with that," she reasoned as she settled in her seat. "Turn the radio on."

"Please."

"Thank you," Lindsay giggled as she observed the busy New York street passing them by.

"Hungry?"

"Starving, actually." Lindsay smiled. "Take me to lunch?"

"Please..."

"Thank you."

"What the hell happened to your manners? You lose them somewhere?"

Laying a hand on his thigh, Lindsay let out a giggle; a giggle that was music to Danny's ears. Giggling, from anyone other than Amanda, was something that he'd not heard for around three months. It was a genuine, happy giggle. And for the first time in the past three months, Danny Messer was positive that he and his wife were back on track.

"You listenin'?" She drawled at him, annoyed at him for drifting off in thought.

"No, I was drowning you out." He teased her lightly. "What were you goin' on about now?"

"It's a damn good job I'm used to you being mean to me." Lindsay huffed in her seat. "Otherwise you'd reduce me to tears on an hourly basis. I was asking you what made you come today?"

"My instincts? Subconscious?" he shrugged as he battled the New York traffic. "I knew that I treated you so unfairly yesterday that I had to give you a chance to show me why you'd booked a therapy session. I think bit of me was hurt that you didn't tell me before you booked the session."

"I wanted to surprise you." She whispered.

"I get that now..." he assured her. "But when I got the call I didn't... You've gotta remember, babe, we've not been the closest couple over the past few months."

"I know." She said sadly in her seat. "And I'm sorry about that."

"You don't gotta be sorry, babe. We've gone through some seriously heavy crap with everything that's happened. It would have been crazy of us to expect everything to be absolutely fine."

"Still," Lindsay shrugged. "I don't think I was much of a wife though."

"You take that back." Danny growled. "Much of a wife? Lindsay, you saved my life."

"Hardly."

"Hardly? Baby the-... WATCH IT!" Danny implored as he slammed his hand against the horn, growling at someone who'd cut him off. "Fuckin' tourists!"

"Dan..." Lindsay pressed softly. "You were saying something..."

"Oh, yeah," he chuckled as he tried to regain his train of thought, "Babe, the bullet was heading straight for my chest. I didn't have no vest on... If you hadn't have shoved me out of the way and taken a bullet for me, I wouldn't be here right now. How many wives can say they've taken a bullet for their husbands?"

"Um... probably like-"

"I wasn't looking for an answer," he teased before taking a deep breath, deciding to approach what he wanted to get across to her in a different way. "Seriously; you know, Linds, I thought that when you testified in Montana that I would never be more proud of you, but today..." he let out the breath he'd taken previously. "You really showed me wrong." He continued. "You have no idea how much I admire your determination in walkin' again. I know I haven't been the most supportive husband at times over the past three months, and you just let me get on with it, even though I should have just bit my tongue and gone with what you wanted."

"You were only thinking what you thought was best for me. I don't think either of us knew how to deal with this really."

"Even so," Danny shrugged in his seat. "It's still no excuse; I should have been a hell of a lot more supportive."

"You were in your own way." Lindsay shrugged. "That's all I can ask for. You were there when I needed you."

"But..."

"No buts." She smiled warmly as her hand enclosed over his free one. "No buts, okay?"

He sighed but relented under her watchful gaze. "Alright..."

"Good; now... take me for some food."

"Yes Ma'am."

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"There we go, my brave girl. Don't say I never buy you anything." He teased lightly.

Accepting the milkshake Danny was handing to her, she took a sip as she watched her husband sit across the booth from her. She observed his t-shirt and fought back a smile. "Subconsciously, I think you knew you were going to be proud of me today."

"Why's that?" Danny smiled.

"Your maroon shirt there," she began indicating to the shirt he was currently wearing. "That's the shirt you wore when you came to Montana and saved me through my testimony. It was the only thing you grabbed to bring with you, and I guess even though it isn't the green t-shirt, or the white button up, the maroon shirt still holds a dear place in my heart... and you wore it today..."

"You know," he said with a knowing smile on his face. "I think you might just be right there, kiddo."

She smiled brightly at him as she took a sip of her drink. "What happened to that green shirt by the way?"

"I didn't realise you liked it that much..." Danny chuckled. "It's literally a t-shirt... There ain't nothin' special about it, babe."

"Nothin' special?" Lindsay scoffed, imitating his thick accent. "You really have no idea, do you?"

"It appears not." He smirked. "So we're a fan of the green shirt then?"

"Put it this way," Lindsay began. "If I had to pick between you being shirtless and you in the green shirt, it would be a tough competition."

Danny raised his eyebrow. "Honey, how did this conversation move from me bursting with pride about you, to what shirts clearly turn you on?"

"Danny!" Lindsay blushed.

"Oh please Linds, when are you going to stop blushing?"

"Probably never if you keep that up." She growled at him.

"Well, I'll repeat; how did our conversation go from me telling you how proud I am to you lusting over my wardrobe... or lack of it, it seems."

She shrugged playfully as she took a sip of her milkshake. "I know you're proud of me, I can tell when you look at me; and we've not had a 'we've got no cares in the world, so let's be silly and talk about...' conversation in so long, I thought I'd just go with the flow."

"In that case, if we're talking about shirts that turn us on..." Danny smiled. "You remember Sarah Butler's case."

Lindsay nodded cautiously, wondering where he was going with the case that hit so close to home for her.

"Remember that shirt that you wore when we were processin' the dude's company boat?"

"Paul White?"

"How the hell do you remember his name?"

"I'm a walking Google." Lindsay reminded her husband. "Which shirt...?"

"The sequined one."

"I own a sequined shirt?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "It had little straps and... it was kind of..." He paused, knowing exactly the type of reaction he was going to get. "Low cut."

"Perve."

"Says you!" he cried in defence. "Who lusts over me in tight shirts?"

"Your wife." She smirked with a playful glint in her eye.

"Yeah well, your husband lusts over you in low cut tops."

"Daniel!" she scolded. "Have a little self control."

His mouth hung ajar before he promptly closed it again. "I give up with you, baby."

She smiled playfully as he flicked some of his chocolate milkshake that hung to his straw so that it landed on her nose. She stretched her tongue out, desperate to lick the liquid from her nose, but was struggling. Danny chuckled as he watched his wife cross her eyes as she tried to focus on the tip of her nose; something he'd watched Amanda do earlier that morning.

Like mother, like daughter.

"You want some help there, sweetheart?" Danny beamed as he picked up a napkin and swiped the foam from his wife's nose. He leant over and pressed a kiss to the area that still tasted of chocolate, and as he was about to pull away, Lindsay's lips caught his in a soft kiss. It was just a small and loving kiss that most would think nothing of, but to Danny, the fact that Lindsay had captured him in a kiss; it caused a bubbling feeling in his chest.

She pulled away and smiled shyly at him before taking another sip of her drink.

Danny sat back and smiled as he shook his head. As much as he wanted to sit and tell her for hours on end how proud he was, he knew that a playful, bantering and flirty conversation was long overdue. He hadn't realised it but he had missed this side of his relationship with his wife. For Lindsay to spark the conversation, the kisses, and the smiles, meant that the storm that they had been fighting their way through was finally beginning to pass.

And Danny couldn't have been happier.

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**thank you for reading, guys! Hope it was a nice chapter to brings us back into a more flowing WYHTG update schedule... (I don;t even think that makes sense!) ****Huge and very special thank you to all of you who read (and reviewed!) last chapter; You guys really are amazing with the support you give me and everything... even though I suck at updating as of late. Special mention to: **Lindsay1234, egoofy34, piper maru duchovny, DantanaMM, uscrocks,webdlfan, messermonroeforever125, buddymt96, ncisabbylover, afrozenheart412, Catty nciscsinyluver, brendanakai, saderia, jennifer32485, Alex Joleta, DreamerChild88, Hope06, Zoeybug, iheartcsinewyork, Kerrie, MarkandLexiefan, dantana#1fan, dantana and lindsaymesser4ever. 


	192. Another Step In The Right Direction

**A/N: Your eyes do not deceive you. Do not adjust your computer screens and don't be making any appointments with the eye-doctor. I have quite the admission to make - I've had this chapter for a long while, but didn't want to post because I didn't have anything else in my mind for what to happen after it and although it would have been okay to leave it for another 496878 months, I thought it wasn't fair to drop in to drop right back out again. Lately though inspiration hit (just in time for school to start in a month I may add). So while this chapter may not be the best of chapters, I do PROMISE I have something else in the works for this story that is shaping up to be pretty awesome I think. And even though if you read like my last 395979 A/N's I say that I'm going to pay more attention to this story, this time I'm really going to try - it's insane how much I've missed writing this story, but when inspiration isn't hitting, it just isn't hitting. But, from somewhere inspiration hit - and I should be able to get quite a few chapters out of this idea I have, so let's hope you see more from me soon! **

**A huge thank you to those of you whom periodically nudge me back to this story - even though it's been months, it's always in my mind and I appreciate how much you all like this story - it really means a lot - considering it was a one-shot. haha. lies. **

**Enough rambling from me. I hope there are still some of you around to read - even if it is to smack me upside the head for dilly-dallying like I have.**** :]**

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Sitting on the couch like a patient little girl, Amanda Messer furrowed her brow as her eyes concentrated on her uncle, sat opposite her. "Flackie, why's I has to sit here?" Amanda pressed for the fifth time in the same amount of minutes. "I bored."

"Well, I has.. I have a surprise for you." Flack grinned as he corrected his grammar that he'd apparently adopted from his little niece.

"But I was havin' fun with Auntie Jessie, I didn't want to leave. I bored here."

"I know, but Jess had to go to work, sweetie pie, and anyway, Mommy and Daddy will be home soon."

Amanda let out a sad sigh.

"I don't think you heard me." Flack said with a cough, "Mommy and Daddy will be home soon."

"I heards you." Amanda sniffled. "I... I sad right now."

"You're sad?" Don gasped. "Well that makes me sad. Why are you sad, M&M?"

"When Daddy and Mommy home, they sad." Amanda began. "Daddy wants Mommy to be happy 'gen. And I do too. It makes me sad that she sits all day."

"She has to baby," Flack gently reminded the little girl. "Remember how she has a huge boo boo?"

"She sits in bed, Flackie; not in her chair with wheelies. "

"Well, my Uncle Flackie radar says that somethin' good has happened today, so maybe when they get back, you'll have a super surprise."

"I don't thinks so." Amanda sniffled. "

"Hmm, well we will just have to see. My Flackie radar has never let me down yet, kiddo. Say, I know... Wanna make brownies?"

"With Flackie? You baked like a Mommy?"

"I do." Flack smiled. "Just don't tell your Daddy, k?"

"But Flackie, when you bakey, you have to has a apron so you don't ruin your pretty girl clothes. Did you brings one?"

"Well, I actually left my pretty girl clothes home today, so I think I can get away with wearing my boy clothes, right?"

Amanda shrugged. "You don't dress as pretty as my Daddy does. My Mommy dresses him cutely."

"She does, huh?"

Amanda nodded. "Mommy tolded me so. He used to dress like a bo-ho."

"A Hobo?" Flack snorted. "Who said that M&M? Mommy?"

Amanda giggled and nodded. "He used to wear shirts with lines in dem and Mommy said he looked like he rolled out of his bed in them. He tolded her he would just telled people she slepted in it."

"What did Mommy say?"

"Nothin'" Amanda giggled. "She got mad at Daddy."

"What did Daddy do to make her happy again?"

"I don'ts know," Amanda shrugged. "It was a while ago, before Mommy hurted herself..."

"Do they joke around like they used to, Amanda?" Flack asked in a lower voice.

"No," Amanda shook her head. "It makes Daddy sad."

"It does?" Flack sighed, his heart aching at the way the little family his two best friends had created was slowly falling apart around them. "How does it make you feel?"

"I just want Mommy back."

Shuffling down from the chair, Flack knelt in front of his niece and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Well baby girl, I promise you that I'm gonna make sure that your Mommy and Daddy get out of this funk they're in. Bang their heads together maybe?"

Craning her neck out, Amanda's little lips touched Flack's nose and pressed a sweet little kiss to the tip. "Just don't hurt them, Flackie. Me wubs my Mommy and Daddy."

Ruffling her hair, Flack stood and re-took his seat. "So, what about those brownies... Does Daddy have an apron for when he cooks outside?"

Amanda shrugged. "I never eats that, so Mommy gave up on him cooking outside. I a pain in her butt."

"You are?" Flack smiled at his niece. "I don't believe that for one second."

"Why? 'Cause Mommy can't feels her butt? Cause Daddy said that and she sporked him. Do you know what that is, Flackie? She stabby him with a fork that was actually a spooned! It's a sporky. It hurt Daddy too. It was uber funny, Uncle Flackie."

Flack snorted. "Oh honey, you're a funny little girl... A comedian couldn't make what you say up."

"Huh? Who's commyden?"

"A comedian... he or she gets paid to make people laugh."

"But I don't get paid..."

"I know... but...-"

"Flackie, will you pay me?"

"I think that's part of your Daddy's contract. I'm just here to bake brownies with you guys..."

"That's it?"

"Well, among a few other things," Flack shrugged, desperately trying to make a 180 turn on the conversation he was holding with Amanda. "Look, let's get baby bear and we'll go and make some brownies, k?"

"Okay... Do I gets to eat the batter?"

"We'll see."

"Mommy lets me."

"We'll see."

"She does!"

"I didn't say she didn't... And what did I say... I said we'd see about it, quit pestering me, squirt." Flack smirked as he ruffled Amanda's slowly forming curls that now sat on her shoulders.

"Flackie, can I tells you a secwet?" Amanda whispered as she pulled on his jeans' leg.

"Sure," He said with a smile as he crouched down to her level with Joshua in his arms. "What's up?"

Cupping his rugged and unshaven cheeks with her tiny hands, Amanda pressed a kiss to Flack's nose before giving him an Eskimo style kiss. "I love you." She whispered. "But ssshhh, it's a secwet."

With that, Amanda turned on her little slipper clad heel and padded into the kitchen; unknowing at how she had just made her Uncle's chest explode at her sweetness.

"Messer did well with her, you know?" Flack finally chuckled to his godson that had been happily laying in his bouncer in the middle of the living room floor. Flack unstrapped the little boy and snuggled him to his chest. "You've got an amazing big sis there, kiddo and she's one hell of a...-"

A smash, crash and a boom sounded from the kitchen with an "it wasn't me!" following, breaking Flack from praising Amanda.

"Who the hell was it then?" Flack growled at his niece as he stepped into the kitchen.

Amanda turned on her heel and pointed at her puppy, cowering in the corner. "It was puppy Flack! Naughty Flackie!"

"Hey, yo!" Flack growled. "No bein' mean to my namesake puppy, ya'hear, M&M... He may be a little stupid, but that's the Messer in him... he can't help that. Now you come here and give me a hand picking up these bowls and stuff, k?"

Amanda sighed as she padded over to the mess she had secretly created. With Joshua perched on his knee, Flack carefully picked up the plastic bowls, containers and measuring jugs, piling them inside one another before placing them back into the cupboard.

"Tell you what, go get a red box of Mommy's brownie mix, k?"

"KAYYY!" Amanda giggled as she slid across the kitchen.

"Brownies?" Flack mused to his godson as he grabbed a box of eggs and the oil from Lindsay's fridge and pantry... "What the hell was I thinking?"

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"What do you think she's going to say?"

"Not much of anything," Danny teased as they rounded the corner which led to their street to which they lived on. "I think she's going to run and jump at you... which scares me a little."

"Well, we can just make sure you're behind me, ready to steady me..."

"Well yeah, but I don't want her to do any damage, babe... It's taken a hell of a lot to get here, and I really don't want to start from the beginning again."

"I know, but I have to let her see this. She's been so upset about the whole thing, Danny. I know it's gotten to her, and I know I haven't been a help at all with my wallowing in my own self pity. I know that... I just, I want to give her this... glimmer of hope. I promised her I would start walking, and I have to let her see me... I want her to feel like she's my baby girl again, you know? I just..." Lindsay took a breath and let it out again before she continued talking. "I miss her, and everything her and I used to be. I want her to come to me before she comes to you, and I know that sounds stupid, but that used to be me... And even though it shouldn't... it hurts." Lindsay admitted. "And don't even get me started on Joshua."

"It's just gonna take time. She comes to me because she doesn't want to hurt your feelings when you can't give her what she wants." He reasoned as he pulled into the driveway, "You know that babe."

"I know, and that's why I want to do this. I want her to come to me and know that I can get her cup down from the shelf, or I can make her some Mac and Cheese for her lunch... I want to do all of that, Danny."

"Okay." He sighed. "Alright; but I want to make sure that I'm behind you every step of the way... literally in this case."

"That's fine." Lindsay smiled. "Absolutely fine because I wouldn't want you anywhere else."

"I was hoping you'd say that," he smiled at her as he killed the engine. "Ready?" he questioned as he offered her his hand over the console, separating their seats.

"As I'll ever be," she said as she took his hands and laced her fingers intricately through his. "Don't let me fall." She whispered as she pressed a kiss to his knuckles. "Please?"

"I'm never going to let you fall, Montana." He chuckled as he squeezed her hands. "Sap."

"I'm serious." She growled playfully as she pulled her hand away from him and smacked his chest. "Jerk."

"C'mon," he smiled as he finally unbuckled his seat belt and then did Lindsay's for her. "Let's get this show on the road... wait while I make my way round..."

"I'm not stupid." Lindsay deadpanned. "I know I need help in getting down."

"I'm just stating for my own sake." He sighed. "Smartass."

"Would you get a wiggle on? Josh will be graduating college before you get your ass in gear..."

"Would you pipe down?" he growled as he stepped down from the SUV and rounded the front of the vehicle, sticking his tongue out as he did so.

He opened up her door and braced himself, ease his wife from the car. "How do you want to do this?"

"One step at a time." She shrugged as she took a deep breath while she settled her feet on the floor. "Baby steps?"

"Baby steps work." Danny smiled as he supported Lindsay with his arm, letting her put some of her weight onto him.

"Let's go." She smiled through gritted teeth.

"Ready?"

"I was born ready." She smirked as she took a step toward their front door.

"Well, they're definitely here," Danny gestured to Flack's car; kitted out with two car seats in the back. "Looks like he caved and bought the car seats."

"Caved to to Jessica Angell?" Lindsay mused, "Of course he did. He didn't have a choice, and with the amount of time Amanda, Josh and Flack spend together, I guess it makes sense."

"Ready?" Danny whispered as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

"I have butterflies." Lindsay informed him as she tightened her grip on his hand. "God let her have the reaction I want her to have."

Danny motioned to press a kiss to her cheek, but as he did, Lindsay turned so that his lips met her's in a soft kiss. "A more addictive form of liquid encouragement." Lindsay smiled. "And my pain meds clearly state I can't be hittin' the bottle, so you'll have to do."

"Oh gee," Danny smirked as he opened the door. "Thanks, babe... Hey Amanda!" he called into the house. "Can you come help Daddy with something?"

Both Danny and Lindsay inhaled the delicious scent of brownies baking in the oven and between the both of them they took a deep breath as they heard her little slipper clad footsteps as they assumed she made her way from the kitchen.

Before either of them realised, Amanda was stood out in the hallway, mouth nearly touching the floor.

"Hi baby." Lindsay whispered as she carefully crossed the threshold of their home. "Look what Mommy did today."

The silence from her daughter was unnerving the young mother, and quickly tears were sparking in her eyes. "M&M?... are you alright baby?"

"M&M... isn't this cool?" Danny finally chimed in.

Amanda nodded, but something in her eyes suggested she was holding something back.

"Look baby," Lindsay smiled as she softly shrugged Danny away from her and took a few unaided steps. "I'm walking."

Amanda blinked a few times and took a nervous step towards her mother. "Mommy?"

"Look sweetie," Lindsay smiled as she took another, more confident step. "Look."

"Mommy," Amanda whispered as she made her way over to her mother, taking delicate and soft footsteps as she did so. "You did it." Her voice was nothing more than a whisper.

"I did." Lindsay smiled as a tear slid down her cheek. "I did it for you, baby girl.. You and Daddy and Joshy. What do you think?"

"I happy." Amanda whispered as she patted Lindsay's sweats she was wearing before reaching for Lindsay's hand and burying her tiny little one inside Lindsay's bigger grasp. "I wub you, Mommy."

And as Amanda snuggled herself into Lindsay's side; encouraging Lindsay to do the same to her husband; Don Flack smiled in his pink apron as he held the youngest Messer.

His Flackie radar had been working one hundred and ten percent.

"Never fails." Flack whispered to Josh. "Remember that, kid, k? Uncle Flack's always right."

* * *

**So yeah, now I've posted this, it means I HAVE to post the next few chapters I have planned. Hope you come back to read them! :] **

**Now, thank you list - I've had to go through three pages of reviews and honestly - that just astounds me and blows my mind. You guys are amazing. 35 reviews? If I could give you all daisies, I totally would. So, thank you - **DantanaMM, Alex Joleta, piper maru duchovny, buddymt96, ZoeyBug, messermonroeforever125, Lindsay1234, uscrocks, dantana-balscofanxoxo, rhymenocerous, DreamerChild88, ncisabbylover, dllmesser, rapidtetv, afrozenheart412, Megs, brendanakai, vikkilynne93, saderia, egoofy34, miscme, The-Kiwi-CSI, iheartcsinewyork, lindsaymesser4ever, Liz42293, csi4ever, messer4ever, lindsaymonroemesser, Pheonix1995, rangergirlnewyork, Jupitor's-Cowgirl, carolseaver4ever, nickyparkerstokes, oliviabishop and kensib.


	193. Before the worst

**Oh gosh guys, you have no idea how terrified I am about posting this chapter. I know, its been over a year and that's just ridiculous. Trust me, I know how much I suck. I've said for the like the past 4 chapters that I'm determined to get back into the swing of things and then I go and post something else like an entire year later, and I'm so, so sorry. If there are still some people who are interested in the story, you guys are freaking awesome and thank you! For the past few months I have been scraping together a fair few ideas and I think we're going to pick up steam, finally. I'm holding my breath and hoping for the best with it. With a bit of a bump in the road, it should be interesting and something that Fred and I can actually work on as opposed to floundering like we were with this story before. **

**So, I hope there are still some of you out there, and I'm sorry about the lack of attention I've given this story. Hopefully I will sort my life out and we'll seriously get back on track because I don't know about you guys, but I seriously miss this bad boy. **

* * *

_"Don't leave me," she cried, scrambling to grab his shirt as she curled her fingers around the material. "Please don't leave me. Don't leave me, Danny."_

_"I'm not going anywhere, and you're not goin' anywhere either, k?" he whispered as he moved a lock of hair from her face as she lay on his chest, gripping to his shirt with her clenched fist. "Baby, listen to me..."_

_"Danny, it's really hurting," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. "It's burning."_

Snapping awake, Danny shook himself as he became aware of his surroundings. He panted, desperately trying to regain his normal heart rate as he assured himself that it was a dream; just another dream that terrified him to his very core. It just felt so real and it was always the same dream too. Only sometimes it would differ in it's ending. He'd get up and leave her and he'd lose her, or, it was what actually happened. And honestly, he didn't know which was worse and what bothered him more. Imagining something horrible happening – or re-living something that had actually happened.

In each dream he could still feel the way Lindsay's fingers curled around his shirt's material. He could still feel the tears in his eyes as he listened to her cry out as the bullet perforated her skin. He always heard the terror in her voice at getting shot. He could still hear the regret in her voice about their argument that had only happened an hour previous. An argument that had been his fault – yet, she felt she was the one to blame.

He'd only just gotten rid of the sinking feeling – it had taken months to shift the constant feeling of what he could only assume was turning into depression in his gut; but now it was back.

It had been a hard day at work, and he remembered laying his head down on his desk after his eyes became too heavy to keep open any longer. That had been thirty minutes ago according to his watch. He ran his fingers over his face as he squeezed his eyes shut; desperately trying to rid his mind's eye of the sight of Lindsay's blood seeping from her body.

"I need to get out of here." He declared to himself as he pushed back from his desk. He stood up and closed his case-file and piled it on his desk with the other unfinished ones. He then tucked his chair in and shut off the light in the otherwise empty office.

Things were getting better for him and Lindsay. They were. She was regaining more and more strength in her legs with each day that passed. And her spirits were constantly getting better. She was beginning to laugh and joke again. She was constantly with their kids, playing with them – bathing them – reading to them... And it warmed his heart. But with the more strength she got, the more his dreams were plagued with the past few months and all that had happened.

"You look terrible."

Danny glanced up from where he'd trained his eyes on the floor and let out a half amused chuckle at his boss. "Gee, thanks."

"Go home." Mac said simply. "You've been here how long?"

"Ten hours and thirty seven minutes." Danny smirked as he looked at his watch. "Give or take."

"Go home to your wife and kids." Mac smiled as he clasped Danny on the back with his hand. "Get some sleep. And tell them I say hi."

"I will. On both accounts."

As he continued on down the hallway, he figured that Mac didn't need to know that he had no intention of getting any sleep.

What he needed right now was... he let out a troubled sigh. He didn't know what he needed. But he definitely needed something.

* * *

He'd not been able to go home.

He'd stood at his locker – fully intending on picking up his bag and keys and getting the hell out of there.

But he just couldn't.

Instead of grabbing his messenger bag, he grabbed the gym bag that was stuffed into the bottom of his locker, and headed for the gym. He needed to have the chance to unwind and de-stress before he went home, which brought him to where he currently was: smacking the hell out of his usual punch-bag.

He just couldn't... organise his thoughts. He wanted to be Danny Messer: Husband and Daddy when he walked through his front door; not Danny Messer: Husband that nearly lost his wife and isn't at all managing to deal with the emotions that came with nearly losing the single most important person in his life.

Over the past few weeks, he'd been able to suss out what time was the best for getting some privacy at the gym. Early mornings were no-go, and late night was sometimes a little tough for him to de-stress in the way he wanted to. But around dinner time – five or six o'clock - there was surprisingly barely anyone. Probably because everyone who had the night off high-tailed it home to their families.

Not him. But that was okay because that time gave him free reign of both the gym and to let his emotions run wild.

It didn't help that on his way from the changing room to the gym he'd get himself wired up. He'd focus on all the pent up emotions that he had swirling around through his gut and his brain, so by the time he actually made it to his intended destination, he was both ready to kill someone and sob; whichever happened to come first. But Danny Messer didn't sob. He didn't and wouldn't sob over something that wasn't.

He ground his fingers into his palms and revelled in the feeling and sensation of his blunt nails making indentations in his skin. He swung his left arm back and smacked the punch bag with all of his might, sending it flying: giving him the chance to prepare his next smack.

"You nearly lost her." He growled to himself, beginning his verbal attack on himself. "She nearly fuckin' killed herself because he wanted to protect you." Thwack to the punch bag. "Your kids nearly lost their mother." Another thwack. "She was fucking paralysed." Change hands. "Your marriage isn't what it should be." A harder, more directed smack to the punch bag, sending it whizzing in a circle. "You're fucking dreamin' about losing your wife on a daily basis." Another smack. "It should have been you." Collapse against the bag, chest heaving.

He straightened up and tried to regain some of his composure before wailing on the punch-bag again. It should have been him. That bullet had his name on it. If it had gone in her direction, he would have taken it for her, but it hadn't – it was heading for him. With _his_ name on it – not her's. She had no fucking right to do that to herself! What the fuck was she doing taking bullets for him?

He shoved the punch-bag away with both hands before catching it again and resting his head against the red material.

Upon hearing the gym door open and then close again, he swiped the tears away from his eyes with his sleeve and cleared his throat as he turned to see who had just entered the empty gym room. "Fuck," Danny muttered under his breath as he turned away from the person stood, propped against the wall. He steeled himself, ready for some unwelcomed banter. "You workin' out in that, Detective? Nice..."

The silence between the two of them unnerved Danny a little and he turned back to the bag and resumed hitting it, but not in the way he had been. _Make it look like a work out,_ he told himself as he dug his fingers into his palm. _You can't let him in when you're like this. Shit'll hit the fan. He loves to involve himself in your business. _

"Third time this week you've been here, and it's only Tuesday." Flack finally spoke, keeping the accusations from his voice as he stood opposite Danny and took hold of the punch-bag so that Danny didn't have to deal with it swinging away from him. "Those guns aren't big enough already?"

Sending a flying thwack to the bag, Danny merely grunted in response.

"You know," Flack began over the sounds of Danny's fists connecting with the punch-bag. "You got off work an hour and a half ago according to Mac..."

"So?" Danny puffed from his exertion. "What's that gotta do wi' you?"

"Just observing." He shrugged nonchalantly. "You look mighty worked up for just a work out, Danno."

"It's been a long day." He puffed as he stepped away from the punch-bag. "What you want me to say?"

Their eyes met, but Danny wasn't able to hold Flack's gaze for long.

"What the fuck's goin' on, Mess." Flack questioned as Danny dropped his gaze. "You and Linds are like the fucking glue that holds this place together. What's going on with you guys?"

"She got shot Flack. That's what fucking happened."

"No shit." Flack spat. "I got that memo, dick. What I mean is why are you here when she's at home. What's going on with you?"

"That's none of your fucking business, believe it or not."

Flack stepped forwards and ripped the glove from Danny's hand. He then took his friend's hand and laid his hand out flat, letting Danny look at his own knuckles. They were cut and bloodied – and not just from today. They looked like cuts that had been re-opened time and time again. Flack then turned Danny's hand over to show him the indentations on his hand from his blunt nails digging into his hand. "I'mm'a ask you again. The fuck's goin' on?"

"Get off me," Danny spat as he ripped his hand away from Flack's clutch. "Don't worry about it, k? I'm dealin' wi' it my own way."

"You're not dealin' Danny." Flack implored. "That's what I'm gettin' at. You're not dealin' with what happened. You're literally beatin' yourself up."

"I am not." Danny rolled his eyes in response.

"It's the third time this week alone you've stayed after work to beat the fuck out of the bag. Lindsay's walking now – everything should be gettin' better. Things should be fine, shouldn't they?"

"Everythin' isn't fucking fine!" Danny cried as he shoved his friend away. "Is that what you wanna hear? That shit isn't fine? Fine. I'm a fuckin' wreck. My marriage isn't what everyone thinks it is. My kids are being torn between two parents that are competing to do things – one to prove that she can, and the other to stop her from proving she can do things too quickly. Every time I close my fuckin' eyes I can see her getting shot, and then on top of that... I feel like my head is gonna fuckin' explode while I'm drownin'. So no, you're right, things aren't fine and I'm not dealin', so what the fuck would you like me to do, Flack? Tell me. Tell me what I should do."

"I think you should come down here and beat the shit out of a punching bag for three hours and then go home and pretend everything's okay and you're part of this happy family that isn't falling to pieces..."

"I don't need for you to be a smartass right now," Danny growled as he bent down and collected his gloves. "I didn't ask for your help, so do me a favour and back off."

"Danny, I'm tryin' to make you see that you need something... you're literally goin' to just burn out, and she fuckin' needs you right now. You're her backbone."

"I know that!" Danny cried. "I fucking know that, Don! I just... I can't. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of her for walking, and the relief coursing through my body is literally overwhelming sometimes. I cannot believe all that she's overcome and honest to God it's made me fall in love with her ten times the amount I was in love with her before because I know how hard this has been on her.. hell, how hard it's been on the both of us. I mean I nearly lost her Flack. She nearly died. One inch one way, or one inch the other way and that would have been it."

"I sense a but..."

"But me in myself ain't right. Things aren't fine for me. There are things goin' on in my head I don't even know what to do with. And I can't talk about it to her. Not after everythin' she's been through."

"Well then talk to someone Danny. Someone - anyone. Keeping shit bottled up has never worked for you. Never. Don't mess this up. Don't push her away like I know you are tryin' to do."

"I'm not tryin' to push her away any more than what she pushed me away."

"Would you listen to yourself? This is Lindsay your wife we're talking about. Montana, alright. _Your_ Montana. Are you seriously goin' to tell me that you're pushin' her away because she pushed you away first? How old are you? Seven? She needs you Danny. She needs you more than she's ever needed you."

"I'm not pushing her away on purpose." Danny sighed. "I just. I tried so hard Flack. So fucking hard to get her to open up to me, I just got to a point where I couldn't try anymore, there's nothing left."

"There's a hell of a lot of fight left in you buddy," Flack informed his friend. "Danny Messer doesn't give up on his Montana that easily."

"Maybe not," Danny shrugged, "But I'm through fighting her, I'm done. I can't be the guy that she gets mad with, it's killing me."

"I thought things were good though Dan." Flack sighed. "You guys don't put across that you're struggling at all."

Danny merely shrugged, words failing him.

"How do you think Amanda's dealin' with all of it?"

"Better than me," Danny shrugged. "But she knows way too much."

"How so?" Flack pressed.

"Because I feel like she's the only person in my life that will-" Danny ran his fingers down his face. "Fucking listen to me: my two year old is the only person in my life that will sit and listen to my problems? I'm losing my fucking mind. The last person I should be talking to is my baby girl – she takes everything to heart and lets it build up inside of her, worryin' about everythin' and everyone."

"Like someone else I know." Flack added softly. "Danno, she told me."

"Told you what?"

"Everythin'."

"Everythin'? What's everythin'?"

"How you guys don't joke no more, she told me that she misses her Mommy and she hates seeing her Daddy sad. That was all she kept sayin', she hated it when Daddy was sad. I want to help you Dan, I want to help you so bad – I want to help your baby girl, but you have to let someone in, Danny, because look at what it's doin' to you. It's tearing you up, literally."

"I just don't know what to do," Danny sighed in frustration at the tear that slipped down his cheek. "It kills me because I know what I'm doin' to Amanda in tellin' all the shit that I have, but Don, I swear, I feel like there's no-one else I can talk to. I only just got back on track with Linds after practically not talking for months. I don't want to ruin that by throwin' everythin' I'm feelin' at her."

"If you can't trust her enough Danny to support you when you need it, what is that sayin'? You need to have faith in her, because even though she's been dealin' with some heavy shit, it don't mean that she's not goin' to listen to everything you say. You tell her you need to talk to her, then fuck, we both know she's gonna listen." Flack took a breath as he lowered his voice, "And who knows, it might even help her."

"How so?"

"Well, if you tell her everythin' you're feelin', some of what she's goin' through might be the exact same."

"What would I do then though?"

"Deal with it together," Flack said, with a huge amount of patience. "You need to do somethin' Danny. You do. If not for yourself, for your kids... they need you guys to be a unit – not every man for himself."

Danny nodded as he removed his other glove from his hand and steeled himself, ready to face what faced him at home.

"You ready?" Flack asked, picking up the discarded glove and handed it to his friend.

Danny merely smiled at his friend in response as his mind screamed _no. _

No he wasn't ready. But he'd do it anyway, because quite frankly, he couldn't deal with feeling like this for a second longer.

* * *

**I know it probably wasn't what you were expecting for the first chapter back after about a sixty year hiatus, but this is all I've got for the time being. We love some angst before the fluff... and I can assure you it'll be worth it in the end... I promise! I'd love to know what you thought... even if it is a smack upside the head for taking so long to update! **

**Huge thank you to all of you wonderful people who have reviewed in the past like... year. Going through three pages of reviews is amazing. You have no idea how much your support and kind words mean to me!** saderia, dantana-balscofanxoxo, Jupitor's-Cowgirl, messerlovesmontana, charice, amandaslone , iheartcsinewyork, maketrackscowboy11, kdzl, jimmel, olhcc0718, LoveIsInTheAir4DL, Stampiej, jj, DreamerChild88, Dine89, webdlfan, i L0V3 CRiMiNAL MiNDS, piper maru duchovny, Lindsay1234, unlikelyRLshipper, messermonroeforever125, kate-o'malley, brendanakai, afrozenheart412, vikkilynne93, Pheonix1995, buddymt96, rhymenocerous.


	194. A Matter of Time

**A/N: Alright folks, let's conduct a short survey here, who thought they'd be waiting a year before the next update? All of you? I probably bet so, and I don't blame you guys! Judging by my track record, I suck, but I told you guys, I'm determined to get this story back on track here, and I think Fred and I are onto something with the storyline... you'll just have to bear with us for a while. Your supporting reviews and PMs... the excitement that came off of your reviews really was amazing. Thank you all so, so much for still being interested in this story! **

**Huge thank you to all of you who took the time to review last chapter. I always love to re-read them like a complete dork, but they're always so sweet and complimentary... I don't know what I do to deserve such awesome folk like you reading this story! but thank you! Special mentions to: **kdzl, jj, alexindigo, webdlfan, cklovesm-m, buddymt96, nicole, Melpomene Lee, afrozenheart412, egoofy34, MarkandLexiefan, Pheonix1995, Alex Joleta, Megan, messerlovesmontana, hypedupash, Dine89, Lindsay1234, brendanakai, iheartcsinewyork, DreamerChild88 and messermonroeforever125

Glancing to the driver's side, Danny offered Flack a timid smile as they pulled into his and Lindsay's driveway outside their home. "I owe you buddy." Danny expressed his thanks as he quickly gathered his belongings. "I couldn't have faced driving all that way by myself. I appreciate it."

"What the hell are you talkin' about?" Flack smirked, killing the engine. "I'm comin' in with you."

"Like hell you are!" Danny cried.

"Dan, seriously, I'm coming in there with you."

"Don't ya think you've seen enough of me?"

Sighing, Flack undid his seat belt, enabling him to turn and face his friend. "Alright sarcasm aside now Danno, let me lay it out to you like this. I know you're going in there with every intention of laying the law down and letting Lindsay know exactly how you're feelin', k? I know the intention is there and you wanna be straight up and honest."

"Why do I sense a but then?"

"Because the second you step foot through that door, I think we both know Lindsay is going to flash a pained smile at you, one that says she knows there's something wrong but doesn't dare say anything. And when she does, you're gonna lose that drive to make things right between the two of you because you know it's gonna be one hell of an uphill struggle, and buddy, I don't blame you for that, I don't okay... but I promised a baby girl that her Uncle Flack would sort things out for her, alright? And I don't break my promises to that kid."

"And I appreciate that," Danny assured him. "She adores you because she knows you're there for her, even at this age, but this is something I need to do by myself."

"Yeah, but will you do it?" Flack pressed. "That's what you've gotta ask yourself."

"If I don't, I've only got myself to blame," Danny joked lightly, which instantly fell upon an unimpressed Don Flack. "Kidding, I will."

"I know you, and with all due respect Danno, you're a bit of a pansy when it comes to your family.. you'll do anything to keep the peace, which funnily enough, got you into this situation in the first place."

"So, if I got myself into the situation, then really is should be me getting myself out, no?"

"Not when you have people to lean on," Flack reminded him. "So use me and lean on me; how many times do I offer serious support, Dan?"

"I know buddy, I know. And like I said before I appreciate all that you do for us; but this is something my wife and I have to deal with, you know? In our own time."

"Man up Danny," Flack said, firing up the engine. "Your family needs you."

"I know." He said, breathing deeply. "And thanks."

"Alright... I expect a full report of what goes down tomorrow, alright?"

"Yes sir," Danny saluted him.

"Go do it."

Danny silently opened the passenger door and exited the SUV quickly, trying to avoid another pep talk from his best friend. He knew that deep down Flack meant well and only had his best interests at heart. But he just couldn't be sure that when it came down to it, he couldn't tell Lindsay all that he was feeling. Not yet at least. How could he tell her how he was feeling when he didn't even know himself? He slammed the door shut and quickly made his way up the driveway, not glancing back at Flack once as he did so.

Flack sighed as he put the avalanche into reverse down the driveway. He shook his head as he watched his friend disappear inside. "He's not gonna do it," He sighed in frustration before driving off. Maybe Danny was right, for now, this was an issue that he and Lindsay had to deal with solo. At the very least, Flack has planted the seed in Danny's mind. Now it was up to him to deal with it.

For now at least.

* * *

Once Danny had dropped his bag in the hallway, he had trained his eyes for movement in the house. He'd hoped that Amanda and Joshua had gone to bed without fuss for Lindsay, because as patient as she was; he hated the thought of that patience backfiring and straining her in anyway.

He toed off his shoes, deciding against any form of food and hightailed it up the stairs; stepping over the baby gates as he did so.

When he reached the top, despite his tired eyes feeling the strain of day's concentration, he could see that a lamp was on in his and Lindsay's bedroom. That was when the anxiety hit him. Out in the car, it was easy enough to cast Flack's concerns to one side and assure him that he'd do it. But now that Flack had planted the damn seed, he couldn't help but the words and feelings that he could feel boiling up inside of him. He just wanted to storm into the room, shout, scream, maybe even cry a little... but as soon as that feeling washed over him; he pushed it away.

That was the last thing Lindsay needed.

She'd done nothing to deserve him screaming and shouting at her. It wasn't her fault that he felt helpless and lost. The way he was feeling was so uncharacteristically like him, he knew, but it wasn't something he'd ever had to deal with. Lindsay had always been his rock, and seeing her crumble to pieces before his very eyes had really shaken him. It'd shoved him on an unbeaten path with no map and no way to get back other than to scramble around, hoping that he was going the right way. And right now, he was pretty sure he was going the wrong way.

He let out a sigh and made his way down the hallway to Amanda's bedroom, which was dimly lit with the pink night-light that she loved to sleep with. He poked his head in the room and felt pride swell in his chest as he watched the steady rise and fall of Amanda's chest as she slept. Her thumb was fixed tightly in her mouth, her little arm clutching at Lickle bear's neck. Lickle bear, was for once, adorning the correct clothing for bed – as opposed to princess dresses that Amanda usually forced onto him when it came to bedtime.

His eyes scanned the room, and he rubbed his eyes. Lindsay had obviously gone round and picked up the bombsite that the room had been when he had left for work a good thirteen hours ago now. He loved that she could walk, but it scared the living crap out of him that it probably wouldn't take much to send them straight back to square one... if not worse. Pushing that to the back of his mind, Danny made his way into the room and pressed a delicate kiss to his daughter's temple. He then pulled her comforter further up and tucked it under her chin, not wanting her to feel the cold.

"I know it's hard for you M&M," he whispered as he stroked her soft hair from her eyes. "And Daddy's sorry, baby. You must be feelin' it if you talked to Flack, huh? Well, I'll tell you what, that's not gonna happen no more. Daddy's not gonna make you feel like that no more, k? I promise. It's not fair... not on you. So just you have sweet dreams and soon enough, it'll be like none of this ever happened. I promise."

Before his eyes, Amanda stirred lightly, most likely at the sound of his voice. He held his breath and prayed that she simply turned over and continue on sleeping soundly. In her turn however, she let go of her teddy bear, sending him plummeting to the floor. Without a moment's hesitation, Amanda woke with a start, searching desperately for her missing teddy. Danny let out a sigh as he watched his little girl, "here baby, he's here." He said, picking the teddy up from the floor and tucking it back under her arm. "Go back to sleep, everything's okay."

"Daddy?" she blinked, her voice laced with sleep. "Yous home?"

"I am," he smiled as he knelt next to her bed. "I was just tuckin' you in. Night baby," he whispered, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose.

"Did you tuck Momma in?"

"Not yet," Danny shook his head. "I'm doin' my Daddy rounds. You first, Joshy next, then Mommy."

"Flackie been bad. He sleepin' in kitchen. He pee peed when Mommy told him no."

"Uh oh," Danny sighed, the image of Lindsay knelt on the kitchen floor sent his insides cold.

"Mommy couldn't do it, I putted napkins on it, and she told me that you'd do it, so will you do it Daddy? Will you?"

"Mommy didn't clean it?"

"No," Amanda shook her head. "She said she didn't want to hurt herself."

_Thank god. _Danny thought inwardly. "Okaydokes, well Daddy will make sure he does it...that's what I'm here for, right?"

"Yep," Amanda managed before her eyes fluttered shut; but as soon as they had shut, she peeled them open again – desperately fighting sleep.

"Alright kiddo," he smiled. "Daddy's gonna go do that, so you go back to sleep, k? I'll see you in the morning... sweet dreams."

"Night Daddy," she whispered, sticking her thumb back in her mouth and snuggling up to Lickle bear, who was now tightly clutched to her body by her arm. "Wubs you,"

"I love you too, baby girl." Danny stood and sighed. He felt like as of late that was all he was doing. Sighing. His mother used to tell him that sighs were a sign that something wasn't right. That there was something that needed to be said, so best be out with it; no need to keep it bottled up. But right now, Danny couldn't even begin to string together a sentence to explain his sighs.

So instead, he retreated from his daughter's room and made his way downstairs to clean the mess that was thankfully left for him to deal with. Any other time, he would have been pissed to the high heavens, but this time... he was relieved that Lindsay hadn't pushed it. He finished that quickly; but not before giving Flack a sneaky treat from the pantry and laid out some fresh water for the puppy. With his clean up duties complete, he again decided against food and made his way back upstairs, this time forking off to the left when he reached the top of the stairs, and into his son's room.

He knew he shouldn't, but as soon as he made it into the room, he turned the baby monitor off. He wasn't sure why he did it, and he knew that he didn't really have anything to hide.

Or... did he?

Despite what he would usually do, once he reached Joshua's little crib, he reached down and picked up his sleeping son, and nestled him to his chest. The infant automatically stirred and let out a little cry until he realised what was going on, and instantly settled back down; even snuggling into Danny's neck.

Using the opportunity of a slumbering Josh in his arms, Danny settled in the blue rocking chair that sat in the centre of the room.

"Oh buddy, Mommy and Daddy have got themselves into a right old mess, you know. We haven't always been like this... we used to... we used to be different." He paused to let out a sad sigh. "M&M can tell you. We used to be this amazin' couple that well – we were good. We were really good. I don't know what's happened bud. I really don't."

Joshua kicked his legs against Danny, making Danny decide to slightly change his son's position on his chest. Instead of simply holding him, Danny began to cradle his son.

"We don't talk no more," Danny continued to his silent audience member. "That's probably a huge thing. I mean we talk, but we talk about the wrong things. The things that don't matter. And when we do talk, one of us gets upset, or it hits too close to home and we shut down. It's crap, kiddo. It's like, I'd love to talk to her about it, but I just don't know where to start. I can't get my shit together to string a sentence together. And it's not just your Ma either, Uncle Flack's a no-go too. I mean he wants to help, but I just... it's not there. It feels like I've got nothin'."

Danny ran his free hand down his face. "Why on earth am I talkin' to you about this, you don't care? You're just glad of the excuse to be outta bed. I know your deal already kiddo." Danny teased lightly, pressing Joshua's nose. "What do you think I should do, huh? You think I should tell Mommy how I feel?"

Joshua let out a little cry. His cry was arguably coincidental, but in Danny's irrational mind-frame as of late, he instantly placed it as a 'no, don't tell mom' response. "You think she'd get upset?" he sighed. "Me too, I think she'd find it tough to have me unload all of this onto her... but she's gotta know, don't ya think?"

Pausing again, Danny let out yet another pained sigh. "I just miss her. I miss how good we used to be together. I really feel like we're on separate teams right now, when we really need to be as one. I mean we're a lot closer than what we used to be but it's still not the same buddy, and... and I don't want that for you and your sister. You guys deserve better from us. None of this crap that we're going through. It's why I'm so glad you're as little as you are," he sniffed, swiping away a stray tear. "You won't have any memory of this at all, and M&M, well she's so resilient that she'll be okay as soon as we are. It's just when that's gonna happen. That's the big question."

Joshua yawned.

"Oh, am I boring you now? Well young man-"

Danny was interrupted by a soft rap of knuckles against the bedroom door and with his free hand, he wiped away any stray tears.

"Danny?"

"Hey Linds," he smiled at her, desperately trying to hide any sign of his upset.

"Everything okay?" she inquired, holding onto the doorframe with a hand. "The baby monitor went quiet all of a sudden and I was freaking out."

"Aww, I'm sorry, I must have turned it off by accident rather than just turnin' it down. I wasn't sure whether you were asleep and I didn't wanna wake you up. I was doing my rounds with the kids," he said, gesturing down to Joshua. "Amanda told me about the pup. I cleaned it up."

"I'm sorry about that," she sighed, turning the monitor back on and placing it back down on Joshua's dresser. "I really tried but I was scared about hurting myself."

Danny waved it off, "I'm glad you didn't... I don't want you hurting yourself."

Lindsay smiled shyly. "I coerced Amanda into helping. I think she thought it was a game, dropping paper towels onto the floor."

"Hey, if it got her to tidy something, let's try it." Danny mused, still rocking Joshua softly. "You go lie down, I'll only be a few."

"Okay," she nodded timidly. She padded slowly and carefully through the room and placed a soft kiss to Joshua's button nose. "Night baby,"

Danny smiled at his wife, but inside, he felt like letting go of the resolve he was so desperately holding onto. What he had really wanted to do then was to cup his wife's cheeks and kiss her. Let her know that he still loved her, despite the hardship they were in the middle of... but he just couldn't. He didn't know why, he just couldn't. It was like he didn't feel like he could, like she'd want that affection from him.

"Want me to get your PJs out?" Lindsay inquired over her shoulder.

"Sure," he replied simply.

* * *

Minutes later, he found himself taking a soothing breath before making his way into the master bedroom. He was greeted with the sight of Lindsay laying the last item to his sleeping attire on her side of the bed and in response; he gave her a warm smile in thanks.

"It's been a long day for you," she commented as she slid into bed. "Was the case a tough one?"

"N-yeah." He said, retracting his original response quickly. "Yeah, didn't leave the lab till pretty late."

"I bet you're exhausted." She sighed, desperately trying to keep the conversation between them going. "Did you eat?"

"Yeah," he lied as he busied himself with getting dressed. "Grabbed a bite with Flack just before I left the lab."

"Good," she nodded before placing the book she'd been holding on her lap. Her silence and movements unnerved him but he continued dressing, trying to avoid eye contact. "I missed you today,"

"Yeah, I missed you too." He replied. Robotically.

And hearing that monotone reply crushed her.

"Amanda missed you too." Lindsay continued on.

"I missed her too," he replied, a little more conviction in his voice this time, but still not that to which she would have liked to have heard within him.

"I called the insurance company today," she continued on with her desperate measures to drag conversation out of him after not seeing him or speaking to him all day, "and apparently the paperwork has kicked in, so they should be dealing with the hospital bills soon."

"Why did it take so long?"

"Because it's all been a part of an ongoing investigation."

"Oh," he said simply.

"It's good news though, right?"

"Yeah, we'll be able to make ends meet now."

She sighed as he disappeared into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

"Did I tell you that I'm onto the next stage of my PT?" She called out to him.

"Uh-uh," he replied round the door but stuck his thumbs up at her.

"Yeah," she continued. "Tim said that I'm really coming on with everything. He even said it might be worth starting up some of the mandatory therapy with the department so that I can get back to work, and I'm not waiting around to finish the mandatory one after I've done all my PT."

"Good," he smiled. "You've worked really hard on this and it shows. I'm proud of you Linds."

She let out a sigh. For the first time in their, admittedly one-sided, conversation she could hear his actual genuine interest and pride at her achievements.

"Yeah, so I'm going to get that going soon, and before you know it, we'll be collapsing in bed together after a hard day at work."

"Maybe," he nodded.

"Not maybe," she giggled. "Definitely."

"Yeah," he nodded.

"Is something wrong?" she asked without even realising what she was saying until it was too late.

"Wrong?" he repeated. "No, nothin's wrong. I'm just real tired."

Lindsay nodded. "Are you sure? I'm here if you need to talk to me about something..."

Danny paused for a moment, casting his mind back to the conversation he'd shared with Flack both at the gym and then in the passenger seat of Flack's car. He then looked to Lindsay and could see the fright in her eyes. He could see how she was desperately trying to reach him; but he just couldn't reach out and meet her halfway. Not yet at least.

"Danny?" she said cautiously.

"No, I'm just tired." He repeated with a forced smile. "I promise if there's something that comes up that I wanna talk about, you'll be the first to hear about it."

"Promise?" she said, offering her hand.

"Pinky promise," he said, connecting his pinky finger with her's. With his other hand, he crossed his index and middle finger, breaking that promise he had just made to her. After all, he'd broken it as soon as he'd promised it. She wasn't the first to know. Flack was. And he just hoped and prayed that Flack kept his mouth shut for the time being.

"Alright," she smiled, taking his hand in her's and pressing a kiss to his knuckles. The smile that graced her face soon disappeared and she swallowed as her absorbed the sight of his bruised and cut knuckles. "Danny... what happened?" she asked, examining his hand carefully.

"Oh it was just some suspect today, he swung for me and Flack so I got in there first. Douchebag."

"But Danny, this... these cuts are really bad. Did you hit him just the once?"

"You should see Flack, he's pretty banged up too."

"But Danny, you punched this guy to smithereens it seems."

"Nah, it looks a lot worse than what it actually is."

"I hope so," she let out a laboured breath and paused. "Danny, promise me that this isn't anything more than just a suspect and you sticking up for Flack."

"Linds, I promise... don't you trust me?"

"I just... I worry when you come home with your knuckles all cut up. It's not as if it's a regular occurrence, is it?"

_If only you knew._ Danny thought to himself, but instead of telling her the truth, he shook his head. "It's all it is, promise." He said, kissing her forehead as if to seal his promise to her.

"I hope so," she said once again, letting her fingertips slide away from Danny's as he crawled from her side of the bed to his own, settling against his pillow.

"Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you," she said, reaching out to him, taking his hand and entangling their fingers together. "A lot."

"I love you too Linds," he replied, giving her hand a little squeeze.

"I know I haven't been easy recently with everything that's happened, but I'm really trying. I know how hard this has been on you."

"Hard on me? It wasn't me in the wheelchair, honey. It was you this has been hard on, don't you worry about me. I'll still be here when you're back on your feet. You know that."

"I know, I just figure that sometimes I'm not exactly vocal on how much I appreciate you being here for me when I really need it."

"Well, there wasn't really much I could do, but I tried," he shrugged before letting out a massive yawn. "Can we-"

"We can talk about it some other time," she nodded, knowing exactly what he was hinting at.

Within seconds, the light that had been filling the room was switched off on Danny's bedside table and he was settling down for a night of sleep. With his back facing Lindsay. It stung her to see him sleep on his side; something he rarely did. He slept more on his stomach, or facing her. Not away from her, on his side. It wasn't him. But then again, the way he'd been acting tonight wasn't him either.

"Danny?" she said cautiously, reaching out and trailing her fingers over his back.

"Yeah?" he replied instantly, robotically almost.

"Dan..."

"Yeah?" he repeated, not moving in his position. Lindsay let out a sight as she willed him to turn around and look at her.

There was a few seconds pause before she replied. "Never mind,"

"Okay, night babe."

She sighed heavily, feeling a fountain of tears fill her eyes. "G'night,"

Moments passed before she finally gathered the courage to turn away from him as realisation set in that they weren't going to cuddle, talk, or even so much as sleep with their fingers entangled with the other's.

"You can't even look at me," she whispered when she figured that he'd already drifted off to sleep. "I pushed you away to the point where you've-" she was unable to finish her sentence, despite it being simply for her own benefit, before she dissolved into a puddle of tears right there beside him, him completely unknowing to her heartache. "This is my fault," she sniffled. "I did this." She swiped at her tears, but let them continue on regardless. "I didn't let you in when I should have." She whispered. "I pushed you away when I really needed you and you really needed me... and now look at us. We're a shell of what we used to be, and it's my fault."

Those had been her last thoughts before drifting off to what would be a tearful, yet hopefully be a dreamless slumber.

Danny however, Danny turned over once he was absolutely positive she was asleep and let his own tears fall, pooling on his pillow freely. He'd heard every word she'd said to him. He didn't know why he didn't say anything to her. Stop her from admitting something she thought was going to be a private confession. He'd needed to hear it though. He'd needed that feeling of him not being alone in their struggles. He didn't agree with the blame she'd placed upon herself, because he was just as equal to the blame... but it was a start in the right direction, because if she could admit her issues and what she'd done wrong... then so could he. She deserved that much.

He took a deep breath and reached out for her hand and rolled her slowly and carefully onto her back. He took her fingertips and linked his with her's. He knew that they were holding onto what they used to be by their fingertips, but at least they were holding onto it with something. Whether it be with their fingertips or clenched tightly in both of their hands... they'd get themselves back, whether it be sooner or later.

It was all just a matter of time.

And they had all the time in the world.

* * *

**Huge thank you for reading... let me know what you thought? I hope you liked it :) **


	195. One big mess

**A/N: Hey guys! It's been a little longer than I wanted it to take before I updated, but the chapter just kind of ran away with me, and never seemed finish no matter how hard I tried... but I think we've managed to find a closing point... for now ;) Your support is killing me. Thank you all SOOO much. Really, I know that coming back to the story and it being angst ridden isn't exactly fun, but I really let the ball go on this for a while (read: years) and I want to get it back good and proper and deal with their issues that Fred insists that they have, so for now, it's an angsty little ride. But as the infamous Author's note at the beginning of this epic ride said, 'bit angsty, but it's all going to be good in the end.' Just bear with me for now.**

**Huge, huge thank you to all the love you guys have given me over the last chapter. Special mentions to**: kdzl, MarkandLexiefan, webdlfan, egoofy34, iheartcsinewyork, buddymt96, alexindigo, Lindsay1234, Brii Taylor, JEHOVA, afrozenheart412, Dine89, brendanakai, Pheonix1995, messermonroeforever125, Melpomene Lee, LoveIsInTheAir4DL, Puckerster and Nikki :)

* * *

Danny could feel the warm rays of sunshine hit his face as he slumbered and desperately tried to hang onto the last moments of sleep. His fingers were still entwined with those of his wife's; more so than what they had been when he'd drifted off to sleep. That feeling of closeness was nice. It was welcomed and it was needed; desperately needed.

He cautiously opened one eye and peered at his wife. There were definite tear tracks down her cheeks from what he could only assume was when she'd shared how she was feeling with him. Despite those tears that she'd obviously cried as she went to sleep, a smile tugged at her lips as she woke.

And the smile warmed his heart.

He knew this wasn't her fault. They were equally to blame for their current stalemate. Both of them were too scared to confront the unknown. How could they when they'd never had to face such a thing before? They'd been a steady and supportive couple for the majority of their relationship; so where could they turn when that steadiness and stability faltered? If the both of them were clueless, it effectively meant they were going to be floundering next to the other until someone presented them with some form of solution.

He heard her let out a yawn and she stretched slightly, squeezing his hand softly.

"Mornin'," he whispered, closing the distance between them on the bed and pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Morning," she smiled, her fingers tightly wrapped around his hand. "When did this happen?"

"Must have happened after we'd gone to sleep," he shrugged as he took her hand and laid them intertwined together on his chest. "It's a reflex for us I guess."

"It must be," she nodded, rubbing her thumb over his hand.

"I've missed this."

Lindsay let out a long, laboured and relieved sigh. "God, so have I. You have no idea."

"I think I do," he offered her a smile. "We're in a bit of a mess really, aren't we?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "Last night was-"

"- horrible," Danny interrupted. "That's not how I wanted to go to sleep. There's just things that I-"

"-DADDDEEEEEEE!"

"Leave her," Lindsay said instantly, not ready for their day to start. "You know it's her initial reaction, she'll be fine once she wakes up properly and realises it's free playtime before Mom and Daddy get up."

"I know," he nodded, pressing a kiss to Lindsay's knuckles. "Listen babe, about last night, I shouldn't have but I lie-"

"DADDEEEEEEE! I KNOWS YOU HEARS ME!"

Sighing and offering Lindsay an apologetic look, Danny let her fingers slip through his as he extracted himself from their bed and decided against grabbing his glasses for now. "Alright baby, I'm comin'!" he called out to his daughter.

Deciding against getting out of bed for the time being, Lindsay turned over, facing the wall on her side. She brought her hand to her chest and cradled it delicately. It was still warm from the heat Danny's hand had passed off from his onto her's.

Considering when she'd gone to sleep, she was scraping desperation in her relationship, waking up to hope was a vast improvement.

"Mommy!" She heard Danny's voice call out to her, "M&M wants you too!"

Lindsay mentally jumped out of bed; her body accompanying her a few seconds later.

Things weren't perfect, but this morning had been an encouraging start. Things could only get better from here on in.

That much she was sure of.

* * *

_The blast of the gun rang in her ears. She'd reacted before she'd really had any time to think, and while she didn't regret her gut reaction; she knew that she was screwed. __The burn in her back wasn't good. She knew that. She also knew that her light head was surely something that she needed to be getting worried about. __But at least she'd saved Danny, right?_

"_Danny, I'm sorry about earlier." _

_"Baby, it's alright. It's fine. Are you okay?"_

_She could feel his hands slowly make their way down her back, examining her physically to see if there was anything he needed to worry about. She knew she should warn him. Tell him what he was just about to find, but before she could get the words out, his hands had hit the spot. _

_"Baby what's-? Linds... fuck. Fuck."_

"_I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't-"_

"_Hey, come on," he whispered, cutting her off. "Don't be sayin' that, you've got nothin' to be sorry about, alright?" _

"_Danny," she whispered. "I... I can't feel my legs."_

"_What?" was his strangled response."What do you mean?"_

"_My legs," she whimpered. "I... I can't move them."_

"_Wait right here," he said, "I'll go get help."_

"_No!" she cried. "No Danny, no!" _

"_Linds, I gotta... I'll be right back."_

"_Danny no," she cried. "Don't leave me... don't... don't leave. I'm scared."_

"_Lindsay I have to." _

_Within a blink of an eye, he was gone. And with every second that passed, she felt more and more weak. She could feel herself slipping away. _

"_Mommy?"_

_Amanda's little voice filled her ears. She couldn't leave her kids, but Danny had left her. He was getting help and she knew that, but she couldn't hold on much longer. "Danny, Danny come back." She begged him. _

"_Mommy?" _

"Danny! Come back!"

* * *

"Mommy? _Mommy?_"

Lindsay's eyes snapped open. She sat up on the couch slowly and blinked a few times as she tried to make herself aware of where she was. She glanced to her legs and took a deep breath as she slowly moved them to the floor in front of her. _It was a dream._ She mentally whispered to herself as she slowly wiggled her toes. She was of course still a little stiff, but she wasn't anywhere near the stage where she'd began.

"Mommy?" The little voice drew her from her thoughts.

"It's okay," Lindsay finally smiled at her worried little girl as she poked her mother's arm. "Mommy's alright."

"You felled asleep. Lunchy made eberyone tired!"

"No!" Lindsay exclaimed with a gentle and amusing tone, despite her racing heart. "I fell asleep?"

Amanda nodded, her hesitance to begin with melting away as Lindsay lifted her daughter onto her lap. "You did, Mommy."

"I see that."

"Did you have a bad dream?"

"I think I did," Lindsay nodded. "How lucky am I to have someone like you," she giggled as she poked Amanda's nose. "To wake me up from those bad dreams... I think I'm very lucky."

"I just thoughted that's what Daddy does, so that's what I do too!"

"You're such a clever girl." Lindsay smiled at her daughter, wrapping her arms around her daughter's little frame.

Amanda giggled. "I sawed that there was a horrible roach in the corner of the room, but instead of waking you up, or getting Daddy, I got Flackie to eat it. He even licked his lips after he gobbled it up! It made my insides go all funny, Mommy."

"Well, you know what M&M? You should be a detective, you'd be far better than Uncle Flack with those eyes you have."

"No thanks." Amanda sniffled, her hold on Lindsay's sleeve getting a little tighter as she nestled her head on Lindsay's chest.

"No? How come? I thought you always wanted to be like Mommy and Daddy..."

"I did... until you got hurted. I don't want to get hurted."

"Oh baby," Lindsay sighed heavily.

Amanda shrugged. "I gets upsetted."

"You do?" Lindsay pressed lightly. "Can you tell Mommy what upsets you?"

Amanda shrugged.

"It's okay you know, to be upset." Lindsay began, "Daddy was _very_ upset that I was hurt, and so was I."

"Daddy's still upset, Momma," Amanda whispered in Lindsay's ear. "But you know that, don't you. Yous mommy, so you knews that."

"I did," Lindsay nodded solemnly, her heart aching that Amanda had picked up on the fact that her father had been struggling through Lindsay's recovery. But instead of crying like she wanted to, she put her spin on it. "So that tells Mommy that, if Daddy is still upset then that means that it's definitely okay for Amanda to be upset. It's been a _very_ sad time... so if Mommy's sad, and if Daddy's sad then Amanda, you definitely have the right to be sad about it, okay?"

Amanda nodded. "Okay Mommy."

"But there's something I need for you to do for me, M&M..."

Amanda blinked up at her mother, her brown eyes shining as she concentrated on listening.

"I need you to tell me when you're sad, okay? If there's ever anything worrying you about what happened, or if you have a question, I want you to tell me or ask me, okay? Me or Daddy. That's very important."

Amanda nodded contemplatively.

"Remember what Daddy and I say..."

"No question is a siwwy question... unless I habe two gazillion... then they are all siwwy questions."

"Well, I think that's more Daddy that says that when you get a little too inquisitive."

"What?"

Lindsay arched her eyebrows. "Say that again?"

"What does it mean?" Amanda sighed, knowing from Lindsay's glaring look at she'd not been able to get away with the simple 'what'.

"Inquisitive?" Lindsay thought about it for a moment. "It means you're curious about things."

"What does that mean?"

"Curious? It just means you want to ask questions to learn more about something."

"I curwious?"

Lindsay nodded. "All little boys and girls are curious."

"Is baby Flack curwious? Because he's a little boy, right?"

"Puppy Flack? Yep," Lindsay nodded. "Animals are definitely curious."

"But animals can't talk, Mommy."

Lindsay smiled. "Well, you're right there, but Puppy Flack has other ways to be inquisitive and curious. You remember how he goes around the garden sniffing and barking at things – that's his way of being curious... because he can't ask questions like you can, he does what he can."

Amanda nodded slowly, seemingly satisfied with her mother's explanation. "Mommy?"

"Yeah baby?"

"I wub you."

"And I love you, baby girl." Lindsay smiled warmly as she pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead. "I love you very much."

"And we love you girls too."

"Daddy!" Amanda squealed as she turned on Lindsay's lap. "My favourite Daddy and my favourite baby brother!"

"How many other Daddies and baby brothers do you got, Amanda?" Danny asked as he smirked at Lindsay. "Mommy, do you need to tell me somethin'?" he teased lightly.

"Just yous." Amanda shrugged. "But it doesn't mean you can't be my favourite two!"

"She told you," Lindsay smirked as she accepted her son from husband whom was passing her their newly-awoken little boy. "Did you have a nice nap, sweetheart?"

"He didn't wanna get up, that's for sure." Danny grumped. "Kind of like his Daddy."

"You took a nappy too, Daddy?" Amanda giggled. "I was the only one not nappying?"

"You were napping without me?" Danny gasped dramatically at his wife. "How rude, Mommy."

"She didn't mean it, Daddy... It was lunchy! It made her tired 'causes her belly was fulled! Your grilled cheeses were toooooooo yummy!"

"I'm just playin', kiddo." He smiled as he ruffled Amanda's slowly forming curls. "Mommy should tell Daddy next time though; we haven't had naptime together in a heck of a long time."

Lindsay's cheeks flushed slightly, trying to interpret whether or not her husband had said that with the intention of closing the still massive gap between them, or whether it was simply for the benefit of Amanda. She prayed it was the former, but her insecurities told her it was the latter. Her thoughts were interrupted when after realising the attention wasn't on him, Joshua let out a brief and shrill shriek.

"Oh look at my baby boy." Lindsay grinned as she gathered her son in her arms and held him up in front of her. "Oh Joshy... I could just eat you and your cuteness up!"

"What about me?" Amanda squealed.

"That's where I come in," Danny roared as he scooped Amanda up and began to nibble her tummy lightly with his teeth. "Nom nom nom!"

"Mommmeeeee!" Amanda squealed as she wiggled in her father's embrace. "Mommy! Joshy! Flackieeee! Save meeee!"

"Never!" Danny teased as he swung her in the air, making her erupt into a massive fit of giggles. "The Daddymonster's got you now!"

"Uh oh," Lindsay cried dramatically. "We all know what that means-"

"-THE TICKLEMONSTER!" Both Danny and Lindsay cried in unison as Danny's fingertips tickled Amanda.

"DADDY NO!" Amanda squealed, earning a squeak from Joshua, unaware of what was happening, but he knew that whatever was happening, he was missing out on.

"Look! Joshy says no too!" Lindsay joined in, "Get him Amanda, tickle him back!"

Despite lame and pathetic efforts, Amanda scrambled to try and tickle her father; to which he held his own efforts some in order to give her a chance.

"Got'cha!" she cried after he held his hands up in surrender. "Got'cha Daddy!"

"You got me," Danny sighed before swiping her up from where she stood and hanging her upside down by her feet. "Psych! You forget for a minute who's boss around here M&M?"

"Momma!" Amanda whimpered. "Momma, tells Daddy!"

"You think Mommy's the boss?" Danny gasped, "well, let me show you who's boss!"

"Momma, tell Daddy!"

"Tell him what, baby?" Lindsay teased briefly.

"Wet go, Daddy! Wet go!"

"Wet? You want me to drop you in the shower? Okay." Danny smirked, before making his way to the door.

"NO! WET! WET GO OF ME!"

"I am... in the shower. I can turn the water on and you can get soaked there."

"No! LET DADDY, LET ME GO!"

"Oh," he smirked at Lindsay, "You want me to let go?" he paused for a moment. "Sure!" for a second he let go of her before grabbing her leg once again. "Like that?"

"NO!" she squealed, desperately scrambling at his jeans leg as an attempt to keep herself from falling?

"Like how then? Like this?" he implored, swinging her slightly. "Throw you onto the couch next to Mom?"

"NO!" she sobbed. "No hurt!"

"I'd never hurt you," he said, flipping her upright and holding her tightly in his arms. "See, told you."

"Scared me!" she whimpered, gripping to his shirt material with a vice grip. "Meany!"

"Meany?" He implored. "You really think Daddy is a meany?"

"Nooooes," she sighed. "You just scareded me."

"Scaredy cat," Danny smirked.

Lindsay had looked on at the antics between her husband and daughter with a racing heart but a wide smile. She knew that Danny wouldn't do anything to even remotely hurt Amanda in terms of dropping her, but seeing her daughter hanging upside down had done a good job of making sure her heart was still pumping.

"Buzz off," Danny smirked at his daughter, shooing her away to her never-ending pile of toys that seemed to collect in the corner of their living room.

"You buzz off!" she snapped at him, her little cheeks pink from the exertion of shrieking at Danny to put her down.

"You watch that tone." Danny scolded her.

Instantly, Amanda hung her head sadly before scurrying off and busying herself with her toys, little tears slipping down her cheeks as she shot sneaky glances at her father.

"I sensed that would end in tears," Danny commented as he took a seat on the floor in the same vicinity as where Lindsay was sitting on the couch. "I'll learn eventually."

"She'll be fine," Lindsay shrugged it off, trailing her fingertips down his arm in a comforting gesture. "She's just upset that she pushed it too far."

"She was only copying me though," he reasoned, "Maybe I shouldn't have-"

"She knows what she can and can't say, you saying buzz off is different to her saying it. Don't second guess the decision, Dan. It was the right one. You didn't shout, you just told her to watch her tone. That's all."

"I guess," he nodded.

"So," she began, "How about we-"

"Not in front of her Linds," he gestured to Amanda.

"What about in code?" she offered.

"No," he shook his head. "We will," he promised her, laying a hand on her knee reassuringly, "But not in front of her. She already picked up on too much whether it's in code or not. It's not fair."

"I know," she resigned sadly. "You're... you're right. But we do need to talk about this. You know that right; we've dodged it for too long now."

"I know," he nodded. "We just need to... not when she's here."

"Okay," Lindsay nodded. "I guess this is at least an improvement."

"It is," he nodded, pressing a kiss to her knee. "Baby step's should get us there eventually."

"I hope so," she smiled.

Danny glanced down to his watch and let out a sigh. "Well, Daddy has to go to work," He rolled onto his knees and then onto his feet before standing upright. "Come here and give me a kiss, kiddo."

"But weren't you on the later shift tonight?" Lindsay asked, interrupting her husband and his goodbyes to their daughter.

"No – no I don't think I was." Danny shook his head.

Lindsay furrowed her brow. "I thought you were the graveyard shift."

"Nope," he shook his head. Again.

"Well... can't you stay a few more minutes?" Lindsay inquired as he leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head.

"No honey, I can't..."

"Why?"

"Because... Mac needs me there on time, and I know that if I stay any longer, it'll be surprising if I go in at all..."

"But I- I just - ugh."

"I know sweetie," he sighed.

"I just... I really want to finish our conversation from - never mind." Lindsay sighed dejectedly.

"For what it's worth, I appreciate you not wantin' me to go," He said, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose as she stretched to meet him half way. "And we'll talk, I promise."

"Are you sad Daddy has to go, Mommy?" Amanda asked, reading the situation in front of her at surface value.

"Yeah, a little." Lindsay admitted, warranting a glance at her husband whom had shuffled away from her and was now stood guiltily at the door. "I miss him when he isn't here."

"But he be backs when Grandpa Mac sends him home, right Daddy? Right?"

"Yep princess, I'll be home as soon as I can... come in and tuck you in when I get home. Give you goodnight kisses..."

"Will you tuck Mommy in too?"

"Absolutely," Danny smiled at his concerned daughter.

"See Mommy, Daddy'll come and tuck you in, there's no need to be sad. I not sad."

"Mommy will be fine," Lindsay assured her daughter, trying to eradicate the disheartened tone within her voice. "We'll find something really fun to do today and I won't even remember Daddy's off saving the world, right Daddy?"

"Exactly," Danny smiled. "Be good. No monkeyin' around. Especially you, Mommy." He instructed as he pressed a kiss to the top of his son's head. "You keep your eye on them, kiddo... You hear me? Man of the house when Daddy ain't home. You guys need to listen to what Joshy says, okay?"

"Yes sir," Lindsay smirked, trying to make light of the goodbye she really didn't want to say. "Be good at work. Stay safe."

"Always," he winked before blowing three kisses to his little family, as they watched him leave the room. "Love you guys,"

A chorus from his two girls accompanied him into the hallway as he grabbed his previously organised kit and messenger bag, containing all of his other things he'd need for work. He grabbed his keys and took a deep breath before opening the front door and quickly locking it behind him. He then dug in his pocket and grabbed his phone. Holding down speed dial three, he held the phone to his ear, waiting for the other line to pick up.

"Hey Mac, it's me... uh, could I... could I maybe start my shift early today? I know I was on the late shift, but I uh- well, I could do with coming in a bit early. Work on some paperwork. That okay?"

Danny held his breath, waiting for Mac's laboured response down the line. He listened intently, and let out a sigh of relief when Mac's answer finally travelled down the line. "Really? Great; thanks Mac, I owe you one."

He disconnected the call almost instantly and took a moment to compose himself. Danny looked through the glass of his front door and sighed heavily. He wasn't sure why, or what had possessed him to leave for his shift three hours earlier than what he needed to. But something told him that he needed to get his shit together. Whatever his issues were; he needed to figure them out sooner rather than later because Lindsay had made numerous first steps towards him – and now he needed to return those brave steps that she'd taken. They were scared, unsure and uncertain of what the future was beginning to hold if they didn't change things. That taste he'd been given of closeness with Lindsay both last night and this morning had provided him with the drive that he needed to make things better for them.

He just needed to figure out how to do it.

* * *

Lindsay Messer was slowly finding the spring in her step that she'd lost months ago. After the morning with her husband and children, her spirits were admittedly pretty high. With both children happily occupied, she'd taken to using the free time to lift some of the burden on Danny and his responsibilities around the house. Tim had told her that although she still needed to be aware of her injuries, there was no reason to avoid daily activities. Nothing too strenuous, granted... but surely spraying some disinfectant on the kitchen counters and wiping them down, filling the dishwasher and working on a grocery list wasn't too hard on her.

She gathered up the latest bills and pinned them to the notice board that Danny had hung on the wall not long after she'd come home from the hospital. She'd always somehow been able to keep her head above water when it came to bills and other outgoing payments that needed to be made... but Danny? He needed it staring at him. And in his defence, the new system for them worked pretty well. They found that even the littlest bit of organisation relieved a little bit of stress from their shoulders when the bills came flooding in each month.

She flicked through the mountain of papers, all tacked to the cork board, with bright and colourful pins... until she came across something really rather interesting.

Danny's work schedule.

She pursed her lips together as her fingers pulled it from its place on the board. Her eyes travelled over the day's date and then followed the schedule across for the hours that it had noted down for Danny.

He _had_ been on the graveyard shift, like she'd thought.

So, what the hell was going on?

Taking a deep breath, she pushed all accusing thoughts from her mind. It may have been just a simple mistake, and she wasn't in a position to begin pointing fingers at Danny. That was the last thing they needed.

But, she needed to know. She _had_ to know.

Reaching for the landline that sat on the kitchen countertop, Lindsay quickly dialled the line for her's and Danny's office, but as quickly as she did that, she hung up again. She didn't want him thinking that she was checking up on him.

And what would she do if he wasn't there?

She sat herself down at the kitchen table and let out a tearful sigh. Why had he gone and done that? Why'd did he have to go and leave three hours earlier than he needed to; especially when those three hours could have been utilised for something that would have been beneficial to their shaky relationship. Whether they had been talking or simply sitting in the same room, enjoying their children together – they would have been three hours spent together.

She ran her fingers through her hair and let out a sigh. Obsessing over it wouldn't get her anywhere, and in all honesty would probably make whatever _this_ was, worse.

So, she stood, brushed down her clothes and went to join her children; filing her concerns at the back of her mind for now.

* * *

Hours had passed in the time that Danny had left for work, and while she'd had time to get over his early departure she couldn't shift the hurt mounting up inside.

She'd caved. She'd been obsessing so much over his actions and how he'd left to the point where she'd called Mac. And now that her children were asleep she didn't have two little distractions, saving her from her own worst enemy. She couldn't help her seemingly innocent inquiries to Mac on the phone; she _had _to know. So now, her thoughts and actions had led her to where she was currently; sat downstairs alone with her thoughts and armed with a phone.

"I called Mac because I knew he was lying," she began. "I'm not this type of person Chris. I'm not suspicious. I trust him and I love him but he's lying to me. I don't know what I'm supposed to do with that. He had three hours before work. Three! And he chose to spend those three hours sat in our office by himself doing paperwork that could have been done when he got there when he was needed. We're supposed to be working on our marriage, and he thinks the way we're going to do that is by driving a bigger wedge between the two of us?" She implored, gasping for a breath. "It's not fair Chris. It isn't. It isn't fair at all."

She paused for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. "And you know what hurts the most, is that I really thought that after last night we were making progress. Hell, even this morning right before he left we were making really good progress, it felt like we were a real family again. Like it felt normal almost... and then he had to do that. While he was trying to make things better, he was mentally arranging an escape route. What am I supposed to say? I can't tell him I know that he lied! I mean, I don't even know if I should be obsessing over this like I am... But it's just, how? How can I deal with it when I've got all this other stuff to deal with? And even then, it's not as if I can confront him about it, he can't know that I called Mac, because that'll just make it worse so what can I d-"

"_If you have finished, please hang up, or press one to change your message." _

Lindsay sighed as Chris' answering machine cut her stream of consciousness short. She sighed and pressed one. "Hey Chris, it's only me. I'm just checking in and seeing how you're doing. How's Mom and Dad? Amy? Danny and I... Danny and I are good," she bit out, trying to hide the devastation from her voice. "The kids are doing really well too. Josh is such the little character now. You'll love him. We miss you all, so call me back when you get this message, okay? Speak to you soon. I love you."

* * *

Danny Messer stank.

Dumpster diving, no matter what time of the year, no matter why and no matter where, would be the biggest drawback to the career that he loved. Clawing through masses of garbage, and rotten garbage at that, was something that never failed to churn his stomach and repulse him completely. There was a small part of him however, that couldn't help but think that for some reason, his impromptu dumpster dive was Karma reminding him that what he'd done earlier was a pretty dick move.

When he was about half way on his journey into the city, he'd smashed his fist against the wheel and cursed his actions. What the hell had he been thinking? Leaving three hours before he should have was basically like kicking Lindsay when she was down, especially after she had desperately tried to start numerous conversations with him about their issues. He had _no_ excuse. Well, at least not a valid one. He loved her. He loved her one hell of a lot; which made it even harder to organise his thoughts. Why the hell was he being like this? There was something that was holding him back, but he just couldn't figure out what it was.

When Lindsay had been at her worst, he'd tried to keep it together, and he had, for the most part. He'd functioned and he'd hidden his concerns, guilt and anger well. Now however, he wasn't doing too well.

Punching the code into his locker, he opened it and stuck gold with a complete outfit sitting and staring up at him from where it was neatly folded on one of the shelves. His shampoo and shower gel however was a negative, the empty bottles not even making an appearance in his locker. He growled in annoyance and then turned to his wife's locker. Although she'd not used it in months, he hoped that just maybe she'd have some form of shower gel kicking around. And like he expected, there sat on the shelf was a array of bottles, containing shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. Ignoring the fact that he'd be using Pantene for his hair and some coconut body wash crap, he grabbed it from her locker and ensured it locked upon closing it.

Smelling like his wife might just sort his mind out; the scents of her body wash and shampoo would provide him with a constant reminder of her – making him think, reflect and figure out what the hell his problem was.

He gathered up his belongings and made his way to the showers. He dumped everything he needed in the shower in the cubicle, before dropping his folded clothes on the bench just outside his booth. He undressed quickly before cranking the shower up full blast. After the initial shock, he knew that he would be thankful of the temperature soothing him as he took the time to think, because as hazy and unsure as everything else was, he had been able to pinpoint one of his main concerns: he didn't want to lose the progress he had made with his wife. He hadn't realised how much he missed that closeness with his wife until they didn't have it any more. She was his best friend, his wife, the mother to his children... she was everything rolled into one package for him. So for him to back away from her made him really question himself.

He squeezed a healthy amount of shampoo into his hair and roughly massaged it into his head before rinsing.

He had a responsibility to give her his all. She deserved his entire heart, not the fraction he was giving her.

"You in here, Messer?"

Sighing, Danny cleared his throat before calling out. "Yeah, what's up?"

"Linds was just on the phone a while ago. I think she wanted to talk to you."

"Oh yeah?" Danny's spirits lifted instantly. "Did she leave a message?"

"No, no," Nick replied. "Just spoke to Mac when you were out with Flack. But I figured you'd wanna catch her, so get your ass in motion and finish up."

"Yeah, I will. Thanks buddy."

* * *

Lindsay sighed heavily as she mindlessly flicked through the channels. It almost seemed insane that they paid a ridiculous amount of money each month for God only knew how many channels, for there to be nothing on. Just as she switched the television off in frustration, she heard the phone ring, offering her a reprieve from her own torture.

"Hello?" Her wary voice sounded down the line.

"Hey Linds, I'm just returning your message." Her brother's voice filled her ears.

"Chris!" Lindsay smiled as she sunk into the couch. "Hi! It's so good to hear your voice."

"I miss you, kid." He replied. "But, I'm just gonna jump head first in here, which message is it that you want me to return?"

"What are you talking about?" she swallowed, her heart racing in her chest, hoping and praying that what she thought happened hadn't. "I only left you one."

"Yeah, one honest one," He laughed sarcastically. "And then one full of absolute BS, Linds. What the hell is going on over there? One minute you're telling me that Danny's lying to you and things are falling to pieces and then mere seconds later you're trying to tell me that you two are _good._" He bit out the word in the same way that Lindsay had in her message. "_Good_ does _not_ reflect the same story that you'd told me a second previous to that."

"What?" she swallowed, trying to bide herself some more time.

"Don't what me, you know exactly what the deal is. What's going on?"

"Chris, I-"

"The message saved Lindsay. Both messages."

"Fuck," she muttered, a word that very rarely left her lips, but she felt that such profanity was the only word that explained her current feelings. "I was really only calling to rant. It was off the cuff, and now I've had-"

"Had time to reflect you realise you were overacting and you're sorry that you worried me. Aha, yeah. Sure."

"Chris," Lindsay sighed heavily. "I don't know what you want me to say."

"I want you to tell me you're okay." He told her. "And considering I know you can't tell me that, I want you to tell me what needs to happen so that you will be okay."

"It's complicated."

"I have time."

"Chris," she sighed.

"Just rant, Linds. It's what I'm here for, isn't it?"

"Fine, you want me to rant, here you go; I'm tired. I'm tired of waiting for all of this to go away. I'm tired of the constant cloud that is hovering over our heads. I want Danny to wrap his arms around me and mean it. Not just hug me, but really hug me. I want to believe him when he tells me that everything is going to be okay, because right now Chris, right now I'm not seeing it. I can't see things ever being okay between us. I'm sick of being desperate to make a step in the right direction with him and just constantly failing. Every time I try to talk to him, he shoots me down and it just kills me. I'm tired of the regret that I have for letting it get this bad as well. I wish there was some way I could turn it around and change what happened because I know for a fact _nothing_ good is coming from this. Nothing. We're not closer. We haven't appreciated what life has to offer... we're not appreciating our children more, we just exist together and I don't want it. I want to be happy. I want to go back to work and pretend like none of this ever happened."

"Linds-" Chris sighed heavily.

"And the worst part is I can't even find the bottle to tell Danny how I'm feeling in case I hear something that breaks my heart. I can't hear him tell me that he doesn't want to-"

"Lindsay, don't you even dare finish that sentence," her brother growled down the line. "If you want me to call him and talk to him, man to man, see if I can get through to him? Fine. But don't you even so much as to think he'd leave you. I'm not gonna sit here and listen to crap that you know isn't even true."

"But-"

"But nothing," he cut her off. "If he was leaving, he'd have left. You think he'd stick around if he didn't want to?"

"He would for the kids."

"I'm not even getting into this!" Chris implored. "You're feeling sorry for yourself. That's what this is. You've been sat at home all day and had too much time to think. You're mad that you're helpless and you're feeling super sorry about all of the things that you can't fix. You _can_ fix them Lindsay; you just need to get back up when things get tough. Persevere with him. If he says no, he doesn't want to talk, find a time that he will talk."

"It's not that easy." Lindsay sighed.

"Alright, write him a letter. Tell him everything you want him to know in the letter."

"But that's a piece of evidence that shows us and reminds us that this really happened."

"Maybe that's what you need," Chris pointed out. "Maybe the both of you need to realise that this isn't something that is gonna be easy. It's tough and it's gonna hurt, but that's being realistic. Right now, I don't think you're being very realistic Linds."

* * *

Danny's shower time after the dumpster dive was a record. He was renowned for taking his sweet time in order to get all the stink off him. The fact that he'd spent ten measly minutes in the shower told him that those concerns and reservations he'd been feeling with Lindsay earlier were unnecessary. She was still Lindsay and he was still Danny... they were just, needing a little nudge in the right direction. With that in mind, he picked up his office phone and quickly dialled the landline, hoping Lindsay was close enough not to make a dash for the phone as it called.

Except... she was already on the phone. He replaced the phone in its cradle.

And rather than sitting and twiddling his thumbs, he decided to be slightly more productive in switching his computer on to run some wildcards for the latest case to kill a little time until she finished up with whoever she was on the phone with.

* * *

"I called you for support, Chris."

"And I'm giving you honest advice, Linds." Chris informed her. "You called me for a reason. You could have called anyone and gotten the pep talk that things will be okay and everything will be fine before you know it, and you don't need to talk about it, things will simply fall into place and all of this will be a distant memory talk, but we know that you called me for the opposite. You called me because you know deep down it's gotten to the point now where you need the honesty and the brutality to make you reach out to Danny."

"I have been reaching out to him!" Lindsay spat. "I'm the only one that's been reaching out, period."

"Who pushed him away?"

"That isn't fair," Lindsay growled down the phone.

"On who? On him? On the kids? No it isn't fair, but it happened... so what are you gonna do to fix it?"

"I... I don't know," she swallowed.

"Honesty," Chris whispered simply. "You need to be honest with him Linds, no more bullshit lies. No more covering up the truth to save feelings. You need to tell him the God's honest truth,"

"What if I get mad?"

"Get mad," he said. "Cry, just tell him the truth. He deserves that much, Linds, just like you deserve the truth from him."

* * *

Trying again for what seemed like the fiftieth time, Danny smiled. "Linds, hey baby." his voice sounded down the line. "Nick told me you'd called, I've been trying to get a hold of you; how's it going? Everything okay?"

There was silence at the other end of the line; a silence which unnerved him.

"Linds?"

"Why did you lie to me?" she whispered.

"What?"

"If you're going to lie to me Danny, at least hide the damn evidence! You left your schedule staring at me on the notice board. Why? Why do that to me? Why tell me you start three hours before you actually do? Do you really hate me that much?"

His heart sank. Her tone told him that she was crying, and he'd been the reason why she was crying. Him and his stupid actions.

"I mean I get that right now I'm not the person that you want to spend your time with but I'm trying Danny, I'm really trying and if you don't and won't meet me halfway then-"

"Baby," he sighed, desperate to interrupt her. "I don't hate you, I could never hate you. I love you. I made a huge mistake and what I did was a pretty dick move. As soon as I left, I wanted to turn around and walk back inside."

"So why didn't you?"

"I don't know," he whispered. "I made a mistake."

"You don't say," she mused sarcastically, the hurt stabbing into his chest. "Look, if you don't want this then-"

"I'll see if I can take off early," he interjected. "I've had the time to think Linds and-"

"Don't Danny, don't even start to make me empty promises that you're not about to keep. I can't deal with that."

"Look Linds, I really don't want to do this over the phone-"

"You never want to do it Danny, so fine. So that's fine, we won't talk about it. Have it your way."

And before he could get a word in edgeways, she'd hung up.

* * *

**Mini cliffhanger and angst. I'll just take cover now. **


	196. All We Need is a Little Bit of Time

**A/N: Hello lovelies. Well... it's been some time since I last updated it feels. Lots of things have changed. One, and quite possibly the most important... CSI:NY WAS FREAKING RENEWED. I think we should take a moment to freak the heck out. If any of you have me on twitter (laurzz6 - shameless plug, haha) you'll probably gather that I was um... slightly upset/stressed for the past few weeks. ahahah. So getting the news that it was coming back like... ugh, made my life? Second, I officially finished my second year of college on Friday, hence why I was AWOL - what university sets two freaking MASSIVE assignments in the last week of the last semester? Mine. That's which university. Morons. So it was stress galore last week; but I made it through the week alive (barely). And after a chilled weekend, I thought - what better way to celebrate than to do a bit of WYHTG writing. **

**I know I kind of left it on a cliffhanger (ish?) last chapter... so hopefully all of those 'ugh, FFS' moments from last chapter are made up here? ;) **

**Huge, huge thank you to all of you who are still vested and enjoy this. I always get so excited when I see new readers/reviews for this story. It's my baby, even though I've neglected it for far, far too long. **

LoveIsInTheAir4DL, kdzl, JJ, Puck Haley Nathan Rachel (Really Megan? Really?), MarkandLexiefan, afrozenheart412, brendanakai, cklovesm-m, Pheonix1995, lulubell76, Lindsay1234, webdlfan, buddymt96 and Alex Joleta. **You guys are awesome. Thank you for the reviews :) **

* * *

As he made his way into the house, he felt his anxiety disappear. He'd been avoiding this for far too long now and he'd had enough. He wasn't some pathetic, depressed guy that went around staring at the floor, daring not to speak his mind. He was Danny Messer. And he wasn't about to let his wife slip through his fingertips like she was doing. If she thought that he was making empty promises then he was going to show her how very wrong she was.

He made his way up the stairs, bypassing their puppy and both of their children. Their mother was a bigger priority for him right now.

Aware of the fact that Lindsay was most probably asleep; he opened the door carefully and padded into the room; his actions considerate – something that he'd been struggling with. He'd struggled with trying to find that understanding for her and her needs – and that was alien to him. In the past, he and Lindsay had just been naturally in tune to one another. He knew what she was thinking, and likewise, she knew what he was thinking. They could pick up on one another's moods, needs and struggles easier than their own sometimes; so when that ability disappeared, he felt like everything was off balance. He switched the light on, and Lindsay didn't flinch, despite the fact her closed eyes were still in the same direction of the light source.

He glanced around the immaculately tidy room and let out a sigh. Lindsay's favourite picture of them was turned upside down on her bedside table. He remembered the evening fondly. He'd surprised her with a trip to Coney Island and had gone old school. They'd gone to the pier and shared a lovely walk together, before making their way towards the fairground and doing all of the activities that he's done when he was just a child.

The picture that was face down was a very candid photo of them; taken in one of their happiest moments as a couple whom were just dating; still trying to figure their relationship out. They had been so unbelievably carefree that night. Lindsay had whipped her phone out of her pocket, held it high above their heads and begged him to smile – and smile he had. That picture was Lindsay's everything. She'd instantly made it her phone's background... she'd put it on her laptop; and had also printed it from the phone at a Kodak picture printer. He knew that for her to turn it face down meant that she was detaching herself. She was that hurt, mad and angry that the picture which showed them at their happiest wasn't enough to remind her that things were going to get better.

He resisted the urge to turn the picture over and stand it upright, because as much as he wanted to, he couldn't disrespect Lindsay like that; deliberately turning it over when she had clearly gone out of her way to turn it over was just... he couldn't. So instead, he lay next to her, thankful that she slept in the middle of the bed practically. "I know you're awake," he whispered. "Which is fine, you'll hear everything I have to say. I'm hoping you'll be stubborn enough to pretend you're asleep and hear everything I have to say."

Her eyes fluttered, which gave Danny the confidence he needed to begin his admissions to her.

"I haven't been fair to you. You needed me to be strong for you while you went through this traumatic thing, and I've done exactly what you didn't need and turned it into my problem. I've turned this into something that is affecting me, and I have nobody to blame put myself."

"I pushed you away," she whispered, still not daring to open her eyes.

"True," he nodded, fighting the smallest smile on his face as he realised she'd not lasted very long in not interrupting him. "But rather than let you, I should have pushed back. I shouldn't have treated you like I have. I shouldn't have given you the opportunity to push me away."

"I was pretty persistent."

"And I should have been too," he admitted. "I should have held onto you with both hands, but I didn't and look at where we've landed."

Finally, her glassy eyes opened. She soaked in his appearance and couldn't help the tears that formed in her eyes. "I only wanted to talk to you," she whispered. "I wanted to make this right; make it up to you. Was it so much to ask?"

"At one o'clock this afternoon, I would have said yes. But now? No, and it wasn't fair of me to take that away from you baby. I shouldn't have done what I did today. It was a completely ridiculous and an unnecessary thing that I did, and you're more than in your right to bitch me out for it."

"I don't want to bitch you out," she said, her voice still no louder than a whisper. "I just want you to be my Danny again. I want you to love me again."

"Oh Linds," his heart broke at the tears that slipped down her cheeks. "I've always loved you, you know that."

"I don't," she whispered sadly. "Not anymore."

"You do," he told her. "You know that I love you."

"Do I?" She sniffled. "I don't think I do."

"Why?" he asked her. "Why don't you think I love you?"

"Because you want to leave," she began, not noticing the thunderbolt that struck his chest at her words. "I'm not the Lindsay that you married anymore. I'm this depressed, shaky Lindsay that can't walk properly for ten minutes without having to sit down. That was supposed to happen when we were seventy, not thirty. It isn't fair on you, and I understand that. You don't want to see me like this, and I get that."

He knew it wasn't his best move, but he genuinely had nothing to say in response. He didn't know how to respond to that. How long had she been thinking that? And had his actions made her think that way? He knew he hadn't exactly been the best husband of late, but he never for a second thought that he'd made her feel like she wasn't the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

"I mean, I'm not stupid Danny, you don't come home from shifts for hours, and you leave hours before you need to. And part of me doesn't blame you for that. I mean, you're only human and I can't expect you to take on all this baggage too."

"Lindsay-"

"And I've turned my back on it because I'm scared of what you not coming home means, but I don't know how long I can do it for Danny. It's hard for me because we've just... we're not the same now. It's hard to think back on a time when we were genuinely happy and carefree. It seems that this is all we've known now. This arguing and pushing each other away... I hate it."

"Linds I hate it too-"

"I just never thought that we'd come to this."

Those words finally sparked something in him. "Lindsay, hold up a second here, because you really don't know what you're talking about. Never once in this time have I ever thought that I don't love you anymore. In fact, I love you more than what I did before because of how much you've been through and how strong you've been. Yeah you were really, really dealing with some stuff for a hell of a long time, but who can blame you? I certainly can't. And as for me not coming home and leaving early; that is something that I have to work on, but I can promise you that me leaving is not because I don't want to be here with you or because I don't love you, it's me trying to figure out how I can be here – all of me be here – with you."

"I don't know what I'm talking about?" She asked him with arched eyebrows. "I think I do Danny."

"No," he shook his head. "You don't. You're such a pain in the ass sometimes Lindsay; you're so damn stubborn and you're not listening to me."

"I'm a pain in your ass?" she arched her eyebrows at him.

"Yeah," he nodded. "You are, you're the only pain in my ass... but you know what Linds, there's not a second in the day that I wish you weren't the pain in my ass. I love you and no matter what I'm gonna be here. I just wish you'd believe me when I say that."

"Where were you today?" She asked him, still trying to desperately push him away emotionally. "Huh? Where were you when I needed you today?"

"Trying to get over this," he gestured between the two of them. "I was trying to get over me freaking out and leaving all the time. I needed time Lindsay. That's all; just some time."

"Or an escape route." She muttered.

"See, you're a pain in my ass; stop being so damn stubborn." He pointed at her. "You've just gotta trust me, Linds. You know I'd never walk away, no matter how easy that option seems. I love you, I love our kids... I wouldn't do that."

"Even if you didn't love me anymore; you'd do that to yourself?"

"I'd never not love you, Lindsay. You're my wife."

She fell silent, realising that they were simply going around in the same circle, repeating the same things over and over again. Sensing her silence, Danny took a deep breath and pulled his hands from where he'd been almost hiding them behind him.

"You see these?" he asked her, holding out his hands for her to see his cut knuckles. "I lied to you. This was not from punching a suspect. This was me in the gym beating the living shit out of a punch bag because I was so mad that you did this to yourself. That bullet was supposed to be for me Lindsay, not you. For a long time I couldn't wrap my head around what had happened and it seemed like the only way I could get my frustrations out was through punching the living shit out of something that couldn't fight back. I needed something that wasn't going to remind me that I'd failed to protect you, because ultimately, this is what all of this boils down to."

"Are you being serious?" she implored, pushing him away and sitting up. "You're turning this around on you?"

"No, these are my issues," he reminded her, following her lead and also sitting up on the edge of the bed. "I'm telling you what my issues are and why I've been the way I have. That is what you want isn't it?" he paused to take a breath. "Don't you want the truth?"

"Yeah," she nodded.

He returned her nod and proceeded to roll on the bed to grab his jacket that he'd draped over the bottom of their bed. He grabbed something from the inside pocket, this gave the opportunity for Lindsay to adjust her position in their bed. When she had, Danny laid out three envelopes in front of her.

"Here." He said.

"What are all those?" Lindsay asked, cautiously looking at the envelopes, labelled one, two and three.

"The truth," he replied. "These here are the reasons why I'm struggling with all of this. After you hung up at work, I asked Mac to assign me some paperwork so I could get my head down and not risk being out in the field. He did because I'm pretty sure he knows that shit is pretty heavy right now... So while I was in the middle of typing up some stuff, it hit me. Everything just... it hit me."

"But there are three reasons here." She observed.

"Yep, and I've realised that these are the reasons why I'm not myself. Why I'm not dealing with this here." He gestured to the space around them. "Why I can't function right now."

"Danny, do I... Do I need to be worried?" She asked timidly, looking down at the three envelopes, completely unaware of what they may contain.

"About us? No." He said shaking his head. "About me? And how I feel right now? Maybe... maybe not."

"What do I do with them?" She asked.

"Open them," he said. "This one is probably the best to read first. Sets the scene... I'm gonna go get something to drink. Can I get you anything?"

She shook her head, her fingers already ripping the envelope. He was gone in a flash, leaving Lindsay to read what had kept her and her husband at such a distance for what seemed like such a long time.

_Lindsay, _

_Cast your mind back to the night when Flack and I dragged you to the bar. You'd come out in that green shirt of mine with just a belt – it killed me, s__eeing you looking that amazing and being all mine__. That night was one of the funniest nights we'd ever had. You were so unbelievably drunk. _

_Little did I know that the very next day would literally be one of the worst days of my life. I heard you crash on your way to work. I heard the scream, the cry and then silence – and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it other than to try and get there and make sure that you were okay; but even then... it was pointless. I was helpless – there was nothing that I could do to help you, and that killed me. I didn't even make it to the crash site in time, so all I saw was the mangled SUV and glass. Lots of glass. And blood. I got to the hospital and waiting around was the worst time of my life. I didn't know what had happened, I didn't know where the hell you were. _

_But then when I was about to walk in that door, you walked out to me – as if there was nothing wrong. You were cut up to hell, pulling an IV drip behind you, but you were totally resilient about it. And hell, what turned into one of the worst days, was one of the happiest when we found out that you were pregnant. That. I could deal with. _

She looked up from the letter and furrowed her brow. She turned it over, looking for another side, before looking in the envelope to see if she'd missed a sheet of paper. He'd ended it there? Really? It didn't make much sense to her. Not really.

After a few moments, she realised that maybe her answer would be in the next letter. So, she ripped open the next and began to read.

_When you went to Montana for the McGunity killings; things were pretty good. You and I were happy. We had our beautiful baby girl, and although I was missing you, you were gonna be home in a few days after you'd done your thing and made me proud. _

_So when I turned on the news in the break room and heard the words: _"_Breaking news, bomb blast in Bozeman, Montana. Unsure of the casualties at present"__ I think a part of me inside died. I knew that building; hell I'd been to that building before – and the worse thing was, was that I knew you were most probably in that damn building. Then when I called you and you had been in there; it was like my worst nightmare. Not only were you in danger; you were so far away from me that I couldn't even meet you at the hospital like I had the first time you were scared and needed me. There wasn't a damn thing I could do to save you, and that scared me. I did all that I could to get to you, and I managed it – I got there. I was there waiting for you when you finally made it out and I held you and I knew for a fact that I was never letting you go ever again. I would have done anything to make sure that nothing hurt you, or put you in any danger. And for a while I did okay. And as hard as it was for me to accept how close you were to being seriously hurt, I managed to pass it off as a freak coincidence and a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. _

She closed her eyes as she realised that she'd reached the end of the second letter. She was seeing a pattern and theme in the letters and she could only assume what she was about to see in the final of the three letters.

_The shooting was seriously the worst day I've ever had. My heart was racing the entire time. And at the beginning, I was glad you were there because in that moment, I knew that I'd have you to lean on when things got tough in the aftermath. I knew as soon as we got down there that the case would hit us hard, I just had no idea how hard it was going to hit us. I'm not sure when it was, but I knew that I would have done anything to get you away from the situation. Away from the danger that I knew we were in. Away from what could; and what inevitably did happen. But I never got the chance; you purposefully put yourself in a position where I could have lost you. It was out of good heart, and I know it was something that you did without even thinking about before you acted. I can even understand why you did it, but I hate that you can so easily cast your own wellbeing to one side in order to protect me. _

_Over the years I've been able to suppress those fears I have about losing you, because they had happened in the past - but that doesn't mean that I'm over them. I think we both know that I've always had an overriding need to protect you, but every time that you've needed me, I've fallen short. I failed you. I'm never there in time, and the one time that I am, you saved and protected me, not the other way round like I so desperately wanted it to be. The fact that I was the reason why this happened to you makes me feel overloaded with regret and guilt, Lindsay. Every time my eyes caught yours and I saw that sad look in your eyes, it was like it happened all over again. It wasn't fair on you to deal with this, because that bullet had my name on it. It wasn't yours. I was supposed to finally be there for you and you took that away from me because you wanted the exact same thing. You wanted to protect me. I know that it shouldn't but it makes me feel like I'm inadequate. It makes me think that I'm not enough for you when you really need me, and that's a lot for me to stomach. _

_Whenever you've been in danger we've been seriously lucky. You've had like a guardian angel watching over you, making sure that things don't get too bad. So this time, when things were really bad and we couldn't walk away from what happened; I fell to pieces. I know I blame myself for what happened, which is a huge reason as to why I've been like this recently. When you needed me, it gave me a focus and purpose, but as you've got your independence back, and as I've watched you, it has really sunk in that you've had to go through all of this simply to make sure that I was okay. Bearing in mind of course that we'd had a raging argument not hours before that and I had walked out without giving you a kiss. It goes through my mind everyday what might have happened if you hadn't have been called to work and I had gone down there by myself. Would he have shot me? Could I have died and left things with you in the worst place I could have ever possibly fathomed? Yeah, it's definitely possible, and that scares me. The what if's scare me. I know they shouldn't, but they do._

_I don't ever want to be in a place where I could lose you ever again, but I know that with our track record, and the odds of how things go down for us, I know that it's a possibility, and quite frankly Lindsay it scares me shitless. I know that I can't raise these beautiful kids we have by myself. They need you here and when it boils down to it, I just don't cut it for them. They need their Mommy, just like I need my Lindsay. _

_I know this has probably been a lot to take, and a not so pleasant trip down memory lane, but I just want you to know where it is I am, so that you have some idea of what I'm dealing with – it's not you baby, it's me. I just need to find a way to find peace with what happened to you. With what happened to us._

_I love you, _

_D._

She looked up with tears in her eyes as Danny settled back on the bed, timing his return perfectly. She was silent for a while, trying to process everything that she'd read. She really didn't know what to feel.

As she let the content of Danny's letters sink in, she could feel emotions that she'd refused to let herself feel for so long. She'd tried not to think about how Danny was dealing with his emotions. If she was completely honest, the hardships they'd faced together in their early days hadn't even crossed her mind for a moment – and she'd never for a second thought that they'd be affecting Danny in the way that they were. It shocked her because those signs that he'd been giving her by backing away should have told her that he wasn't dealing with everything. Those signs should have also told her that there was something else weighing him down. But she'd been too scared to face it head on; she'd turned her back on it instead. She'd turned her back on him.

And rather than accept that blame and fix everything for him; reassure him that things were okay, she did exactly what she knew she shouldn't. She could feel the words finding their release, and before she could stop herself, they were reverberating against him.

"Do you think I'm glad all of this happened to me?" She growled at him, holding the read letters in her hand. "Do you think I like looking back on this part of my life and realise how lucky I am to still be alive? And no, I'm not being dramatic. I know I've been through all of this Danny," she snapped wafting the three letters in his face. "I know, okay. And I know you've been through all of this too... You would think it would bring us closer together to have made it through, but it's driving us a-fucking-part."

"Linds..."

"No Danny, no! I've had enough, alright? I know I wasn't the easiest person to live with when it first happened... and in the months after too. I was a bitch to you and I probably don't deserve all that you did for me, I'm not under any false pretence that I'm some kind of victim here. I hate how I treated you. I love you and you were the one person that cared that much for me that I used it to my advantage and took it out on you. You've probably had it worse in some respects then I did, because it was you who was pushed away when all you wanted to do was help me. I know how much this has taken for you to tell me how you're feeling, and once this is all off my chest I'm going to make it better for you, I promise, but I need you. Okay? I really need you. I don't need some knight in shining armour that saves me from all the shit that we've had to go through, I just want you. I don't want you to beat yourself about what you've been unable to do. I just want you. I want you to take me out to dinner to some diner and laugh the night away with me because you want to. I want you to wrap your arm around me when we're watching TV and for it to be a genuine act of affection and something you want to do, rather than something you feel I need. I want you to want to rush home to see me after a day at work. I want you to kiss me in the middle of the night, and wake me up to make love to me. I want you to need me as much as I need you. I don't need you to save me Danny."

"I do need you baby, I need you more than you know. I know we're treading thinly here. I don't wanna push too much, but I just want this ache in the pit of my stomach to go away. I want to look at you and feel like nothing's ever happened. I want you to be my wife again, not somebody that I feel like I used to know."

"You feel like that?"

"I have," he admitted. "Not so much now, but at the beginning of all of this it was really tough. I felt like you weren't there anymore, and it hurt."

Lindsay lowered her head in defeat.

"But I don't anymore," he reminded her.

"But you did," she pointed out.

"Well babe, can you honestly blame me?"

She sighed and took a few minutes to think about her answer. "No," she finally admitted.

"I love you, babe. You know I do. But you've just gotta bear with me here." He began. "I don't know whether these here-" he gestured to the letters, "-really tell you how I'm feeling. I tried, but I don't know."

"I've got a good idea," she assured him.

Danny nodded. "Can you understand where I'm comin' from?"

She nodded slowly, her eyes scanning the discarded letters. "I can."

"I want to fix us, babe." He told her. "I want to find us again, but I need you to understand that sometimes I'm gonna back off because I'll get a reality check and it'll scare me."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I just... I don't understand," she shook her head. "I thought I did, and on the surface I do, but I don't understand why this is such a big deal, Danny. Those things are in the past. It's never affected you before, so why now?"

"Because I've never had a reason to think about them," he shrugged. "I've never had a reason to remember that I nearly lost you. But seeing you struggling everyday is a constant reminder that I nearly lost you, and it's hard for me. It's really scared me, because I know that I can't do this without you."

"You did an amazing job by yourself."

"But I don't want to do it by myself." He told her as he took her hand and guided her down to their pillows. They faced each other, with their noses mere inches away from one another. "I want you by my side for everything."

"You do?" she whispered.

"Do I? Baby, of course I do."

"I'm not much use though."

"Not much use? Babe, you... you're the glue that holds me together. When Amanda's crying, I give her to you, and all of the problems in her world are gone just like that. Or when Josh needs his diaper changing, you're the one that knows exactly where to place him to keep him on the changing table so that he doesn't go flying. Without you... I don't even want to think about it."

She let out a sigh and avoided eye contact with him.

"Hey," he whispered. "Come on."

She shook her head. "No."

"No?" He whispered, tucking a finger under her chin to make her meet his eyes. "No what?"

"I've forgotten what it feels like." she said quietly. "And it makes me sad and scared. How could I forget how it feels?"

"How what feels?"

"You." She whispered, a blush washing over her cheeks. "How you feel."

"When?"

"Here," she whispered, "In the bedroom."

"You think you're the only one?" He asked her. "I've forgotten what it feels like to kiss you," he whispered, cupping the sides of her face. "I've forgotten what that fire in the pit of my stomach feels like when I want to just spend all night making love to you. I've forgotten that look you used to give me when you wanted me. I miss lying in bed with you, hoping and praying that Amanda doesn't find a reason to come in while we're still tangled in the sheets."

She let out a little giggle at the times that they've panicked when they heard over the monitor that Amanda was on the move from her room to theirs. There had been numerous times where Lindsay had ended up in his shorts and t-shirt; leaving him in the lurch and with no choice but to dive back underneath the covers.

"I miss everything about you Linds," he whispered as he pressed a kiss to the nape of her neck.

"It was the last thing on my mind." She admitted as she arched her neck towards him. "I just... I didn't think you'd want to. I've not exactly been, well... you know-"

"Want to?" he implored against her skin as he was mid-kiss. "Lindsay you have no idea."

"You do?"

He pulled away from her neck and simply stared at her.

"You don't? I'm confused."

"Yes!" he cried. "I'm friggin' relieved that I still can. It scares me that I came pretty close to never making love to you again." He admitted, trying to ignore the fact it had been months upon months since he'd last touched his wife.

"I miss you." She whispered, edging closer to him. "I miss us."

"I miss us too," he admitted. "I miss you one hell of a lot."

"Well then why are we arguing about this?" she cried, tears slipping down her cheeks. "Why are we making this so damn hard? If you want this, and I want this, what the hell are we doing?"

"Fucking around because we're stubborn?" Danny offered as he swiped at her stray tears with his fingertips.

"Or too stupid to see that there's actually something good in front of us." She quipped.

"Maybe it's a combination of both... but babe, we'll get there," he told her, taking her hand again and linking their fingers together. "It'll just take some time."

"Do we have time?" she asked him, glancing down to his bloodied knuckles. "It seems like we've taken a hell of a lot of time here... how much do you have left to give?"

"I have all the time in the world for you." He told her. "Do you have the time?"

It took her a few seconds to find her voice, but eventually she did, and her answer was nothing but music to his ears. "I've got nothing but time," she nodded, nothing but promise in her eyes.

* * *

**Monster chapter, yes... But I felt it was kind of needed. I hope it made sense. ****They really needed to sort their lives out and get out of this funk that they're in. And, yeah - I hope that it explains where Danny's head has been as I know I've been slightly cryptic over the past like, four or five chapters. See, we have a definite light at the end of the tunnel now. I'm not saying there won't be bumps... but well, it's me, and in my very first A/N I promised an angsty ride but it'll all end good or something like that... So yeah. And shit, I've just looked out the window and it's light out. FML. That's not fun. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter... and if you did, let me know what you liked? I'll love you and send you virtual cookies... promise! **


	197. Dig Deep

**A/N: Hi folks, hope you're all well! Life has been super busy as of late, but Fred and I have sat down and managed to pull together a chapter or two. ****This one is very Lindsay centric as I felt like it had been a while since we saw things from Lindsay's perspective. However this being said; as creative as Fred is, he isn't a therapist, and neither am I... And my experiences with therapy are nonexistant... so as much as I tried to use common sense and general vibes given to me from TV shows/movies etc I may be a little off, so I do apologise for that. **

**Huge thank you to all of you amazing people for sticking with this story. I really hope that you guys are still out there, because I have some ideas for this story - and once they're past this little bit of angst (haha, little?) there will be fluff, I promise! :) **

**So, huge thank you to: **Buddymt96, mac, Meggie, RandomTVFan30 , afrozenheart412, Pheonix1995, MarkandLexiefan, cklovesm-m, Alex Joleta, Lindsay1234, brendanakai and Montanagirl2009**.**

* * *

_Her heart had been pounding in her chest ever since she and Danny had stepped off the last step into the subway station. When she realised neither of them had a vest on she had fears that it wasn't going to end well. Those fears, as she stared down the barrel of a gun, were confirmed. It wasn't going to be good, that much she knew. Her eyes fluttered shut as she tried to suppress the terror that was quickly taking over her entire body. She didn't want to die. She didn't want to miss out on her life with her children and her husband. She just didn't. But it looked like she... she blinked – how? What? _

_Michael Roberts had already squeezed the gun's trigger, but the bullet wasn't heading for her. It was heading for Danny. _

'_No,' her mind screamed at her, 'no, no, no!' _

_As much as she didn't want to die, she couldn't, and wouldn't let him die. _

_As the bullet perforated her skin and lodged itself in her back, she let out a whimper as she toppled to the ground on top of Danny. Judging by the pain in her back, she'd saved him – and although she'd had reservations about dying before, right now she didn't care about the cost. _

_Things were beginning to get blurry as she heard his voice in her ear: "Babe?"_

_"Danny," she whispered, tears springing to her eyes as the pain set in. Her adrenaline was quickly wearing off now. She could feel herself going into shock and she knew that wasn't good. She swallowed and laid her head down on his shoulder and whispered into his neck, trying to hide her tears. "Danny, I'm sorry about earlier."_

_"Baby, it's alright. It's fine. Are you okay?" he trailed his hands down her back and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, she could sense that he thought she was okay. Through the confusion he must have assumed that the bullet had changed its course and had missed the both of them, and she had just thrown herself at him, taking cover. She swallowed as she felt his hands slide further down her back. "Baby what's-? Linds... fuck. Fuck! Oh shit!"_

_She could hear the panic in his voice, and instantly she felt guilt rise through her, knowing how his heart had probably just stopped in his chest."Danny, I'm sorry."Even though she said she was sorry, she wasn't. She wasn't sorry that she'd taken the bullet, because although it had done whatever damage it had to her back; it would have done a lot worse to him; physically at least. Emotionally? She wasn't so sure. _

_"Baby... Montana... Lindsay, listen to me."_

_She hadn't tried to move but as she tried to shuffle on top of Danny, she realised that she wasn't able to move the lower half of her body. If she thought she was scared before, terror was now setting in good and fast, sending her crashing down into a little village called harsh reality. "Danny. I can't feel my legs."_

_"Montana... listen to me." It killed her – hearing the panic in his voice, knowing that she had been the one to put it there."We're gonna have to move so I can get you help."_

_"Don't leave me. Please don't leave me. Don't leave me, Danny."_

* * *

"In that moment, what were you the most afraid of?"

"Danny leaving," Lindsay replied, not missing a beat. "I was terrified and knew that if he left me, I'd freak out and that was the last thing that I needed."

"So you relied heavily on Danny in that moment."

"Absolutely," Lindsay nodded. "I'd say one hundred percent."

"What changed then?" It was a tough question, and was one that Lindsay had to consider before she provided an answer.

"I changed." Lindsay said, taking a deep breath, finding it difficult to admit to such a thing outloud. "After things settled down, I really struggled and blamed myself for what had happened. A lot of it was feeling sorry for myself as well. I was angry and frustrated that there were things that I needed to be doing but was bound to a bed or a wheel chair. I hated the constraints that my decision brought to the table."

"But that doesn't explain why you stopped relying on Danny for support."

"I think some of that was because I was jealous. I was jealous that he could do the things that I was supposed to be doing. I hated the fact that my daughter would look at me but after some consideration would then go to her father for a juice box because she knew I wouldn't be able to get it. And the late night feeds for our newborn; that killed me. I couldn't do it myself and leave Danny to sleep because I needed his help to get into the chair, and nine times out of ten it was easier for him to do the feed himself. It was the simple things that just made me absolutely livid with him, and it wasn't his fault at all... I just couldn't deal with it, and because I couldn't deal with it, I detached myself and stopped leaning on him for support."

"Was it because of vibes you were getting from Danny? Did he demonstrate any signs of being trapped, or was he unhappy with the new found responsibilities that had been thrust upon him?"

"God no!" Lindsay shook her head adamantly. "Danny has always been a hands-on Dad. He loves his kids and does a hell of a lot for them. He's never been the type to take a back seat."

"So what was different about you being in the chair if he had always been helpful?"

"Well, when I was mobile, he helped because he wanted to. When I was in the chair, he had to help because I physically couldn't do the things that needed doing."

"Did it occur to you that if he had wanted to help when you were perfectly capable, the same stood when you were, shall we say, incapable?"

"If I had been thinking about things rationally then probably, yeah, I would have put those two ideas together... but my thought process when I was paralysed isn't easy to explain."

"Which is understandable, it was quite the adjustment for you."

Lindsay nodded in agreement.

"So, other than jealousy was there anything else you felt?"

"Fear," Lindsay recognised, "Fear that I wouldn't regain any movement... my chances weren't good; to walk again that is."

"Again, that's definitely understandable. But, do you think that fear consumed you?"

"Yeah," Lindsay nodded. "And more than what it should have I think."

"Anything else that you feel is worth mentioning?"

"Um this may sound silly and a bit of an anomaly but even though I was angry at the world, I felt a lot of pride."

"Pride... that's interesting. Care to elaborate?"

"Well, as fearful and as jealous as I was of everything and everyone, I knew that I had saved my husband despite the repercussions I had to face because of it. I was proud that I'd put him first without a seconds thought.

"And I feel that has to attest to something because you mentioned last week that just before he left for work you two had been in the middle of an argument; so for you to do that despite angry words that had been passed back and forth not an hour previous really demonstrates how much you love your husband, even if times were hard for a while."

Lindsay nodded contemplatively. "I've never really thought of it like that. I haven't ever really pieced it all together. It's all very much take each bit as it comes and what happened before never really comes to mind. It seems so irrelevant in the grand scheme of things."

"You said you had nightmares to begin with."

"I did," Lindsay nodded. "Recurring ones; the same thing always happened. I still do sometimes."

"And with that, did knowing that you saved Danny's life ease those nightmares any?"

"Somewhat," Lindsay nodded in response. "But the nightmares weren't ever the problem. I could wake up from the nightmares and I know that I've moved on from that night, even if it was just a little bit."

"So what was the real problem?"

"I felt like Danny blamed himself." Lindsay admitted. "If I'm honest, I still do. Things are getting better but everything is still really hard for us. I really think he feels helpless and angry at himself for letting me do what I did."

"But that was a conscious decision that you made."

"Yeah, and he knows that," Lindsay sighed. "It just doesn't make it any easier and it doesn't mean he likes it."

"Have you spoken much about what happened that day?"

"How do you mean?" Lindsay asked, trying to buy herself some more time.

"About what happened to you; what happened to the both of you."

"We did a little last week." Lindsay admitted. "He wrote me three letters that told me where his feelings had stemmed from. With our jobs I've been in compromising situations quite frequently and he carries a lot of guilt around at not being my knight in shining armour."

"Why do I sense a but?"

"Well, as much as we've talked about it, and we've covered a lot of ground there's just... there are things that we're scared to address. I know that. And I don't think either of us wants to bring up those feelings; it's hard."

"But you said to me earlier that talking about things have helped in the past. And clearly those letters that Danny has written has given you an insight into how he's feeling."

"I did say that and the letters have helped a lot, but things in the past were things where we were a united couple throughout. This... what happened to me really divided us and I don't know whether constantly talking about what happened would make things better or whether they would make things worse."

"How could talking about it make things worse?"

"Feelings and emotions run high when it comes to how we feel. Things have only just gotten back on track with us and I don't want to trudge up what we went through when we're actually okay right now. It seems unnecessary."

"But Lindsay, if you haven't talked about it and got it out of your systems then are you really okay?"

"No," she sighed, "But as much as Danny has shared with me, I think it damaged Danny more than he lets on and he really takes things to heart. When it comes to his family, he wears his heart on his sleeve and finds it hard to deal with things like this. I don't want to make him suffer when he's healing; which he is now. It's taken so long I don't want to crush him again."

"But what if that little bit of suffering heals him completely?"

"What if it does the opposite?" Lindsay countered. "With all due respect, I know my husband."

"And I understand that; when you have a bond like marriage, often you're the only one that can make the final decision in what would be best for your significant other."

Lindsay nodded; glad that her insistence wasn't perceived as rudeness.

"But, wouldn't it be better for Danny himself to have that final say?"

Lindsay contemplated the concept for a moment. "When he's ready to have another conversation, then yes... but right now, I think a conversation like the one we've already had would mess things up, and I don't want that. Why go round in circles with it?"

"Alright, I understand... another conversation needs to be had, but at a later date; even if it just ensures you're both on the same page."

Lindsay nodded in response.

"Okay, so let's talk about Danny for a moment here... when you say it damaged him, how do you mean?"

"Well, how down I was. He's never seen me like that; hell, I've never been like that."

"How do you think it made him feel then?"

"Scared," Lindsay began. "He told me he was scared of losing me, but deep down I think he was scared that he was going to lose the person he married. I think he felt helpless; you know like he didn't know how to get me back from the hole I was spiralling into. He took a lot of the burden on his shoulders and I know it was tough on him, especially with the kids. If it had just been me and him I think things would have been a lot different."

"How so?"

"Well, I doubt he'd have stuck around," Lindsay said before pulling a face. "No, actually that's unfair on him; he wouldn't have left."

"You don't think?"

"No," Lindsay shook her head. "He's stubborn when he wants to be. Even if I pushed him away, he couldn't leave me, it's just not in the person he is. I know he loves me with all of his heart and he would want to be with me even if I was confined to that wheelchair forever; does that sound bigheaded of me to think and say that?"

"Not at all, Lindsay," She was assured. "You know where you stand with him; he's your husband. He should love you with all of his heart."

"I just... I worry for him." Lindsay continued.

"As I'm sure he worries about you. This may be a silly question, but despite the dark place that you've been, do you still you love him?"

"With all my heart," Lindsay nodded. "I dare say more so now because of all this that we've had to deal with."

"That's encouraging. With that in mind, let's go back to when you were feeling depressed; what changed?"

"Well, I don't know whether I would label what I was feeling as depression." Lindsay stated boldly.

"No?"

"No," Lindsay shook her head. "I mean some of what I was going through and my characteristics had tell-tale signs of depression, but I don't think that I ever crossed that bridge. I never needed meds, and I was able to dig myself out of the hole."

"Everybody is different Lindsay, there aren't any set symptoms that describes depression. Not everyone needs meds, and sometimes people are depressed without even being aware. Every case is different and it's really a case of what is inside you."

"I do know me though," Lindsay reasoned. "Yes, I was down - but the second I gained motion in my legs, the feelings and emotions I was dealing with weren't as heavy."

"Alright then, we'll cast that label aside. Perhaps you can explain to me what changed to bring you here?"

Lindsay shrugged thoughtfully before a small smile stretched across her face. "I changed."

"How so?"

"I just... I don't know. It was a process that took a good few months, but things just got easier as I got better."

"So now that you're on your feet again do you feel that is an issue anymore?"

"It's always going to be an issue, because how I was feeling directly affected me and my family."

"With that in mind and looking back now, do you think there was something you could have done to stop what you were feeling?"

"Well, I knew what I was doing and how I was acting wasn't me, but there was just nothing I felt I could do at the time."

"So it's right to assume that when you made progress with your recovery, what you were feeling dissolved?"

"Not so much dissolved, more a variety of issues that I feel aren't important right now."

"But it's something you want to address?"

"Not so much address but more avoid for the future, if anything ever happens where I end up back in the chair."

"What makes you say that?"

Lindsay shrugged. "With what I do and what is the day-to-day norm anything can happen."

"And does that frighten you?"

"Some days it does." Lindsay nodded. "But if you let fear of what could happen take over your life it will, and it does; and that's not fair."

"Not fair – to whom?"

"My family." Lindsay answered simply. "They've suffered enough. I'm just glad Josh and Amanda are young enough now for it to be a very distant memory, if a memory at all."

There was silence between them for a prolonged period of time, and Lindsay couldn't help but wonder if she'd said something that wasn't acceptable in the environment to which she'd found herself in.

"You've not mentioned your children's names yet."

Lindsay shrugged. "I hold them close to my heart, and if I'm honest, I've spent the entire session figuring out whether I can trust you. I'm not the biggest fan of therapy."

"Most aren't. Some find it invaluable. Some find it pointless. Some find it difficult to delve deep and accept that a complete stranger is ultimately fishing around in one's personal and private life. But if you want to get what you want out of it, you have to put everything you have into it."

Lindsay nodded. "I realise that now."

"Have you had another experience with therapy then?"

"Well, a few mandatory sessions – but they were always signed off with the minimum attendance... I barely shared anything and it was fine. I was fine."

"So what is different with this one?"

"I have a lot more to lose if I close myself up. That's what I have been doing this entire time and it didn't exactly work out too well for me, did it?"

"Well, it's good that you can recognise that." Dr. Farber smiled. "We've made a lot of progress in these past two sessions, Lindsay. You should be proud of yourself – especially if this is something that you don't find easy. I think that after a few more we can discuss the idea of you going back to work."

"I'd like that," Lindsay smiled. "It's one thing I crave; being back at work with Danny."

"Without going too far into the issue, does it not concern you that going back to work may result in you facing crime scenes similar to the one you experienced?"

Lindsay paused momentarily before finding her voice. "I won't know my reaction until I'm there, will I? I may surprise myself."

"That's a positive outlook." Dr. Farber smiled. "We'll leave it on a high note for this week. Same time next week okay?"

"Could we schedule it earlier? I want to get these therapy sessions out of the way so that I can-"

"-As much as I enjoy your enthusiasm, this shouldn't be something we rush . Farber interrupted Lindsay. "We've had a good session today – but you don't know what will happen between this week and next week. We need to have a steady pace to the therapy sessions to begin with. I don't want to overlook some issues because we're racing through the hours so that you can go back to work. Surely you understand?"

Lindsay sighed but nodded. "I do... I guess baby steps are more appropriate right now."

"Exactly." Dr. Farber smiled. "Keep this open mind Lindsay and you'll be back at work in no time." She stood to assist Lindsay out of the cushioned chair and proceeded to shake her hand. After she pulled away, she offered another smile. "Do you need transport?"

"No, my husband is probably waiting outside for me." She replied with a twinkling in her eye.

"Lovely. I shall see you next week in that case. Remember to make a note of anything you wish to discuss next week if it comes to mind at some point during the week."

"I will," Lindsay assured the woman whom was surprisingly bringing a lot of sense to the situation she'd found herself in over the past few months. "Thank you for your time." She said with a smile.

"It's my pleasure."

* * *

After paying a quick trip to the restroom, Lindsay soon found her therapist's office door closing behind her. Lindsay rummaged around in her pocket for her phone to check whether Danny had arrived or not. Smiling, she slid her finger across the bottom of her iPhone's screen as she read the rest of Danny's message.

_Downstairs waiting for you, didn't wanna show you up and embarrass you from picking you up early ;) take your time I'm not going anywhere but if you need me, tell me and I'll come get you – love you sweetheart_

Focusing on the last three words of his text, Lindsay couldn't help the butterflies and excitement that spread through her as she carefully made her way to the elevator. This feeling of happiness and contentment was one she could definitely get used to. And it was one she was going to hold onto with both hands.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed. This one felt like a shorter chapter than usual, but I thought it was a good place to end. Lots of fluff coming in next chapter so stay tuned ;) Thanks for reading! :) I'd love to know what you've been thinking of these recent chapters so please drop me a quick review and let me know - I'd really appreciate the input! *huggles* **


	198. Reflection, Picnics and Bologna?

**A/N: Hey guys! so this has been my actual mission for this week so far (even though we're only on Tuesday techincally :P) I'm heading to the airport in three and a half hours to go on vacation (WOOOO!) but I refused to leave without posting a little something while I'm away because I promised fluff. So here we go. Fluffy WYHTG! **

**Huge thank you to all of you who gave me some lovely feedback from last chapter. It's given me a few things to think about for future chapters :) **Meggie, Pheonix1995 , RandomTVFan30 , buddymt96, MarkandLexiefan, Lindsay1234, Christina5139, brendanakai, afrozenheart412 and messermonroeforever125**. You guys are superstars. Thank you! :)**

* * *

After dropping his children off with Flack, Danny Messer had navigated his way through the excessively busy city in his SUV. The windows were down, his sunglasses were perched on his nose, and he couldn't help but feel a little... hope. The last few months had been hell, and if he was completely honest, he was surprised he'd managed to make it through in one piece... for the most part. His relationship with his wife had steady foundations with a sturdy frame that supported their marriage; she was someone that he could rely on and fall back on when times were tough. So when he had felt their foundations shaking, he'd started to question things. And that had scared him. The actions he witnessed in himself scared him; they were so uncharacteristic that at times, he wasn't even sure he knew himself anymore.

But all of that was in the past now.

He killed the engine outside of the building he'd been travelling towards and leant his head against the back of his headrest. Things were getting better. Lindsay had been through a few sessions of therapy now, and although she hadn't told him much, he felt comforted in the fact that she was considering the ways in which this nightmare had affected her. It was all he could ask for. He knew that she wasn't talking to him about it, but at least she was talking to someone; someone who was better prepared for any of this than he was. He pulled his phone out and quickly sent her a text message; letting her know he was there and was waiting for her.

He resumed his former position of his eyes closed and leaning against the headrest. He couldn't say that it didn't hurt when she closed off about that day. He'd been there too and he'd witnessed everything that she had. He'd gone through her suffering with her; and there were times that he felt like he was at the end of his tether with her, feeling that his only option was to scream at her just to gain some form of reaction. She was a pain in his ass - but she was _his _pain in the ass, and he would never, ever change that. He loved her despite everything that they'd been through – and he even dared to say that all things considering, he was proud of what they'd weathered together. Granted it had been significantly rocky but they had managed to grasp onto their relationship just before it slipped through their fingers. And the fact that they had fight left in them after everything restored his faith in himself, in Lindsay, and them.

Feeling the heat from the rising temperatures outside, Danny turned the key in the ignition and blasted the air-con as he rolled the windows in front seat up, deciding that cool air was ten times better than the heat in New York.

He could feel himself zoning out as he sat stationary at the side of the road. He had quite the afternoon planned for them. He'd felt bad about passing his children off to their doting adoptive uncle, but when he'd offered to take them for the afternoon, his gut had jumped at the chance to spend some quality time with Lindsay.

He glanced up and spied her heading down the stairs of the building, almost with a spring in her step; which surprised him greatly. She wasn't... she didn't... He hadn't realised how much better she was getting with her mobility. He watched her take the stairs, deciding to bypass the banister that was there to support her descent down the steep set of stairs.

"Hey baby," she smiled as she seemingly slipped into their SUV effortlessly. "Have you been waiting long?" she inquired as she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Deciding against making a big deal of such normalcy between them and her ability to walk, Danny simply smiled and shook his head. "No longer than five minutes. Did everything go okay?"

"Fine," she shrugged as she leaned over and pressed another kiss to his cheek, to which he caught on his lips from turning his head just in time. "Did you happen to forget two little people?" she inquired. "If you did – don't freak out - but we may have a spot of bother on our hands. I'm pretty sure we're breaking a law or two there with that."

He couldn't help the smile at the warmth spreading through him at her affection and humour. "They're with Flack for the afternoon, wiseass. He and Angell apparently wanted to go check some exhibit out at the zoo, but couldn't without kids – something about free entry? And not looking like a psycho creeper without children in a child orientated place."

"Cheap skates... not to mention users," Lindsay muttered with a smile tugging at her lips. "So they're using our children for their own entertainment?"

"Pretty much," he nodded, "So I thought that we could maybe, you know, do something this afternoon; something special. Just you and me?"

"I'd love that," she smiled as he took her hand and joined them over the console between them.

* * *

They'd been walking hand in hand, for about two blocks after leaving the SUV in their usual parking garage, and almost instantly, he'd insisted on a tortuously slow pace. He had argued that he wanted to enjoy the time that they had with just the two of them – Lindsay however had figured out the truth seconds later. His slow pace was obviously for her; it was his way of meeting her half way. He wouldn't mention the fact that she could probably do with an aid of some sort to help her walk, so long as she adhered to him walking slowly; restricting the pace that he knew she so desperately wanted to instil on the both of them.

It was times like these that made Lindsay realise how much she had missed him. How much she had missed them. Normalcy in their lives had quickly become a thing of the past when she'd been shot. She was positive that she would be unable to count the amount of times that she had cried over the thought of not being able to walk down the street with Danny, hand-in-hand, simply enjoying his company. It broke her heart to think that if that was the case, the both of them would have to deal with what had happened for the rest of their lives.

However, that hadn't been the case.

"Where's your head?" He brought her from her thoughts abruptly.

"I'm thinking that this is nice." She smiled up at him, squeezing his hand gently. "Really nice."

"Yeah?" he smiled. "Good."

She returned the smile and couldn't help the tiny giggle that passed through her lips. For any other couple whom were experiencing the same feelings and emotions that they were, 'nice' and 'good' would most probably be the last words chosen to describe their current situation. Incredible, amazing, accomplished... she knew that any would suffice in their current situation. But there was a general consensus between them it seemed; that they didn't want to make a big deal out of everything. Not today at least. She'd been to therapy already, and even though she knew he most probably had burning questions, she appreciated him casting them to one side and saving his inquiries for later on.

He stopped suddenly, and pulled them to the edge of the sidewalk, looking both ways at the gridlocked traffic, lining New York's busy streets.

"Come on," he said, tugging her behind him.

"Danny, wait! I can't cross just anywhere, what if I-"

He stopped short just in front of a taxi and turned to look at her pointedly. "Do you really think I'd put you in any form of danger, babe?"

"I... I just thought you might have forgotten." She blushed.

"Babe, trust me – what happened to you isn't going to be forgotten anytime soon, k? The lights are on red and the intersection up there is just as packed as this one is. These guys aren't going anywhere for a while."

Glancing to where Danny had pointed out, a small smile had tugged at her lips. When he had pulled her over to cross the street, he'd already assessed whether or not they'd make it across in ample time. "Lead the way, sir." Lindsay squeezed his hand gently, her eyes apologising for second guessing his thoughtful nature.

They crossed the road successfully, weaving in and out of the cars, buses and taxis. They linked hands and continued their steady pace down the road in silence. Lindsay warranted a sneaky glance in the direction of Danny's face and he had a proud smile on his face. What was it that he'd planned, exactly?

"Alright, here we go," he said finally as he guided her into one of the many entrances of Central Park.

_A walk? _Lindsay's mind screamed internally. _Crap! _ She was okay for short distances, but she just wasn't sure how long she'd be able to last even at a slow and steady pace. She didn't want to let Danny down though. From the look on his face, this was important to him and she just knew that if she told him she was struggling, he'd be devastated that he'd put too much on her plate.

"You done freakin' out?" his soft voice whispered in her ear. "I haven't brought you for a walk."

"You haven't?" she asked eagerly, relief clearly evident in her voice.

"No, I know that the distance we just walked was quite enough for the time being." He gestured down to a picnic blanket with a picnic basket settled on it to prevent it from blowing away. "Surprise!" he smiled.

"Danny.." Lindsay gasped in awe. "Is this... did you...?"

"Gustav other there kindly offered to stand and watch our stuff while he took his break," Danny waved kindly to a horse and carriage that sat by the street. "With the condition that we go on one of his extended horse and carriage rides later, as a form of payment." Danny added with a wink.

"You did this?" Lindsay whispered. "For me?"

Danny nodded and took a seat and made a point of patting the blanket next to him for Lindsay to sit. Settling down to their blanket, Lindsay swiped at the stray tear or two that had sneakily slipped down her cheek at the sight of what Danny had planned for her - and the lengths to which he'd gone to.

"Hungry?" He inquired, swiping a tear from her cheek without a word.

"Starving," she smiled. "What have you got in there for us?" She could only imagine the range of food he'd probably bought... anything to get away from the usual crap they were forced to eat to pacify Amanda. "Please tell me you've got... I don't even know what it is I want."

"Hah," Danny licked his lips as he searched for a way to break the news to her. "Well, see the thing is babe..." He let out a sigh and went digging in their picnic basket for what he'd prepared for them. "My plan was a little off the cuff so I didn't have a whole lot of time to prepare."

"So you didn't bring food?"

"Well, I brought food," he smirked as he laid out the two ziplock bags containing two sandwiches. "Bologna and cheese." He shook his head sadly. "Kraft cheese no less... with mayonnaise; it's all we had in. We didn't even have any damn mustard." He sulked.

"I see you've cut the crusts off too." Lindsay observed.

"Yeah, I was in automatic pilot mode, and when I realised I wasn't making lunch for the picky princess, there was no going back... We're out of bread by the way."

Lindsay shook her head with the beginnings of a smile tugging at her lips. "What else you got in there?"

"Well," Danny smirked. "Two bags of cheetos, quite the rarity in the Messer household."

"Ooooooh, Amanda's gonna be pissed when she finds out you stole her lunch treat, Daddy." Lindsay sing-songed.

"Well, she'll just have to deal with it." He huffed playfully. "That kid's got monopoly over all of the good stuff."

"Can I just add here that we give her wholesome food too? Because as it stands right now, all it seems like she eats are cheetos, sandwiches and blueberry muffins..."

"Well, you might give her wholesome food," Danny coughed.

"Danny!"

"What? Babe, I can't help it. She comes over to me with those beautiful eyes and asks for crappy food and I just can't say no."

"I've watched you wrestle a bag of chips from her and hand her a celery stick... don't pretend you're the good cop. You're just as much bad cop as I am."

"Busted," Danny sighed sadly. "Can't get shit past you, can I?"

"Sadly no," Lindsay smirked. "So, what've you got for dessert?"

"What makes you think I brought dessert?"

"Danny, honey, I know you. You brought dessert."

Sighing, Danny went digging in the picnic basket and pulled out two small objects. "For dessert we've got a choice... chocolate pudding or a..." he paused as he read the label, "Exotic fruit cup, with real fruit juice! Consider yourself lucky too; I had to hide these in the dishwasher this morning... what kind of a kid wants chocolate pudding for breakfast?"

"I didn't realise Flack picked the kids up from the house," Lindsay teased.

"Oh yeah, that's funny, Montana." Danny shook his head. "Laugh it up... poor guy does us a favour and you're makin' fun of him."

"Oh please, you know you would have taken that opportunity... and don't deny it Danny."

"Busted... again!" Danny implored, before turning a little more serious. "I know it's not exactly what you expected when you saw the picnic basket and I'm sorry if you're disappointed... in fact, shall we just pack this away and go get lunch somewhere?" He pursed his lips as he looked at the pathetic array of food in front of them. Before Lindsay could even answer, he swiped the sandwich and chips away from her and shoved them back in the basket. "Yeah, come on... there's that really good diner over on-"

Lindsay cut him short by holding her index finger over his lips and offered him a warm smile. "Stop worrying, this is perfect."

"Linds, it's far from perfect. It's a friggin' bologna sandwich. We haven't been out in... God, I don't even know and this is all I can come up with?"

"Danny, it's perfect," she smiled at him. "So long as you're here, that's all I need. And anyway, it's the thought that counts. You've brought me on a romantic lunch date to the park... what does it matter what we eat."

"When everyone asks though..."

"Then I can say that he brought me one of my favourite sandwiches." She smiled at him.

"Fake sandwich meat and fake cheese? Yum..."

"Hey! You eat what you can when you've got a two year old that will only eat fake sandwich meat and fake cheese."

Danny sighed, his forehead wrinkling with frustration at his efforts. "I just... it seemed like a good idea when I was making them. I was so excited to be doing something I didn't even stop to think what it was I was makin'. Like I said, I was on autopilot."

"Why are you being so hard on yourself?" Lindsay asked as she shuffled closer to him and leant her head on his shoulder.

"Because I wanted this to be perfect." He sighed. "I wanted to take this time to make good on my promise-"

"You haven't promised me anything Danny," Lindsay interrupted him. "We said we needed time. We didn't make promises so that we didn't break them to each other, you know that."

"Well, I didn't verbally promise you anything, but in my mind I promised you that I was going to make more of an effort. I was going to meet you more than half way if you needed me to go that extra distance. It's the least I can do for you. I've sat on my ass over this for too long. It's time you and I get back on track... and I figured that spending an afternoon together might just do that... or at least get us comfortably going on the right track, because I think we're there right now, don't you."

Lindsay couldn't help the giggle that bubbled out of her.

"What's so funny?" Danny growled.

"Can I ask you a question?" Lindsay responded to his question with her own question.

"I guess," he shrugged.

"Over the past few weeks have you been assigned to cases alongside Adam?"

"No, well... actually come to think of it I have been-" stopping short, Danny could only shake his head at his wife, whom was biting her lip to stop her giggles. "Alright, smarty pants, you've made your point. I'm rambling."

"Why?" she asked him softly.

"Because I miss you," he sighed. "I miss us and I want you back, and I wanted to do this to help me get that."

"I'm still here," she whispered, cupping his cheek with her hand. "I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."

"You disappeared for a little while though," he said quietly, frustrated with himself at how his afternoon was working to his plan. "I just wanted to make you happy."

"Danny, I'm the happiest I've been in so long." She smiled at him, stroking his cheek softly with her fingers. "It would have made no difference if you had whipped out a filet mignon or a bologna sandwich..."

"Although tell me you'd prefer the mignon, otherwise I'm gonna march you down to the courthouse and get a divorce."

She elbowed him playfully before rubbing the offended area herself. "Goes without saying really, doesn't it?"

"Apparently so," he growled as he placed his hand over her's as she soothed his arm.

"So, tell me what it was you had planned for today."

"Well, we were gonna eat, sit and talk... maybe a walk if you were feeling up to it."

"Alright, so what's stopping us?"

"Well..."

"Exactly," Lindsay smirked as she interrupted him before he could provide her with any reasons otherwise. "Nothing, so enough of this... open up your damn bologna sandwich and eat it."

"You're so romantic," Danny teased. "Tell me more, Linds."

She scowled at him playfully as she shuffled away from him and opened up her own sandwich, taking a healthy bite from it.

"You're a piggy," Danny shook his head as Lindsay wrestled with the massive amount of food in her mouth. "And don't even try say somethin', I don't wanna see what you've got in there."

"Mmm-b-"

"NO!" Danny cried, clasping his hand over her mouth. "No, don't... don't Lindsay,"

Underneath his hand, he could feel Lindsay's lips parting. Within an instant, he moved his hand and closed his eyes. "Babe, you're... c'mon, we're in public... this isn't socially acceptable."

She giggled, but kept her mouth shut, realising that perhaps it wasn't really the time or the place to wind Danny up with childish antics.

"You done?" he smirked at her, finally daring to bite into his sandwich.

She winked cheekily at him before taking another, slightly smaller bite.

"You've spent too much time with that daughter of yours," Danny mumbled, his mouth still full of food.

"Whoa there, pot... why are you calling me black?" Lindsay implored. "Try chewing your food."

"Smartass," Danny shook his head playfully. "How was your therapy session?"

Lindsay shrugged as she internally tried to decide whether to withdraw from him or let him in. She let out a sigh as she placed her sandwich down. She didn't need to tell him everything; but baby steps would be nice. "It went okay," she began.

"Good, I'm glad." Danny offered a smile, his face displaying his disappointment in her answer.

"Yeah, we made some real progress I think. We really discussed a lot of the issues that I've been feeling over the past few months." Lindsay continued. "We talked about you too," she shuffled closer to him and leant on him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Oh yeah?" Danny peered down at her, watching her as she nibbled on her sandwich. "Good or bad?"

"Well, if I'm honest, at the time bad." She heard him exhale; clearly that had not been the answer he'd wanted to hear. "But in reflection now, I realise how lucky I was to have you. How amazing you were, and still are. Dr Farber has quite the soft spot for you I think."

"Who wouldn't, I'm quite lovable."

"You're also mine," She reminded him with a nudge of her head against his shoulder. "So she can keep her hands off."

"Who said I wanted her?" Danny nudged Lindsay. "I chased after you for long enough. I think the chances of me ever letting you go are highly unlikely."

"Yeah?" she smiled up at him, dropping her sandwich onto the ziplock bag.

"Absolutely," Danny nodded. "You're all mine."

Lindsay smiled as she dropped her sandwich onto the ziplock bag lying nearby. She then shuffled away from Danny's side and laid down on the blanket."Do you know what I read the other day?" Lindsay questioned as she settled her head on his lap, staring up at him with bright eyes.

"Nope, not got a clue. What did you read the other day?" He replied, his fingers finding a natural path to her hair, where he began teasing the locks of hair.

"That love was when one person knows all of your deepest darkest secrets of which no one else in the entire world knows... and in the end that one person doesn't think any less of you; even if the rest of the world does." She gave him a shy smile as he trailed his fingers through her hair. "It got me thinking about whether there was anything about me that you didn't know... when I realised there's nothing you don't know. Even with the parts of me that are dark, and would send anyone else running in the other direction, you love me more because of them. I don't think I've ever really realised how lucky I am to have you. These past few months haven't been easy and you never gave up on me. Not once. And I know I haven't said this enough recently, but I love you. I just want you to know that."

"You think you're lucky?" Danny chuckled down at her. "You think you're lucky 'cause you have me? What does that make me?"

"Um," Lindsay furrowed her brow as she tried to make sense of his ramblings. "Say that again?"

"If you're lucky because you have me, what does that mean for me? I have you... what does that make me?"

She smiled, finally getting an idea of what it was he meant. "We're both lucky?"

Danny shook his head. "No, I'm so much more than lucky to have you."

"Oh Danny," she shoved his chest lightly. "Stop it, I'm trying to be serious here."

"And so am I!" he protested. "Babe, you've given me two gorgeous children, we've made a life together, we have amazing jobs, we're happy after a long struggle together. You took a bullet to protect me. That shit only happens on the likes of scripted teen drama to pull in the ratings. I know things haven't been easy, but I wouldn't have changed a day of what happened because it's just proven to us that we can weather any storm, and for that I'm proud of us. We've worked hard to get back on track and I think I'm right in saying we're happy where we are right now, correct?"

"I'd say I'm pretty content," Lindsay agreed.

"Exactly, if we hadn't have gone through that tough time, I don't know whether we would appreciate how we are now as much as we do. We've still got a hell of a long way back to where we were before, but if we're in it together, that's all that matters. Are you in?"

"I'm definitely in," she smiled at him.

"Good, and you know, you've got no idea how I feel when I look at you walkin' around like you do. If things had been easy, I don't think I would have appreciated you walking as much as I do. And I know that I've always loved you," Danny continued. "But I never realised how much. I do now. I know that I don't just want you in my life, I need you in my life. No matter what happens between us. Without you, things don't feel right. So yeah, things were tough, and although I regret some of the things that happened; I'd never change it. Live and learn and all of that."

Lindsay swallowed the lump in her throat and smiled as he brushed away one of her tears that had slipped out of the corner of her eye. "Who would have pinned you as a man of words?"

"What can I say?" Danny smirked, "I've got a trick or two up my sleeve."

"What else have you got up your sleeve for this afternoon of ours then?"

"That'd be for me to know and for you to find out." He chuckled. A moment of comfortable silence fell between them before Danny cleared his throat. "I want you to promise me something."

"Alright," she smiled without a moment's hesitation.

"Promise me that for the rest of this afternoon, we won't talk about the past few months, okay? I want this to be you, me and us. Not what's been holdin' us down, you know?"

"That might just be the best idea you've had yet," Lindsay smiled. She then held up her hand and offered him her pinky finger. "I'll do you one better than a promise. I'll pinky promise you."

"A pinky promise, huh?" Danny mused, latching his pinky with his wife's. "No messin' with you, Mrs. Messer."

Lindsay giggled, her eyes twinkling with love for her husband. As far as she was concerned, this afternoon was going to be perfect... and exactly what the therapist ordered.

* * *

**And I think we'll leave it here for now ;) didn't want all my fluff to be packed into one chapter... and I know it wasn't as fluffy as you may have liked (it wasn't as fluffy as I planned actually) but Fred wants what he wants... next chapter will be utterly fluffylicious. I promise :p I have a whole week to think and plan ;) so prepare yourself for a fluff attack when I get back.**

**Thanks for reading :) **


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